DENTSU CREATIVE: MARKETERS ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO TURN AI INTO A REAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Dentsu Creative’s new Global CMO Report 2026 shows that marketers are entering a new phase in their work with artificial intelligence. Following a period of enthusiasm, a pragmatic approach is now taking hold, focusing on the real-world impact on business, brand and customer experience. At the same time, human capabilities – which technology cannot replace – are increasingly becoming a competitive advantage.

The survey, conducted in April 2026 amongst 1,950 senior marketing decision-makers in 14 countries, shows that marketers are moving away from experimentation towards seeking concrete business value. Seven out of ten respondents confirm that AI speeds up the launch of campaigns and activities, but the same proportion do not yet see significant cost savings. At the same time, 74 per cent of marketers are considering changing some of the tools they currently invest in, and 62 per cent believe that AI is still unable to capture a brand’s distinctiveness, its tone of voice or its visual identity with sufficient accuracy.

“The initial excitement surrounding AI is gradually fading. The flood of interchangeable content lacking in originality and human touch is a warning sign for both clients and agencies. As the volume of easily generated content grows, the value of human creativity, craftsmanship and attention to detail is coming to the fore. It is precisely these qualities that consumers will increasingly expect and demand from brands. It will not be unusual for them to be willing to pay extra for them,” says David Böhm from Dentsu Creative.

Dentsu Creative’s ‘Making it Real’ report

The report highlights the growing importance of real-life experiences and human contact. A total of 82 per cent of the marketing directors surveyed plan to increase investment in physical brand experiences, such as events, experiential formats, retail activities or out-of-home communications. At the same time, more than four-fifths of respondents consider it increasingly important to work with authentic customer insights and genuine customer feedback.

Another key theme of the report is the concern over brand homogenisation in the age of algorithms and automated content. As many as 78 per cent of respondents agree with the statement that over-optimisation for algorithms can lead to brand communications becoming indistinguishable from one another. Successful organisations are therefore seeking ways to use technology to reinforce their own uniqueness, rather than to eliminate it.

According to the report’s authors, the most successful brands will be those that can combine the speed and scalability of AI with human creativity, cultural understanding and the ability to create memorable experiences. The future will therefore not belong to companies that merely deploy technology, but to those that can transform it into a real impact on their business and customer relationships.

Source: mam.cz