As the dust settles on a volatile 2025, brand advertisers are wading cautiously into the first weeks of 2026. The “growth at all costs” mentality has been replaced by a sharper focus on accountability. In Digiday’s recent analysis, industry leaders, including Mile Marker CEO Scott Shamberg, discussed how data and performance are dictating Q1 budgets, and where the opportunities lie for brands willing to pivot.
The New Mandate: Accountability Over Volume
Advertisers aren’t necessarily pulling back spend, but they are demanding that every dollar works harder. The era of blind budget commitment is over; today, measuring marketing impact is the primary directive.
Scott Shamberg weighed in on the current state of budget fluidity in the piece, noting that while volatility remains, the floor hasn’t fallen out.
“Budgets have remained mostly flat from where we forecasted for the year… we have seen a little bit more push into the bottom of the funnel,” Scott shared.
This aligns with the broader industry trend: brands are prioritizing spend where data proves efficacy.
Breaking Up with the Duopoly
One of the most significant shifts highlighted in the report is the movement of dollars away from the traditional digital duopoly (Meta and Google). Advertisers are diversifying into upper- and mid-funnel channels, specifically Retail Media Networks, CTV, and YouTube, to find new shoppers.
However, this isn’t a return to “spray and pray” brand awareness. Even in these upper-funnel channels, brands expect the rigor of performance marketing. As the article notes, “Just because things measure well doesn’t mean they’re actually driving performance”. The winners in 2026 will be the agencies and brands that can connect top-of-funnel investments directly to the bottom line.
The Bottom Line
The 2026 landscape is defined by a “show me the work” attitude. Advertisers are willing to spend, but only if they can see clear signals of success backed by AI and precise measurement.
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