Marketing 2026: CEOs prioritize increasing revenue, building brand, and improving CX Merca2.0
04:25
Marketing enters 2026 with a new strategic weight within organizations. Far from being a tactical area, it is now consolidating as a direct driver of growth and profitability. This is revealed by the survey “The Conference Board® C-Suite Outlook 2026 – Global Summary”, titled “Uncertainty and Opportunity: The CEO Playbook for 2026”, where CEOs place marketing at the center of their business agenda.
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What are CEOs’ marketing priorities for 2026?
According to the report, business leaders have defined three major fronts that will shape the direction of marketing:
- “Increase revenue” (36.1%)
- “Brand building” (29.4%)
- “Customer experience” (27.6%)
- “AI for marketing” (21.4%)
This order reflects an evolution in marketing’s function: first generate revenue, then build brand value, and finally strengthen customer relationships.
Why is marketing becoming key to increasing revenue in 2026?
The economic context forces companies to seek growth under adverse conditions. The survey notes that CEOs face risks such as recession, inflation, tariffs, and changes in consumer behavior.
In this scenario, marketing becomes an essential tool to:
- Activate demand in weakened markets
- Influence purchasing decisions among more cautious consumers
- Optimize conversions in digital channels
- Identify growth opportunities in new segments
How is “brand building” being redefined in the 2026 marketing strategy?
Brand strengthening returns to a relevant position, but with a different approach. It is no longer just about awareness, but about generating tangible economic value. CEOs recognize that a strong brand enables companies to:
- Maintain pricing power amid inflation or competitive pressure
- Differentiate in saturated markets
- Build trust in uncertain environments
- Foster long-term customer loyalty
In a volatile environment, the brand becomes a strategic asset that protects revenue.
Why is customer experience (CX) key for growth in 2026?
Customer experience appears as the third major pillar of marketing, but with an increasingly central role in revenue generation.
The focus on CX responds to structural changes in consumer behavior:
- Greater digitalization of the customer journey
- More informed and demanding consumers
- Lower loyalty to traditional brands
- Expectations of personalization and speed
Investing in CX not only helps retain customers but also increases customer lifetime value (LTV) and improves marketing efficiency.
How is marketing connected to the CEO’s overall strategy?
The report makes it clear that marketing does not operate in isolation. It is directly linked to the main strategic priorities of the C-Suite. For example:
- “Change business model” (51.5%) as the main profitability strategy
- Price increases to protect margins
- Increased investment in marketing as a growth driver
This implies that marketing must align with key business decisions, such as expansion into new segments, redefinition of offerings, and digital transformation.
What are the implications of this trend for companies in Mexico and Latin America?
The global C-Suite perspective offers relevant lessons for emerging markets:
- Marketing must demonstrate a direct impact on revenue
- AI adoption must be tied to clear metrics
- Customer experience is a key differentiator
- The brand becomes a financial asset, not just a creative one
- Integration between marketing, sales, and data is essential
