Kantar: Social & Culture Trends

2026 is already reshaping platforms, culture, and commerce. Social behaviours are shifting, cultural codes are in constant flux, and technology is tightening the window from consideration to choice, changing how brands are discovered, trusted, and chosen.

Yet amid all this acceleration, one signal is clear: audiences are pushing back, seeking connection, credibility, and craft over content that feels engineered for engagement. The brands that translate these shifts into strategy first, will set the pace for the year ahead.

Join us on Thursday, 2 April for an exclusive breakfast bringing together three perspectives you won’t find in one room anywhere else: VML’s Future 100, Kantar’s effectiveness analysis, and Ogilvy Social.Lab’s Social Media Trends, all focused on what matters for marketing leaders in 2026.

Together we will explore:

Cultural Relevance in an Algorithmic World | Kantar

Explore how culture-led marketing drives measurable brand impact in a fragmented media landscape. Anchored in Kantar’s 2026 trends analysis, this session will unpack:

• Why top-of-mind awareness is no longer enough and how to earn cultural relevance and machine recognition simultaneously.
• The rising role of creators in delivering authenticity, credibility, and emotional connection.

Social Media Trends 2026 | Ogilvy Social.Lab

The social landscape is entering a new phase, where meaning, not attention, is the ultimate currency. This session will reveal:

• Key shifts in social strategy: moving beyond fleeting views to cultivate deep resonance, foster intimacy in digital spaces, and championing visible human craft.
• The power of creator-led commerce and the “human algorithm” in driving connection and conversion.

The Future 100 | VML

AI is no longer just a tool, it’s a collaborator in creativity. Drawing from VML’s Future 100 report, this session will explore:

• The emergence of new economic models and global voices reshaping what scales.
• How brands can embrace “courageous creativity” to unlock cultural impact and future-proof their strategies.