Top 3 marketing trends of 2026
Happy New Year! 2026 has had a roaring start, and I am looking forward to a year of high productivity, innovation and ways to grow and challenge myself, my teams and the work we do for our clients. Here are some trends that I have already observed and predict to further take off as 2026 gets fully underway.
1. Nostalgia-Driven Messaging and Programming
OH MY GOD, THEY’RE BACK AGAIN! Backstreet Boys helmed the New Year at the Sphere in Las Vegas with a resurgence of their sold-out residency for a very special seven date engagement. After entertaining over 350,000 fans in 2025 - they sold-out the Sphere yet again. Because of their nostalgic appeal to the Millennial-social media first generation - their content EXPLODED on all social media platforms. From unassuming sightings of the Boys on the strip, to matching outfits and multi-generational trips, fans were flooding feeds with exciting content - all rooted in nostalgic joy of reliving the best days of boyband fandom.
The economic impact of this nostalgia driven booking is notable - attributing to a $9m growth in revenue at the Sphere versus same time last year. Plus - the ancillary spending from these tourists at hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, shops and more is something the Las Vegas economy needs more than ever.
In 2025, Mattel’s UNO brand announced the debut of UNO branded social clubs at LA, NYC, Chicago and more. The brand also took over a suite at The Palms in Las Vegas. Setting the social media feeds ablaze, Millennials and Gen X’ers were excited at the premise of a real money UNO table game. While this was just a wrong assumption (which UNO had to publicly acknowledge), brand mentions and interest of UNO soared.
As marketers - the takeaway here is that nostalgia is important to the modern consumer and resonates. How can you apply the trend of nostalgia to your content plan for 2026?
2. The Return of the Digital Camera
Remember when iPhone billboards boasted gorgeous images taken natively on their latest models? I fondly remember them driving to the Philadelphia Airport on I-95. Fast forward to 2026, professional grade shots from iPhones are no longer impressive. It’s all about the digital camera aesthetic. A “must-have” for influencers and content teams alike is now a $700+ digital camera. The unfiltered, retro, blown-out flash aesthetic of a digital camera shot is what is performing best on social feeds. I predict more professional campaign photography will be in this format in all mediums - out of home, organic social, print ads and more.
The super viral Canon PowerShot G7 X is the digital camera of choice. Its demand is so high, that you enter a queue upon visiting the Canon website to only find that it is out of stock for the foreseeable future. Will you be adding a classic digital camera to your team’s toolkit this year?
3. Fonts Go Ozempic
The skinny font has returned! Back in November, WSJ observed how many brands are reverting to serif fonts (aka skinny fonts). I personally am here for it. In a chaotic world, a serif font feels formal and confident yet reassuring. It also conveys a bit of nostalgic fanciness!
Here are some brands that are following the skinny font diet:
David Protein - this bold new protein bar brand is cutting through the clutter of an entirely-oversatured protein market with a high-fashion, minimalist approach to its brand - akin to a brand like Gucci. With Julia Fox front-and-center as its spokesperson and its self-proclaimed “anti-marketing” approach to marketing, I am excited-yet-anxious to see how this brand performs in 2026.
Vacation Inc. - this brand captures all of the trends in one fell swoop - nostalgia, digital camera aesthetic and the serif font. The sunscreen market is just as crowded as the protein set. Everything this brand does turns heads. I cannot wait to see what they do creatively next in 2026.
As always, the heritage brands like Vogue, Four Seasons, BVLGARI, and Prada have always embraced a serif font in their brand DNA - which evokes prestige and understated luxury.
Tying this all together is a desire for simpler times and the power of beautiful memories. Together, let’s make 2026 a year to remember and one that we are proud of.
