Omnicom Media’s new report, The Future of Brand Influence, finds that traditional advertising now competes with a broad array of touchpoints—social influencers, peer commentary, retail environments and AI-driven recommendations. Based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18–72, 71% of respondents say consumer conversations matter more than brand advertising, and nearly half see AI (45%) and influencers (43%) as more impactful than paid media. Only 32% credit advertising as the primary driver of brand opinion, while 40% point to online discussions. The report underscores the need for brands to expand the classic constructs of physical and mental availability to include emotional availability as consumers exercise greater choice over how and where they receive information.

The research reveals that 70% of consumers feel generative AI empowers them to rapidly become experts—researching product comparisons, pros and cons, and recommendations—effectively compressing the purchase funnel. At the same time, 63% of respondents rate their attention span as "just OK or not great," and nearly 40% report routinely overlooking ads on social media, even in high-load environments. Ad blockers, subscription models and signal loss continue to erode reach, requiring brands to pursue new tactics that capture scarce attention in moments of high intent.

Rising price sensitivity is reshaping brand relationships: more than 30% of consumers now trade down to cheaper alternatives—a substantial increase from 19% earlier in the year—while 75% say brand relatability is essential to purchase decisions. Yet 72% believe brands prioritize revenue over loyalty, and 55% feel that brands no longer make genuine connections as they once did. Joanna O’Connell, Chief Intelligence Officer for Omnicom Media North America, warns that without addressing this tension between economic and emotional drivers, brands risk diluting influence or self-sabotaging growth.

The report lays out strategic imperatives for brands to thrive in this new ecosystem. Physical availability now demands frictionless access across digital and brick-and-mortar channels; mental availability hinges on cutting through unprecedented noise; and emotional availability is the decisive lever for authentic connection at scale. Omnicom Media is unveiling first-to-market collaborations with leading retailers and social platforms this week at CES to operationalize these recommendations. Supported by Omnicom’s global media network—managing $73.5 billion in billings with 40,000 specialists across 70 markets—brands are urged to invest in live experiences, influencer partnerships, retail media integration and Generative Engine Optimization strategies to balance the power of human connection with machine intelligence and build a self-reinforcing growth flywheel.