Omnicom Media released a groundbreaking research report titled The Future of Brand Influence, highlighting how fragmented influence ecosystems are transforming brand growth dynamics. Traditional advertising now competes with influencers, peer reviews, retail experiences, and AI recommendations in shaping consumer decisions.
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Supported by Omnicom Media Intelligence research, the report expands classic brand growth fundamentals—physical and mental availability—to include emotional availability as consumers gain more control over information sources.
Shifting Influence Landscape "Influence used to be relatively linear and predictable," says 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 - and that means brands must earn emotional relevance and trust across a much broader set of touchpoints."
The findings underscore a major evolution in consumer behavior, where only 32% cite advertising as the primary influence on brand opinion, versus 40% pointing to online peer discussions.
Consumer Trust and Decision-Making Trends Key insights reveal trust migrating toward individuals and AI:
"Trust is migrating from institutions to individuals, and increasingly to machines as well," O'Connell says. "That shift fundamentally changes how brands need to show up if they want to remain relevant and influential."
The Rise of Generative AI in Consumer Journeys Generative AI accelerates paths from curiosity to purchase:
Attention fragmentation compounds challenges, with 63% reporting limited attention spans and nearly 40% ignoring social media ads.
Economic Pressures Versus Brand Loyalty Economic factors erode loyalty:
"These findings reveal a media ecosystem in which brand influence is either being blocked, deprioritized, diluted, or self-sabotaged," O'Connell summarizes.
New Rules for Brand Growth Physical, mental, and emotional availability drive growth, but achievement paths have evolved:
"These shifts are coming together to unveil a new marketing reality where brand influence is achieved by balancing the role of machines with the power of human connection in moments where brands are likeliest to capture people's attention," O'Connell notes.
The report informs upcoming CES collaborations with retailers and social platforms to boost influence across consumer journeys.
Recommendations for Brands Omnicom Media advises:
"The future of brand influence isn't about choosing between humans and machines," says O'Connell. "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."
ABOUT OMNICOM MEDIA
Omnicom Media, an Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) Connected Capability, is the world's largest global media management network. Powered by the Omni Intelligence Platform, Omnicom Media agencies leverage $73.5 billion in billings, 40,000+ specialists across 70+ markets, and the industry's most powerful portfolio of Identity (Acxiom RealID™), Commerce (Flywheel), and Intelligence (Q™) assets to design dynamic Growth Ecosystems that enable the world's most ambitious businesses to grow faster and smarter. The Omnicom Media portfolio includes leading global media agency brands OMD, Initiative, PHD, UM, Hearts & Science, and Mediahub; Data, Identity & Analytics powerhouses Acxiom and Annalect; and a broad spectrum of specialized services.
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