Marketing & Media Trends

2026 Trends | BizTrendsTV | Newsletters 2026 1st newsletter | 2025 1st newsletter | 2025 2nd newsletter | 2024 1st newsletter |2024 2nd newsletter | 2023 1st newsletter | 2023 2nd newsletter | 2022 1st newsletter | 2022 2nd newsletter | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | eBooks: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2009

Marketing & Media trends

Industry trends

BizTrends Sponsors

Headline Sponsor

Digital, Marketing, Media

Musa Kalenga, group CEO of Brave Group

#BizTrends2026 | Brave Group's Musa Kalenga: Why 2026 demands a new code of leadershipMusa Kalenga

App Your Game’s Yusuf Abrahams says neuroinclusive design is the real competitive edge for 2026 (and after) (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | App Your Game’s Yusuf Abrahams: Neuroinclusive design, the real competitive edge for 2026Yusuf Abrahams

Michel van Rijmenant, Chimera Creative, CEO and creative director says the question facing creative agencies today isn’t whether technology will change our industry but whether creativity will remain central to shaping what comes next (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | Chimera Creative’s Michel van Rijmenant: A new renaissance of creativityMichel van Rijmenant

The report is available for download.

PR just got harder — Alignment is the key, says MeltwaterKarabo Ledwaba

Keegan Skinner, Deputy Head – Academics, Reddam House Waterfall

#BizTrends2026 | Reddam's Keegan Skinner: Redefining the pursuit of excellenceKeegan Skinner

Lili Nupen, co-founder and Director - Mining, Environmental & Energy Law - NSDV

#BizTrends2026 | NSDV's Lili Nupen & Robin van Wyk: The new rules shaping mining, energy, environment and constructionLili Nupen and Robin van Wyk

App Your Game’s Yusuf Abrahams says neuroinclusive design is the real competitive edge for 2026 (and after) (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | App Your Game’s Yusuf Abrahams: Neuroinclusive design, the real competitive edge for 2026

By Yusuf Abrahams 1 day

Michel van Rijmenant, Chimera Creative, CEO and creative director says the question facing creative agencies today isn’t whether technology will change our industry but whether creativity will remain central to shaping what comes next (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | Chimera Creative’s Michel van Rijmenant: A new renaissance of creativity

By Michel van Rijmenant 2 days

More news

The report is available for download.

PR just got harder — Alignment is the key, says Meltwater

Karabo Ledwaba 3 days

Jarryd Terblanche is a conceptual copywriter at Special Effects Media looks at how narrative voice will cut through digital marketing’s content saturation in 2026 (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | Special Effects Media’s Jarryd Terblanche: Narrative voice is becoming the differentiator

Jarryd Terblanche 3 days

Keegan Skinner, Deputy Head – Academics, Reddam House Waterfall

#BizTrends2026 | Reddam's Keegan Skinner: Redefining the pursuit of excellence

Keegan Skinner 3 days

Celeste Sirin, employer branding specialist and CEO of Employer Branding Africa

#BizTrends2026 | Employer Branding Africa's Celeste Sirin: Employer brand credibility and the human differentiator

Celeste Sirin 3 days

Lili Nupen, co-founder and Director - Mining, Environmental & Energy Law - NSDV

#BizTrends2026 | NSDV's Lili Nupen & Robin van Wyk: The new rules shaping mining, energy, environment and construction

Lili Nupen and Robin van Wyk 3 days

#BizTrends2026 | M&C Saatchi Abel’s Johannes (Jojo) Keiper: Why creativity can’t be reasonable anymore

#BizTrends2026 | M&C Saatchi Abel’s Johannes (Jojo) Keiper: Why creativity can’t be reasonable anymore

Johannes Keiper 10 Feb 2026

#BizTrends2026 | Unitrans’ Edwin Hewitt: Why people, not machines, will power Africa’s logistics revolution

#BizTrends2026 | Unitrans’ Edwin Hewitt: Why people, not machines, will power Africa’s logistics revolution

Edwin Hewitt 10 Feb 2026

#BizTrends2026 | Quantum Studios' Dr. Chris Roets: Memory-led marketing trends that will shape the year

#BizTrends2026 | Quantum Studios' Dr. Chris Roets: Memory-led marketing trends that will shape the year

Chris Roets 10 Feb 2026

Khomotjo Mashele, head of product: high schools at Spark Schools

#BizTrends2026 | Spark Schools' Khomotjo Mashele: Personalised pathways for a changing world

Khomotjo Mashele 9 Feb 2026

Lyndy van den Baarselaar, Managing Director at Manpower SA

#BizTrends2026 | Manpower SA's Lyndy van den Baarselaar: Steering the future of work with purpose, agility, and humanity

Lyndy van den Barselaar 9 Feb 2026

F45's Karen Loader explains how functional fitness, strength, pilates and recovery are reshaping sports marketing (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | F45's Karen Loader: 3 pillars reshaping sports marketing

Karen Loader 9 Feb 2026

Image supplied.

#BizTrends2026 | Atana's Karen King and Yolandi Meyer: Engineering for climate resilience in 2026

Yolandi Meyer and Karen King 9 Feb 2026

Source: Supplied.

#BizTrends2026 | Hyprop's Wayne Abegglen: Digital fatigue driving demand for new retail experiences

Wayne Abegglen 6 Feb 2026

Dr Stan du Plessis, CEO at Stadio Higher Education

#BizTrends2026 | Stadio's Dr Stan du Plessis: 4 forces reshaping higher education in South Africa

Stan du Plessis 6 Feb 2026

Leslie Adams, sales director at Reach Africa, says new formats, viewing behaviours and industry moves are setting the scene for streaming in 2026 (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | Reach Africa’s Leslie Adams: 5 streaming trends for 2026

Leslie Adams 6 Feb 2026

Anton van Heerden, CEO of DNA EOR

#BizTrends2026 | DNA EOR's Anton van Heerden: 8 global hiring shifts HR can’t ignore in 2026

Anton van Heerden 5 Feb 2026

#BizTrends2026 | Second Rodeo's Dan Brocklebank: Why the most important marketing trend for 2026 is not new at all

#BizTrends2026 | Second Rodeo's Dan Brocklebank: Why the most important marketing trend for 2026 is not new at all

Dan Brocklebank 5 Feb 2026

Bibi Bonnecwe, Executive Creative Director at Brave Group looks at why in 2026 human truths matter more than marketing trends (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | Brave Group’s Bibi Bonnecwe: Why human truths matter more than marketing trends

Bibi Bonnecwe 5 Feb 2026

Image source: DC Studio from

#BizTrends2026 | Bowmans' team: Regulatory developments in fintech, TMT sectors help steer Africa's investment future

Ashleigh Hale, Kate Beretta and John Paul Ongeso 5 Feb 2026

Fhumulani Ratshitanga, CEO, Fruit SA

#BizTrends2026 | Fruit SA’s Fhumulani Ratshitanga: The global certainty deficit and its impact on agriculture

Fhumulani Ratshitanga 4 Feb 2026

The Up & Up Group’s creative director of AI and Automation, Jacques Cilliers says it's not about how to use AI, but about why we’re using it in the first place (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | Up & Up Group’s Jacques Cilliers: AI is everywhere. Taste is our advantage.

Jacques Cilliers 4 Feb 2026

El Broide, managing director, The Platinum Club, says collaborating with AI, not competing with it, is the PR power move for 2026 (Image supplied)

#BizTrends2026 | The Platinum Club’s El Broide: Collaborating with AI is the PR power move for 2026

El Broide 3 Feb 2026

Shaun Smit, director, Transcend Capital

#BizTrends2026 | Transcend Capital's Shaun Smit: Balancing wealth inequality in the digital age through employee ownership

Shaun Smit 3 Feb 2026

#BizTrends2026 | Insight Terra's Alastair Bovim: The clean energy transition runs on minerals, and Africa must lead

#BizTrends2026 | Insight Terra's Alastair Bovim: The clean energy transition runs on minerals, and Africa must lead

Alastair Bovim 3 Feb 2026

Supplied image

#BizTrends2026 | UCT Online High School's Tessa Venter: Engagement, agency, and AI - the academic benchmarks of 2026

Tessa Venter 2 Feb 2026

Kelly Jackson, Managing Director, The Travel Corporation, EMEA

#BizTrends2026 | TTC Tour Brands’ Kelly Jackson: Steering the future of travel in an AI world

Kelly Jackson 2 Feb 2026

Let's do Biz