In Q1, marketers pivot to spending backed by AI and measurement

Between mass layoffs and shaken consumer confidence, brand advertisers are cautiously wading through the first weeks of 2026. With consumer demand harder to predict, advertisers are looking for clearer signals before committing to ad spend.

“Marketers are prioritizing spend where data shows the highest propensity to perform, while still recognizing the need to prime demand,” Swapnil Patel, co-president at Attention Arc, a performance marketing and media agency, told Digiday in an email.

Massive advertisers like P&G, Kimberly Clark and others have already set the tone, focused on improving the effectiveness of its advertising — at least that’s the case based on earnings calls at the start of the year.

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