2025’s volatility was just the beginning, as 64% of US B2C marketing executives expect 2026 to be even more volatile. In the new year, political strife will escalate, coinciding with the nation’s Semiquincentennial — a moment intended for unity will be marked by division. Global cultural events such as the Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup, once symbols of connection, will see audiences distracted. Economically, increased tariffs will affect industries worldwide — forcing CMOs to weather market turbulence with tighter budgets and smaller teams in 2026. What are they in for?

Rising prices will risk alienating customers, leaving brands to lean on loyalty strategies to retain them. Meanwhile, AI presents a pickle: Its potential for marketing innovation will increase, yet privacy concerns, implementation hurdles, and fragmented martech stacks will slow its adoption. Growing mistrust in marketing measurement will add to the daunting year ahead for CMOs. But make no mistake — 2026 needs their leadership more than ever.

CMOs who thrive in 2026 won’t retreat. Instead, they’ll adopt a surgical approach to growth — prioritizing smaller, short-term wins. Their chance of success will come from adaptability and precision, not sweeping initiatives or careless risks — proving that calm in the storm is a CMO’s most valuable skill. As we look ahead to the B2C marketing landscape in 2026, Forrester predicts:

  • Price hikes will cause transactional brands to lose a third of their customers. Thirty-seven percent of US online adults are willing to pay more for products from brands they love, Forrester survey data shows, but most consumers prioritize low prices. In fact, in every industry we studied across eight countries, low price ranked among the top three purchase drivers. As companies face tariff pressures and get smarter about using AI to extract higher prices, up to a third of customers of transactional brands may walk away.
  • Three AI-native B2C marketing technology applications will enter the market. Marketers are eager to use AI for customer insights, campaign creation, and optimization, and nearly two-thirds of US B2C marketing executives say that their organizations train employees on generative AI primarily through guided user experiences within martech — yet most AI-powered tools are bolted on to legacy systems. In 2026, the race to launch AI-native marketing technology is on, with one major vendor and two startups expected to debut next-generation, AI-native solutions.
  • Confidence in marketing measurement will decline by 7%. In 2025, 79% of B2C marketing leaders felt confident in measuring marketing’s business impact, but that confidence will likely drop in 2026. Open-source marketing mix modeling methods offer advanced measurement, yet many brands lack the data and culture to benefit. Additionally, politicized economic metrics and growing concerns about AI-driven data transparency will erode trust in measurement models.

Clients can read our full Predictions 2026: B2C Marketing report for all five of our predictions, as well as more detail and specific advice for each of them. And be sure to attend our live client webinar on Monday, January 26, featuring all of the Forrester analysts behind these 2026 predictions.

If you’re not yet a Forrester client, download our complimentary guide with a selection of our predictions for B2C marketing, customer experience, and digital leaders. And sign up for our public webinar on Wednesday, January 21, where we’ll dig into those predictions in greater detail.