The Future of Marketing, Media and Tech
As we kick off 2026, the lessons of 2025 are already clear. It was a defining year for M&A across marketing, media, and tech, not just because of AI, but because buyer priorities and business models began shifting at an unprecedented pace.
Given the rapidly changing landscape, it’s more important than ever to stay plugged into the market zeitgeist. And from our vantage point on the front lines, we’re seeing those shifts play out in real time.
The patterns we’re seeing are already shaping the next wave of opportunities — influencing not just how buyers evaluate strategic fit, but how founders position for premium value. And we believe that applying a clear, analytical lens to these trends is mission critical to staying ahead of the shifts that will define 2026.
Major Trends Driving M&A
Looking at the core trends we saw emerge throughout 2025, tech and AI acceleration are obvious touchpoints — and we’ll get there shortly. But there are a number of crucial market insights beyond the splashy headlines that we believe will be major factors moving forward.
Specialization at Scale is Winning
Now more than ever, buyers are concentrating capital around companies that own a specific lane, ranging from retail media specialists to creator-driven agencies. The initial feeding frenzy around broadly generalized marketing services has largely played out, with the majority of that consolidation already behind us.
Today, both private equity and strategic buyers are sharpening their knives. PE sponsors are increasingly hunting specialist businesses that can anchor or enhance platform theses, while strategics are prioritizing best-in-class capabilities as tip-of-the-spear additions to broader offerings. As a result, the window for undifferentiated generalist models is narrow unless anchored by something truly distinctive.
That specialization is increasingly defined by category depth, not just services offered. As Michael Koziol notes, “Particularly relevant to B2B and regulated industries, more and more clients are seeking relevant capabilities combined with deep sector expertise so their partners are up to speed on trends and dynamics and the learning curve is minimized.”
For founders, the implication is clear: the tighter and more defensible your specialization — especially at the category level — the more compelling your role becomes in a buyer’s thesis.
Brands want multi-touch, socially amplified experiences.
2026 promises a renewed emphasis on experiences that extend beyond digital-only engagement, with a clear shift toward physical, real-world activations. It’s a fine line to walk. Audiences are fatigued by social-only interactions, yet they still expect physical moments to travel further than the room they happen in. Meaning that the most compelling models answer two questions simultaneously: how do physical experiences become fuel for social amplification, and how do those moments deliver genuine, in-real-life connection rather than just content?
As a result, buyers are prioritizing companies that can link physical and digital touchpoints into one super-charged engine. As Andreas Roell notes, “There’s a deepening recognition that audiences are craving alternative touchpoints with brands, and that these interactions drive real, lasting future value.”
Cross Sector Convergence
Continuing the acceleration from last year, the lines between marketing, media, and tech are dissolving. Buyers are no longer evaluating companies in isolation, but focusing on how blended capabilities produce leverage. The strongest buyer interest will be aimed at businesses sitting naturally at these intersections who can translate that mix into scalable advantages.
This shift is also visible from the brand side. Companies traditionally rooted in advertising or consumer goods are moving directly into entertainment as a strategic extension of how they build relevance. Look at Gap’s recent creation of an entertainment division — bringing in leadership from Paramount — to underscore how brands are formalizing entertainment and cultural contribution as a core capability rather than a marketing add-on.
But convergence only matters if it’s coherent. Buyers want a clear explanation for why these elements belong together and what future advantage they create. As Michael Kahn notes, “It’s never just the numbers — it’s got to be the ultimate packaging and storytelling experience.”
New Technologies Impacting Deals
It should come as no surprise that technology has become one of the clearest separators between companies that spark on the marketplace and those that fizzle. More than anything, buyers want to understand how a business will operate a few years from now — and the quickest signal is how that company uses AI and data today.
AI is now an essential conversation. Full stop. Buyers want to see where it drives real efficiency or improves accuracy in practical, defensible ways. As Michael Koziol puts it, the key question is whether a company can “break the linear correlation between growth and human capital.” This isn’t about branding yourself as an AI company as much as it’s about demonstrating that AI is meaningfully embedded in how the business runs.
As we move forward in 2026, the bar is rising beyond checklist-style readiness. As AI capabilities flatten toward a baseline, buyers are placing greater value on what doesn’t commoditize as easily: genuine human ingenuity and evidence that technology and data reinforce each other over time. The companies that stand out are the ones showing differentiated thinking, paired with systems where the tech flywheel is fueled by deep human insights.
The through-line is simple: a thoughtful, forward-looking relationship to AI and data signals scalability and staying power. And that’s what buyers are increasingly underwriting.
Future Strategies and Structures
All of these shifts are changing not just what gets bought, but also how deals are being structured. In 2026, buyers are far more flexible and thesis-driven, which has created room for structures that match the strengths of different types of companies.
We’re seeing more platform-plus-specialist strategies in fragmented categories, as well as more growth-equity and minority investments where founders keep meaningful ownership while bringing on capital and capabilities to scale faster. In other words, buyers are building toward very specific outcomes, and they’re willing to tailor structures around the assets that help them get there.
For founders, the practical takeaway is equally straightforward. The narrative has to be clear: what you do exceptionally well, how the pieces of your business fit together, and what future you enable in a world of technology disruption. The companies that articulate that story cleanly are the ones creating real competitive tension in processes.
As the landscape continues to accelerate, the real advantage isn’t timing the market — it’s owning your vision. The next wave of M&A will belong to the companies with a crisp story, a defensible edge, and a plan for what comes next. If you’d like an outside-in view of how your story aligns with where the market is heading, we’re always here to help you map that path.
