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← Back to IdeasOgilvy On Live: Social Trends 2026 — Social with Substance & the Return to Real
The Social Marketing opportunity for brands has never been more exciting, nor more challenging. Social is entering a new phase where meaning, not attention, is the real competitive edge.
As AI accelerates content volume and feeds become more synthetic, audiences are gravitating toward brands that feel credible, human, and culturally grounded.
In this edition of Ogilvy On Live, Ogilvy Social Lab's social experts Catherine Sackville-Scott, Strategy Director and Awie Erasmus, Global Strategy Director dive deep into their new 2026 Social Trends report, outlining the key shifts shaping the year ahead. Together, the trends illustrate how brands can best build trust, activate communities, and create tangible value in an increasingly automated social landscape.