The first half of 2026 has been one of significant changes for marketers. Artificial intelligence continues to demand substantial investment, leading to increasing pressure on CMOs to produce results and reduce costs. While AI shakes things up, sports and social media remain relevant and effective consumer touchpoints. 

Below, Marketing Dive has brought together some of the most impactful and pertinent data for marketers collected in the first half of 2026.

Budgets in 2026 make up an average of 7.8% of company revenue, down from 11% in 2020. (Gartner)

While budgets remain relatively stable, rising costs means marketers are still expected to do more with less. Paid media spending has grown 12.5% in the last two years alone, with 31.4% of budgets now being spent on media. (Gartner) 

Labor spending by marketers has increased year over year, with 24.5% of budgets being allocated toward personnel, up from 21.9% in 2025. Fifty-six percent of marketers plan to increase spending on consumption-based martech models, despite their contributions to financial turbulence. However, martech’s budget allocation overall dropped from 22.4% in 2025 to 19.4% in 2026. Agencies spending has also fallen from 20.7% in 2025 to 19.2% in 2026. (Gartner)

CEOs are also expecting more out of the marketing department, with 94% of CMOs saying expectations have risen considerably in the past two years, largely driven by increased demands around artificial intelligence. (BCG)

As consumers increasingly utilize and become comfortable with AI, marketers need to ensure they are setting themselves up for success in a changing search and discovery environment. The majority of LLM visibility is supported by long-term brand building while marketing spending drives only 22% of visibility. (WARC) 

AI is changing how the marketing industry works. Nearly 100% of CMOs in 2026 say AI is transforming their jobs and 42% admit to using generative AI to assist with human tasks. Just 8% report running campaigns with multiple autonomous agents. (BCG) 

An average of 15.3% of marketing budgets is being directed toward AI, with 70% of CMOs saying the technology is a top priority. (Gartner)
 

Influencers remain a source of product discovery for many consumers in 2026. The number of consumers who have made a purchase based on an influencer’s recommendation rises to 73% for millennials and 81% for Gen Z. (Sprout Social)

One-third of consumers find a new product through a creator at least once a month and 22% discover new products weekly. (Sprout Social)

When it comes to who social media users follow, only 17% check a profile’s follower count prior to deciding if they are going to follow them. Subject matter is a top consideration for 47% of users while brand partnerships are a top consideration for 29%. (Sprout Social)

Consumers are more likely to go to a smaller influencer for product discovery, with 36% saying it's a primary reason they follow the account, versus the 32% who follow high-profile influencers with a large following for product discovery. (Sprout Social)

Expanded broadcast and digital options have led to viewership growth this year across sports such as auto racing (44%), basketball (27%) and golf (12%). (Nielsen)

NHL regular season viewership is up 25% year over year, averaging 540,000 viewers per game. The league’s TikTok following also grew 83% over the course of the 2025-2026 season. The Professional Women’s Hockey League’s first nationally televised game on March 28 saw an approximate viewership of 133,000, with 45% of those being women over the age of 18. (Nielsen)

Hockey has largely been boosted by cultural relevance. Both the men's and women’s teams won gold at the 2026 Olympics, contributing to hockey’s relevancy. Additionally, hockey-centric shows such as HBO’s “Heated Rivalry" and Prime Video’s “Off Campus” have both seen significant viewership success, further driving interest in the sport.

While CTV commanded the largest share of ad spending in the first quarter of 2026, web was close behind with 42.3% while mobile trailed in distant third with 8.2%. (ANA)

Heading into 2026, ad-supported TV accounted for 63.8% of viewing time for consumers ages 18 to 49. Of the time spent with ad-supported TV, 66.7% of it was streaming, of which 81.1% was on ad-supported tiers of platforms such as YouTube, Amazon Prime and Paramount+. The remaining time spent on ad-supported streaming was spent on free ad-supported TV platforms such as Tubi. (Nielsen)

Linear TV accounted for 33.4% of ad-supported TV time for the 18 to 49 demographic, largely due to live sports and the news. Cable dramas and movies were also key sources of linear TV viewing. (Nielsen)