“Perceptive CMOs” lead the pack as AI becomes a core responsibility alongside customer satisfaction and growth
dentsu today announced the launch of its CMO Navigator – Media Edition 2026, the latest release in its global CMO research series, examining how marketing leaders are evolving their organizations amid rapid changes in technology, consumer behavior, and the media ecosystem.
Key Global Findings:
The rise of the Perceptive CMO
dentsu has identified a new segment of marketing leaders, termed “Perceptive CMOs,” whose perspectives most closely mirror those of consumers. Accounting for 17% of global CMOs, this group consistently outperforms peers across revenue growth, innovation, and transformation readiness. They demonstrate higher adoption of AI, earlier investment in emerging media ecosystems, and are more likely to operate within organizations achieving double-digit growth.
A wave of optimism is fueling investment
Despite prevailing consumer pessimism, CMOs report strong business performance, with 90% recording revenue growth over the past 12 months. This confidence is translating into increased marketing investment, particularly across North America and LATAM.
AI is now central to the CMO mandate
CMOs state that “redesigning marketing in the age of AI” has become a core responsibility, on par with customer satisfaction and customer-base growth. Nine in ten indicate that emerging AI capabilities are already influencing their strategies, driving efficiency gains and enabling the creation of net new offerings.
Media has become the most powerful growth engine
With global advertising spend forecast to exceed $1 trillion in 2026, CMOs overwhelmingly agree that media now plays a critical role in business performance. As media becomes increasingly algorithmic and shoppable, leaders are prioritizing attention-based planning, AI-augmented search, and creator-led ecosystems to engage consumers. At the same time, CMOs cite ongoing concerns around limited transparency and visibility within closed technology platforms.
Entertainment partnerships are accelerating
Ninety-one percent of CMOs are increasing investment in sports, gaming, and entertainment IP to reach audiences where cultural influence is strongest, with Mexico (44%), the UK (40%), and India (40%) leading those “significantly increasing investment.” More than 85% of CMOs are increasing investment in anime IP, while gaming partnerships have become mainstream across most regions, with fewer than 1 in 10 CMOs not pursuing any gaming-related strategies.
“Across MENA, these global shifts are already playing out at speed,” said Ramzy Abouchacra, Media Practice President, dentsu MENA. “CMOs here are navigating rapid platform growth, younger and more fragmented audiences, and an accelerating creator and entertainment economy. Media is no longer simply viewed as an executional layer, but as a driver of business growth that connects culture, data, and technology. The brands showing the most progress are those treating media as a connected system, accountable for real outcomes.”