Consumers want less digital, more real world from brands in 2026

Marketers in 2026 face two priorities: bring back real-world brand experiences and get ready for AI-led discovery, according to the “Signals from the Stage” report from the ANA Masters of Marketing Conference. 

These strategic tensions reflect a rapidly shifting consumer landscape shaped by digital fatigue, rising expectations for personalization and growing reliance on AI agents to handle day-to-day decisions. In this context, brands must reassess how they engage with audiences, both offline and through intelligent digital intermediaries.

The return of touch

Digital saturation is driving consumer interest in tangible, real-world brand experiences — especially among digital natives. Younger generations, who have grown up with ecommerce, mobile apps and virtual entertainment, now view physical experiences as a novelty — and a means of cultural connection. At the ANA conference, 70% of marketers agreed that brands should increase investment in physical touchpoints over the next year.

Marketers identified three primary areas for physical engagement:

• Brand-hosted community events (70%).
• Experiential retail environments (66%).
• Limited-time pop-up stores (56%).

This renewed focus on IRL experiences isn’t just a marketing preference — it reflects consumer behavior. Harris Poll data shows that physical retail is becoming a cultural driver:

• 77% of Gen Z and Millennials have planned travel or outings around visiting a specific store or branded location.
• 73% say shopping at a hyped event, or pop-up, feels like being part of a cultural moment.
• Even traditional formats are back in favor: 79% of Millennials look forward to receiving brand catalogs in the mail, while 64% of Gen Z say they use them as room decor.

Physical brand encounters now serve as social signals, according to the report. They create opportunities for content, community and connection. This makes them powerful complements to digital storytelling. As a result, campaigns in 2026 should not treat offline activations as separate from digital efforts, but rather as amplifiers that boost shareability, engagement and emotional resonance.

AI agents go from task-doers to experience directors

The same consumers seeking real-world engagement are ceding more digital decisions to AI. It goes beyond personalized recommendations and smart assistants to full delegation of routine tasks. Gen Z, in particular, is leading this shift. Sixty-three percent expect a future where people direct AI agents to manage tasks like shopping, trip planning and research, rather than doing it themselves.

This change requires marketers to rethink how they reach audiences who may never conduct a manual search or visit a product page. Instead, AI agents will surface options and make selections on behalf of consumers. That raises questions of trust, accuracy and influence. According to the report, 71% of marketers agreed that the most urgent industry need is to establish ethical and privacy standards for AI-led discovery and agent-mediated purchases.

Marketers also identified two key strategies for adapting to this new environment:

• Optimizing content for conversational AI interfaces, including structured Q&A formats and metadata that supports agent comprehension (53%).
• Reimagining the path to purchase to accommodate AI-driven selection, rather than consumer-directed search (53%).

These steps reflect a broader shift in the digital marketing landscape. Marketers must now consider how brand information is interpreted, filtered and relayed by systems — not just how it’s presented to people. That means aligning content strategies with technical standards and investing in oversight mechanisms that ensure brand integrity and consumer trust remain intact.

The long-term challenge isn’t replacing human creativity — it’s ensuring that AI tools can work in the service of human values. Consumers may want convenience, but they still expect brands to represent who they are, what they care about and how they choose to live.

Navigating 2026

The report makes it clear that to win in 2026, marketers need to do two things—bring back meaningful in-person brand moments and get smart about how AI is reshaping discovery. That means putting real energy behind experiences that connect emotionally and culturally—and making sure your brand is ready for AI agents that influence what people see, choose and buy. 

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