As CMOs brace for tighter budgets and shrinking teams in 2026, their success hinges on reducing the impact of market volatility. Price hikes will threaten to alienate up to a third of customers unless brands bolster their loyalty programs. AI’s duality will emerge: While it promises marketing innovation, privacy breaches, implementation hurdles, and bolt-on martech solutions will stymie its progress. And if that’s not enough, confidence in marketing measurement will falter amid heightened distrust in data. Hang in there, CMOs — 2026 needs you more than ever. This report details Forrester’s predictions for B2C marketing in 2026.