70% of Marketers Raise Budgets in 2026—Here’s Where the Money’s Going

Good morning, ! This week we’re tracking how B2B marketing performance is being shaped by data-backed signals and provable ROI—from consumer content where dollar-specific headlines drive ~70% open rates, to budgets shifting toward AI visibility, email automation, and performance infrastructure. We break down where 2026 spend is actually flowing, how AI is compressing the email funnel, why trust is outperforming reach in podcast advertising, and what today’s leaders open when insight feels specific, measurable, and actionable. The signal: clarity and credibility win.

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AUDIENCE DATA DIVE

What Gets Consumer Directors to Open

Our latest Consumer Industry audience deep dive shows that Director-level leaders engage with content that signals real market movement. E-commerce, Loyalty, and Digital Transformation stories led this period, averaging ~70% open rates—especially when headlines featured clear dollar figures and recognizable brands.

Consumer Trends & Behavior performed best when emotional insight was paired with economic context, while M&A and Private Equity content attracted a smaller, highly strategic readership focused on capital and transformation.

Across every category, one pattern was clear: specific, data-led, brand-anchored insights consistently outperform.. (More)

AD INTEL

Where B2B Marketers Are Actually Placing Their 2026 Bets

As marketing budgets expand, where dollars are flowing matters more than how much. New spend data shows a clear shift toward technology-enabled visibility and performance infrastructure.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and AI search visibility now top the priority list, with 37% of marketers allocating budget—matching tools and technology, which also sit at 37%. This signals a strategic pivot toward discoverability in AI-driven environments, not just traditional search or social feeds.

Execution layers follow closely. Paid media and distribution (29%), social media programs (26%), and organic distribution and SEO (25%) remain core channels for scaling reach and demand. Meanwhile, training and enablement (23%) suggests teams are investing internally to keep pace with new platforms and workflows.

Lower down the stack, thought leadership, PR, and demand gen programs remain relevant—but are no longer the primary growth levers.

The message is clear: growth budgets are being deployed where visibility, performance, and infrastructure converge. (More)

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THE FUNNEL REPORT

AI Is Becoming Core to the Email Funnel—Fast

Email marketers increasingly view AI not as a support tool, but as a core part of how the email funnel operates. By 2026, 70% expect up to half of their email marketing operations to be AI-driven, with another 18% predicting AI will power 50–75% of execution.

When asked which AI capabilities will matter most, generative AI leads (26%), driven by demand for faster copy and creative production. Close behind, performance analytics (18%) and content personalization (17%) highlight AI’s growing role in improving relevance and conversion—not just speed.

The split between B2B and B2C is telling. B2B marketers prioritize generative tools, reflecting leaner teams and headcount constraints, while B2C teams lean into analytics to prove ROI at scale.

The takeaway: AI is reshaping email from a channel into a continuously optimized system—compressing cycles, tightening feedback loops, and redefining how teams move prospects through the funnel. (More)

BUDGET SHIFTS

Marketing Budgets Signal a Strong Rebound in 2026

After two years of cautious spending, B2B marketing budgets are firmly back in growth mode. According to the data, 70% of marketers plan to increase budgets in 2026, while only 13% expect a decrease. Another 17% anticipate flat spend, underscoring a market that is stabilizing—if not accelerating.

This shift reflects growing confidence that marketing investments are once again driving measurable impact. With improved attribution, tighter funnel integration, and broader adoption of AI-powered optimization, CMOs are under pressure to do more—but with clearer ROI accountability.

Notably, budget growth doesn’t signal a return to “spray-and-pray” tactics. Instead, dollars are being funneled toward performance-led awareness, full-funnel programs, and channels that can prove contribution to pipeline.

The takeaway: 2026 isn’t about spending more everywhere—it’s about spending more where impact is provable. (More)

BUYER’S ROOM

What B2B Marketers Really Value in Thought Leadership

When asked how they judge the success of their own thought leadership, most B2B marketers still default to hard performance signals. Roughly 80% look first at engagement metrics—views, downloads, shares—while 63% tie success to business impact like leads or pipeline influence. Far fewer pay attention to qualitative cues, such as audience feedback (40%) or gains in brand authority (38%).

The signal from buyers is clear: thought leadership is still being evaluated through a performance marketing lens, not an influence one. That may work for proving short-term visibility or revenue impact, but in an increasingly crowded content landscape, trust and authority are harder to measure—and easier to overlook.

The marketers who win long term will be the ones who track influence, not just clicks. (More)

CREATIVE THAT CONVERTS

Why Trust Is the Real Performance Lever in Podcast Advertising

In an overcrowded media environment, podcast advertising is proving that how a brand shows up matters as much as where it shows up. New research from National Public Media and Veritonic shows that 65% of NPR podcast listeners factor a brand’s values into their purchase decisions—making trust a measurable driver of performance, not a soft metric.

When tested head-to-head, values-led sponsorship messages outperformed product-focused copy in four out of five cases. The lone exception was telling: vague or generic CSR claims underperformed, reinforcing that specificity is what makes values credible. Listeners reward brands that clearly explain how they give back, how products are developed, and how customer feedback shapes decisions.

The effect is amplified by context. NPR’s long-standing audience trust creates a measurable “halo effect,” with over 75% of listeners saying sponsorship improves brand perception and purchase preference.

The takeaway for B2B and brand marketers alike: high-performing creative isn’t louder or flashier—it’s transparent, values-driven, and delivered through trusted environments. (More)

CASE STUDY

How Oracle Cloud Scaled Personalization to Drive Pipeline

Oracle Cloud set out to fix a familiar B2B challenge: generic digital experiences weren’t converting diverse buyer personas across industries and deal sizes. The goal was to improve engagement and pipeline velocity by delivering personalized journeys at scale.

Oracle unified customer data across systems to build rich audience segments using firmographics, behavior, and purchase history. From there, personalization was embedded across web and email. Website visitors saw custom homepage layouts, content, and solution pages, while email campaigns dynamically adapted to role, prior interactions, and funnel stage. AI-powered tools surfaced relevant case studies, demos, and offers in real time, supported by shared dashboards connecting marketing and sales.

The results were material: web engagement rose 32%, qualified leads increased 27%, and demo conversion improved 22%.

The takeaway: personalization works best when data, AI, and cross-team execution move in sync. (More)

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