[Column] Bob Koigi: Winning brands build media with audiences

Two recent major global reports from Havas Media Network and dentsu point to a defining shift in how media is planned, deployed and measured as brands get into 2026. At the center of both is a move away from static, channel-based media models towards systems built around people, intelligence and real-time value creation.

Havas Media Network’s 2026 Media Imperatives frames media as a living ecosystem, shaped by blended physical and digital realities, responsible artificial intelligence and trust-based engagement. Its five imperatives highlight the need for holistic orchestration across touchpoints, emotional intelligence alongside algorithms, and transparent value exchange in an environment increasingly saturated with AI-generated content.

Dentsu’s CMO Navigator – Media Edition 2026 reinforces this shift from the perspective of marketing leadership. The research identifies a cohort of “Perceptive CMOs” who outperform peers by adopting AI early, investing in emerging media environment and aligning closely with evolving consumer expectations.

Both reports converge on the idea of media as a primary growth engine. With global advertising spend expected to exceed one trillion dollars in 2026, media is increasingly tied directly to commerce, attention and cultural relevance.

Taken together, the findings suggest that success in 2026 will belong to brands that treat media not as a channel to be optimized, but as a dynamic system to be continually learned from, evolved and built with people at its center.

Campaigns of the week

Heineken has launched Fans Have More Friends, a global sponsorship platform that positions fandom as a practical way for people to connect with one another.

HEINZ is tapping into Big Game excitement with the launch of HEINZ KegChup, the first-ever keg of the brand’s signature ketchup. Designed for watch parties, the 19.5-inch keg features a spigot for easy dispensing, holding 114 ounces of ketchup.

The Coca Cola Company has unveiled its global campaign for FIFA World Cup 2026, inviting fans to embrace the full emotional spectrum of football’s biggest stage.

Agencies and accounts

UK agency Bountiful Cow has led the audience strategy, creative and media approach for the California Wine Institute’s first brand campaign in the UK, delivered through a paid partnership with Guardian Media Group.

the7stars has been appointed media partner to Greene King following a competitive pitch handled by IDComms.

FINN Partners has been named the public relations agency of record for Sonoma County Tourism (SCT). The partnership will focus on strategic media relations and storytelling that highlight Sonoma County’s breadth of experiences and its long-standing commitment to responsible destination stewardship.

Partnerships and acquistions

Salling Group, Denmark’s largest retailer, has partnered with WPP Media to connect its first-party retail data with WPP’s Open Intelligence for Commerce, enhancing insights, targeting and measurement for marketers.

Unilever has agreed to sell its Home Care business in Colombia and Ecuador to consumer goods company Alicorp, continuing its strategy to refine its portfolio and concentrate on priority categories.

Residence, a global network of creative companies, has acquired strategic and social creative agency OK COOL, strengthening its focus on social-first advertising.

Other major news of the week

Creative company The Midnight Club has opened a studio in Leeds, extending its UK footprint following expansions into North America and Amsterdam and marking the next phase of the agency’s growth.

Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), have amended their merger agreement to convert the transaction into an all-cash deal, a move the companies say simplifies the structure.

The European Marketing Confederation has expanded its network with the addition of MARK, the Association of Finnish Marketers, bringing Finland into its group of national marketing associations across Europe.

Bob Koigi is the editor-in-chief of Marketing Report.One

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