What Scottish marketers need to know for 2026

Marketing has rarely stood still, but the pace of change facing Scottish marketers as we move towards 2026 feels particularly significant. AI is no longer a future consideration, brand trust is harder to earn, and the way marketing teams work – and are hired – is evolving fast.

Drawing on insight from marketing leaders across Scotland and beyond, here are some of the key themes marketers should be aware of as they plan for the year ahead.

AI is a creative partner…not a replacement

By 2026, AI will be embedded into almost every marketing workflow. But its role is becoming clearer: it works best as a creative partner, not a substitute for human thinking.

Rachael Higgins, founder of Because of Marketing, points to a growing shift towards AI as a collaborative “co-pilot”. She said: “It accelerates concepting, iteration, and personalisation at scale, but human creatives should still be focussing on what matters most; emotional depth, artistic intention and narrative cohesion, to create a successful campaign.”

While AI will no doubt remain a buzzword, it still needs to be guided by a human when it comes to creating a genuine and engaging output that people enjoy: just take the backlash to the McDonald’s Christmas ad as an example.

Ewan Anderson, Marketing Director at Eden Scott agreed, saying: “AI can create endless options, but it can’t choose the right emotions for a brand or turn data into a meaningful story. Skills like storytelling, brand intuition, and understanding culture are still human strengths that become more valuable as AI handles routine tasks.” 

He added: “Marketers who are creative and learn to use AI tools can make produce more higher-quality work than ever before. In contrast, AI by itself just creates generic content that gets ignored.”

Companies – and employees – that adapt will thrive

In a landscape defined by constant change, adaptability is becoming the most valuable skill a marketer can have.

For Emma Degnan, Marketing Project Manager EMEA at Thermo Fisher Scientific, the ability to adapt will be at the forefront. “As the next era of marketing takes shape, success will depend on our ability to evolve how we work, embedding agility, collaboration, and a mindset that leads through transformation rather than simply reacting to it.”

She suggested that agility to change quickly will be key: “2026 will be defined by the advantages gained through early adoption, in technology, data, and AI; with success favouring the brands that move first. This means looking beyond basic or generic AI models and reassessing the marketing technology landscape to ensure teams have the tools they need to adapt quickly and navigate ongoing change.”

Kerry McFarlane, Director at Nine Twenty Recruitment, has seen a similar trend across 2025. She noted: “Digital and AI-led marketing functions have had a standout year. The organisations that have chosen to invest and embrace new technologies are already seeing the benefits: stronger output, streamlined delivery, and teams who feel supported by innovation.”

This mindset also requires a shift in leadership style. Rather than pretending to have all the answers, modern marketing leaders are expected to be open and collaborative.

Said Anderson: “Research shows that marketers who are flexible and eager to try new things do better than those with more technical knowledge but less willingness to adapt. 

“Saying ‘I don’t know, but I’ll find out’ opens the door to real teamwork. If you share what worked and what didn’t, everyone learns faster together than alone.”

The return of long-form content and communities

While short-form content still has its place, there is a clear shift towards deeper, more meaningful engagement.

Higgins points to the revival of blogging and long-form platforms like Substack, where brands and founders are sharing more in-depth content: “I expect a wave of founders, creators, and brands to move to Substack to share behind-the-scenes thinking, creative process walk-throughs, and richer storytelling that reinforces authenticity and highlights the human artistry behind campaigns.

“People are already gravitating toward thoughtful analysis rather than quick takes. It's why we’re also seeing longer timestamps on Reels and TikTok, and meaningful growth in longer-form video.”

This trend is closely tied to a wider psychological shift in how people engage with their phones and digital spaces. Speaking at CIM Scotland’s December Breakfast Social, Amanda Burns, Head of Business Development and Senior Account Lead at Flourish, described how audiences are becoming far more intentional about what they allow into their lives.

Rather than treating phones as a constant gateway to possibility, people are increasingly curating their feeds in search of entertainment, enrichment, immersion and genuine connection. This shift has important implications for brands, placing greater emphasis on content that earns attention through value and relevance.

As a result, smaller, high-trust communities are becoming more important than ever. Private groups, invite-only events and more intimate digital spaces allow brands to test ideas, build loyalty and foster genuine connection – with brands moving away from the old format of influencer trips and instead using existing brand fans and advocates to build and grow their communities.

Marketing leadership in Scotland is evolving

The job market is changing in Scotland, as anyone who has been searching for a role – particularly a senior role – recently will know.

Recruitment expert McFarlane stated: “Scotland has seen a slight decline in C-suite marketing appointments going into 2026, and it’s reshaping how senior marketers choose to work. Instead of stepping down a level, many are moving into fractional CMO roles, giving businesses access to high-level expertise without committing to a full-time hire. It’s becoming a genuinely attractive route for experienced leaders, offering strong earnings and far more flexibility than traditional permanent roles.”

At the same time, salaries across mid-to-senior levels have largely plateaued following the post-Covid hiring surge. This has made the market more cautious.

McFarlane noted: “Those who secured premium packages during the post-Covid hiring surge of 2021–2022 are now sitting at the top of their pay brackets, which limits the number of new roles that can meet their expectations. As a result, the market feels tighter, candidates are more selective, and employers are more cautious about stretching budgets.”

Personal brand is a career differentiator, not a nice-to-have

In a competitive recruitment market, personal branding has become one of the most effective ways for marketers to stand out.

Speaking at the CIM Breakfast Social, Lauren Jow, Co-Founder and Director at Iconic Resourcing, highlighted that despite continued demand for digital, content and analytics skills, many marketers look remarkably similar on paper. As a result, discovery now happens online first.

For recruiters, clients and hiring managers, it is quick and easy to audit someone’s digital footprint – from where they have worked before to portfolios of work, recommendations and shared insight. Being recognised before a CV lands on the desk builds trust in a way a document alone cannot.

A strong personal brand acts as proof of credibility. It shows not just what you have done, but how your work creates its own validation through visibility, consistency and reputation. When skills appear similar, personal brand often becomes the deciding factor, influencing promotions, new projects, pitches and hiring decisions.

For ambitious marketers, this matters beyond job applications. Personal brand can unlock new projects, accelerate career progression and open conversations that may never have been actively pursued. It positions individuals as trusted voices in an industry where clarity and credibility are increasingly important.

Jow outlined three core pillars of an effective personal brand: authenticity, consistency and visibility. This starts with defining a clear USP and understanding who you are speaking to, whether future employers, decision-makers or peers. By showing up consistently around what genuinely matters to you, personal brand helps build trust, reinforce relevance and make it easier for others to understand what you are known for.

Search behaviour is changing, and brands need to keep up

“Search is evolving toward AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation), social algorithms are changing, and consumer behaviour continues to adapt as digital technologies advance,” pointed out Degnan – and this theme will continue to be key into 2026.

Research from WARC found that 24% of marketers are planning to shift spend from SEO to generative engines, as part of a wider change of how people search. With rumours that ChatGPT will introduce in-app ads, this move becomes more prevalent.

The rise of social search in 2025 is also set to continue: led by TikTok, who added search insights into the platform in October. As social platforms continue to double as discovery engines, brands that treat TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and other platforms like a search platform will gain an edge in reach and relevance. 

Ciara Macpherson, Senior Content Strategist at Hydrogen, said: “Search just keeps on shifting. Don't get left behind. You need to be building discoverable content ASAP and future-proof your brand for this next era.

“The planned introduction of ChatGPT ads will no doubt speed this up, and change how people buy online. This could mean that the sales funnel gets flatter: with the full journey from initial search query to comparison to purchase all happening in one place.”

What does this mean?

As we approach 2026, Scottish marketers face both challenge and opportunity. AI, changing audience expectations and evolving career paths all demand a more adaptable, human-centred and commercially aware approach.

Those who succeed will be the ones who embrace technology without losing creativity, build trust through authenticity, and remain open to continuous learning. In a rapidly changing landscape, the future belongs to marketers who are willing to evolve – and bring others with them.