Protecting creativity, earning consumer trust and proving marketing’s value
Where do marketing leaders’ expectations meet consumer reality, and where do they diverge?
The Voice of the UK CMO 2026 brings together the views of 500 UK CMOs and 2,000 UK consumers to explore the decisions shaping marketing today. Tracking changes from previous years, it examines how leaders are balancing AI’s benefits with creative concerns, navigating brand activism and demonstrating value under budget pressure.

Benchmark your approach against your peers, understand what consumers expect and uncover practical priorities for your next planning cycle.

Inside, you’ll find findings and practical takeaways across four key themes:

AI: GREATER VALUE, TOUGHER CREATIVE QUESTIONS
Among CMOs who have adopted AI, 64% say it has exceeded expectations. Yet more CMOs say it hinders creativity than enables it, and consumer acceptance remains uncertain. Explore where AI is earning its place and where human judgement matters most.

BRAND ACTIVISM: SPEAK UP OR STAY SILENT?
Consumers are almost evenly divided on whether brands should take a public stand on social or political issues. Meanwhile, 47% of CMOs always have backlash in mind when planning activity, up from 24% in 2025. Discover what audiences want brands to champion and what this means for reputational decisions.

MARKETING AND PR: THE INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITY
New for 2026, the report explores the relationship between marketing and PR. CMOs with fully integrated teams report stronger stakeholder understanding and leadership buy-in. Find out where alignment remains limited and what closer collaboration could mean for your organisation.

BUDGETS AND MEASUREMENT: MAKING THE CASE FOR MARKETING

66% of CMOs expect their marketing budget to increase next year, but 47% say existing budgets are already committed to planned activity. Explore how leaders measure success, where commercial outcomes feature and how market research supports stronger decisions.

If the findings raise questions about your own marketing strategy or audience, we’d love to discuss them.

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