Theme 1: Be trusted It may seem counterintuitive that, in an increasingly digital and personalized landscape, a “classic” topic like branding ranks first. Look closer and the logic is clear. In a period of constant disruption and rapid advances in digital and AI, CMOs are rediscovering that brand is not a relic but the bedrock of resilience and long-term growth. As tools get faster, the fundamentals matter more: trust and emotional connection become the anchor that gives customers clarity, consistency, and a sense of security. Four of the top five priorities—branding (ranked #1), data privacy (#3), authenticity (#4), and employer branding (#5)—point to a shift from short-term activation toward long-term brand and trust building. Given its importance and the need for action to catch up to peers, this has become a critical topic for CMOs. — Branding (#1) is, at its core, long-term brand building. Marketers plan to invest in distinctiveness, clear value perception, and creativity. Three trends stand out. First, interactive brand building is becoming a two-way dialogue in new formats like Audible’s 2024 out-of-home campaign, using giant screens as “mass participation augmented reality” across major cities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. 2 Second, teams are moving from brand-only campaigns to full- funnel programs that combine long-term brand equity building with immediate sales triggers. Third, gen AI is being adopted for creative exploration and content generation, though skill and technology gaps remain (see our chapter on gen AI and agentic AI). — Robust data privacy (#3) has long been a critical component of building strong, trustworthy brands, especially in Europe, where regulators have set high standards for data security since the 2 Jessica Hammers, “Audible brings storybooks to life with innovative global AR campaign,” Marketing Dive, July 17, 2024. Community building Personalization Creative content Sustainability-focused marketing Channel mix Macro developments Gen AI and agents Martech and adtech Commerce media Social media and influencers 11–20 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Be trusted Core report theme Be effective Be bold Ranking of the top 20 marketing topics by importance¹ 1 Question: On a scale from 1 to 6, please rate the importance of each of the following marketing themes based on their expected relevance to your company in 2025/2026 (1 = very low importance, 6 = very high importance). Source: State of Marketing Europe Report 2026, McKinsey, n = 500 senior marketing leaders across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom What’s top of mind for Europe’s marketing executives? McKinsey & Company Branding Budget management Data privacy Authenticity Employer branding Marketing ROI Connecting marketing and sales Integrating marketing and customer experience Agile working Data-driven marketing Top 10 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Exhibit 1 6 State of Marketing Europe 2026