New York: Omnicom Media, an Omnicom Connected Capability, has released a new research report titled The Future of Brand Influence, outlining how brand growth is being reshaped by a fragmented, non-linear influence ecosystem where traditional advertising is no longer the dominant force guiding consumer decisions.
The study highlights a fundamental shift in how influence is created and sustained, with brand messaging now competing alongside influencers, peer commentary, retail environments, and AI-driven recommendations. According to the report, advertising today represents just one input in a broader decision-making matrix controlled increasingly by consumers—and machines.
From Linear Influence to a Complex Ecosystem
Supported by research conducted by Omnicom Media Intelligence, the report builds on long-standing brand growth principles such as physical and mental availability but argues these must now be expanded to include emotional availability. As consumers gain greater control over how and where they consume information, brands must work harder to earn relevance, trust, and connection.
“Influence used to be relatively linear and predictable,” said Joanna O’Connell, Chief Intelligence Officer, Omnicom Media North America and lead author of the study. “Today, brand messaging exists alongside everything from influencer opinions to AI-generated answers—meaning brands must earn emotional relevance across a much broader set of touchpoints.”
The report also provides context for several first-to-market collaborations between Omnicom and leading retailers and social platforms, expected to be unveiled at CES this week. These partnerships aim to help brands influence consumers at critical moments—from discovery to purchase and loyalty.
Who—and What—Influences Consumers Today
The findings reveal a pronounced shift away from institutional authority toward people and technology-led influence:
- 71% of respondents say what people are saying about a brand matters more than its advertising
- 45% say AI-driven recommendations matter more than advertising, while 43% say the same about influencers
- 54% trust people on social platforms more than publications or institutions; among Gen Z, this rises to 67%
- Only 32% say advertising most affects their brand perception, compared to 40% who rely on online commentary
“Trust is migrating from institutions to individuals—and increasingly to machines as well,” O’Connell noted, adding that this shift fundamentally alters how brands must show up to remain influential.
The GenAI Effect: Accelerating Decision-Making
Generative AI is also compressing the consumer journey from curiosity to action. According to the report:
- 70% of respondents say GenAI helps them become experts in product or service categories
- 63% report having limited or declining attention spans
- Nearly 40% say they don’t notice ads on social media, even in high-ad-load environments
Meanwhile, ad blockers, ad-free subscriptions, signal loss, and VPN usage continue to erode the reach and effectiveness of traditional advertising formats.
Economic Pressure vs Emotional Loyalty
The research also underscores growing tension between economic considerations and brand loyalty:
- Over 30% of consumers report switching to cheaper alternatives, up from 19% earlier in the year
- 75% say brand relatability is critical to purchase decisions
- Yet 72% believe brands care more about revenue than loyalty
- 55% feel brands no longer try to connect with them meaningfully
“These dynamics reveal a media ecosystem in which brand influence is being blocked, diluted, deprioritised, or even self-sabotaged,” O’Connell said.
Rethinking the Rules of Brand Growth
The report outlines how the pathways to growth have fundamentally changed:
- Physical Availability now requires seamless access across digital and physical channels
- Mental Availability depends on breaking through unprecedented noise and dis-intermediation
- Emotional Availability has emerged as a decisive lever for authentic, scalable connection
According to O’Connell, these forces are converging into a new marketing reality where influence is achieved by balancing machine intelligence with human connection—especially in moments where attention is most valuable.
Key Recommendations for Brands
To succeed in this evolving influence landscape, Omnicom Media recommends that brands:
- Market to humans by tapping into emotion at scale
- Use live experiences to drive attention and emotional engagement
- Invest in influencers as authentic, scalable media channels
- Leverage retail media across the purchase journey
- Treat search as a behaviour, not just a channel
- Prepare for AI-led discovery through Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
“The future of brand influence isn’t about choosing between humans and machines,” O’Connell concluded. “It’s about designing systems that serve both. Brands that do this well can turn discovery, consideration, purchase, and loyalty into a self-reinforcing growth flywheel.”
