How B2B Will Succeed in 2026
Always looking ahead to new horizons and opportunities, Integrated B2B Marketing and PR Agency Fox Agency shares its experts’ thoughts on what 2026 will bring to B2B. Read on for key predictions and strategies for how B2B brands will win the new year.
Those who simplify will succeed
“Brands must turn complexity into advantages in 2026. There’s a significant opportunity to leverage AI to unlock hyper-personalisation and spot unmet or emerging customer needs at scale. Marketing must play a role in simplifying market complexities, being present earlier in the sales journey to give buyers something helpful, that is right for them.”
Rachel Lofthouse, managing director UK & Europe
Familiarity will breed… not much, actually
“Next year, highly targeted awareness media will become even more critical to build account scores across decision-making committees. Established brands with strong category awareness often struggle to convert familiarity into purchase decisions, against a backdrop of algorithms which heavily influence B2B buying. For media strategists, this will require a fundamental shift to rethink how we deploy investment across the funnel.”
Conor Bant, head of media and performance
The greatest risk will be being forgettable
“Two forces will make strategic visibility non-negotiable next year. The first: challenger brands with less to lose and more to gain. They will exploit the incumbents’ hesitation, win attention, accelerate mental availability, and steal market share – not through bigger budgets, but through sharper distinction. The second: the accelerating tide of technological and cultural change. Even if a company refuses to change, the world changes around it. Irrelevance is no longer caused by failure but by inertia.”
“The most successful B2B brands will stand for something, take positions, and create work that makes audiences feel all something inside. Internally, marketers will stop selling ‘boldness’ and start selling the real threat: being ignored. Because in the age of accelerating sameness, the greatest risk in B2B is being forgettable.”
George Sanders, head of growth
The slop won’t stop – so B2B must champion the human
“In 2026, feeds will be flooded with AI slop – content that’s (mostly) technically impressive, but emotionally vacant. It’ll all blur into one long, beige scroll. The recent AI Coca-Cola ‘Holidays Are Coming’ ads are a real testament on how easy it is to take something that genuinely resonated with audiences and blunt it overnight. In that world, anything that feels like it was made by an actual human, for actual humans, is instantly more memorable. Especially in B2B, where you’re still talking to people with instincts, doubts and a sense of humour, not just job titles.”
“AI absolutely has a role in that process, but as a controlled tool, not a creative autopilot. The brands that win in 2026 will pair brave, human-centred ideas with smart use of data and AI, so every piece of content feels original, honest and commercially on-point.”
Karl Mawdsley, head of motion
Agentic AI will supercharge GTM strategies
“In 2026, agentic AI has strong potential to supercharge go-to-market (GTM) strategies by helping B2B businesses more effectively scale lower funnel activities without losing the critical personal touch buyers expect.”
“But agentic AI is only as good as the inputs it receives. Without clear creative and strategic storytelling, personas, message frameworks, and competitive intelligence even the most advanced AI agents won’t do your GTM strategies any good. Ultimately, leveraging agentic AI as a tool to scale, optimise and target for stronger GTM outcomes.”
Jim Sampson, senior vice president
Data will be creativity’s BFF
“In 2026, subjective feelings will be the hook, but data will be the core of the creative sales process. This won’t dampen creative energy; it gives it shape and makes it sellable up to the boardroom.”
“For senior executives, data is essential to show the idea is more than an opinion. It’s informed, measured, and built for real-world impact. For creative teams and brand marketers, data will help to sharpen instincts and support braver decisions – making sure the work is not only expressive but effective. It’s not about replacing the gut feeling but about making sure that that ‘feeling’ lands with the target audiences it’s meant for.”
James Holland, head of creative
PR will stand for Protecting Reputation
“We have already seen reputation moving up the corporate agenda, and this shows no sign of slowing as we move into 2026. Everyone understands the cost of a reputational crisis – with stories proliferating and taking on a life of their own on social media to a jittery market responding to reputational wobbles.”
“Next year we will see businesses double down on protecting reputation; and this necessitates a seat at the table for comms. We will see increasing alignment between reputational metrics and financial metrics, and an increase in crisis mitigation as anxious businesses respond to volatile times.”
Lottie West, head of global PR
