I’m supposed to be writing about what 2026 holds for marketing technology. The problem? I can barely tell you what next Tuesday will look like. And frankly, that should excite and terrify in equal measure.

I’ve spent more years than I care to admit in this martech business, and I’ve never witnessed anything quite like the past six months. If you blinked during the summer of 2025, you missed about three industrial revolutions. Yes, AI is the culprit. No, I won’t apologise for mentioning it. It’s here..

The Great Code Extinction Event

Here’s where things get weird. Throughout 2025, I’ve been working alongside developers building SaaS and web apps using low-code and no-code platforms. The speed is genuinely unhinged. An MVP that would have taken weeks? Now it’s an afternoon’s work. I watched someone spin up a functional prototype before lunch. They also had time for a proper lunch, not the sad desk sandwich that used to accompany development sprints.

This leads me to what I’m calling the New Rules of Engagement.

Rule One: Stop Talking, Start Building

Remember the good old days of client presentations? Those glorious 80-page documents that could double as doorstops? The slide decks that required their own table of contents? All those hours spent crafting the perfect proposal, only to hear “interesting, but what it would actually look like?”

We recently threw that entire playbook in the bin. For one project, we skipped straight to building a working prototype. No deck. No document. Just, “Here, play with it.” The client could click buttons, test flows, and actually understand what they were buying. The discussions went from theoretical to practical overnight. We built that prototype in under two days, and we didn’t write a single line of code.

Don’t tell, show. Don’t propose, prototype. The old advertising adage just got a turbo boost.

The Identity Crisis Is Real

The people landscape in martech is shapeshifting faster than a Marvel character. We used to have a clear profile: part marketer, part technologist, probably learned to code on the job because we had to. I spent early 2025 learning n8n automation like it was the future. Then a colleague looked at me with genuine pity and said, “Why? Next year nobody will be using code.”

Extreme? Perhaps. Directionally accurate? Absolutely.

The new breed arriving in martech doesn’t follow the old path. They’re goal-focused, platform-agnostic, and they see code the way some see algebra: technically useful but hopefully avoidable.

When Everyone’s a Builder, Who Needs Builders?

Here’s where I need to pour one out for the micro-agencies and solo consultants. For years, we’ve watched SMBs convince themselves they could handle everything in-house. ChatGPT writes copy! Canva does design! CapCut edits video! Social media solves everything! (Narrator: It doesn’t.)

We nodded along, believing they’d eventually need professionals. But what happens when those same SMBs discover they can build their own websites in an afternoon using Lovable or Replit? When they can create booking systems in hours? When they realise a CRM isn’t mystical technology but something they can cobble together over a long weekend?

I’m connected with nearly 100 solo suppliers and small agencies in this space. They are busy and optimistic. When I ask about their roadmaps, I get a lot of thoughtful pauses. Nobody wants to plan for a landscape that’s redrawing itself weekly.

The Big Beasts Are Getting Nervous

Now for the really entertaining part: watching the giants respond. Adobe, Salesforce, Microsoft, Mailchimp—the subscription royalty who’ve built empires on monthly recurring revenue. They’re looking at a market that’s increasingly thinking, “Or I could just build it myself.”

Am I starting to see cracks in the subscription armour? Suddenly, “lifetime access” deals are popping up like daisies. One-time payments for tools that used to cost you in perpetuity. Even free offers. Is this panic? Strategy? A bit of both? My money’s on the latter. These aren’t desperate moves—they’re tactical retreats while the big players figure out where the new battlefield actually is.

The smart money seems to be shifting from “our software is valuable” to “your data and audience are valuable.” It’s not the IP, it’s the subscriber list. Watch this space.

(Today’s) Conclusion

I set out to write a forward-looking piece about 2026. But the truth is, predicting martech trends right now is like forecasting weather patterns inside a tornado. The best I can offer is this: hold onto something sturdy and enjoy the chaos.

The destination? Who knows. But the journey? It’s absolutely exhilarating—provided you’re paying attention and willing to unlearn everything you thought you knew about how this industry works.

For everyone in martech right now, my advice is simple: build your crows-nest into a daily habit. Check your coordinates constantly. The map is being redrawn as we sail, and the only real mistake would be assuming it’ll look the same tomorrow as it does today.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to learn whatever replaces no-code by next month.

What’s your take? Are you building, buying, or just trying to keep up? Let’s commiserate in the comments.

AI and Human Input in Branding: Dream team?

Branding and brand development require both art and science. It’s the perfect case where AI and human intervention can work closely together to produce outstanding results.

Data collection and analysis play a crucial role in shaping modern brands – AI, take a bow.   The essence of branding remains rooted in culture, emotion, and intuition – step up, human intervention.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionised many aspects of brand development, from research to creative ideation. However, its role should be complementary rather than dominant. The most effective brand strategies leverage AI for speed, scalability, and data-driven insights while relying on human judgment for decision-making, emotional resonance, and cultural relevance.

Here’s where AI excels—and where human intervention is irreplaceable.

1. Research & Data Analysis: AI’s Superpower

AI is unparalleled in processing vast amounts of data quickly. It can:

• Analyse market trends and consumer behaviour
• Identify emerging brand positioning opportunities
• Assess competitor strategies at scale
• Generate audience insights from social listening

Why AI? Machines process data faster and more objectively than humans, uncovering patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Where Humans Step In: Data alone doesn’t create a brand strategy. Marketers and strategists must interpret findings, weigh cultural nuances, and make judgment calls that align with long-term brand vision.

2. Ideation & Creative Exploration: AI as a Brainstorming Partner

AI tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Adobe Firefly can rapidly generate:

• Brand name options
• Logo concepts
• Tagline variations
• Copy drafts

Why AI? It removes creative blocks, offering endless permutations in seconds. This accelerates the exploration phase, allowing teams to consider more possibilities.

Where Humans Step In: Creativity without curation is chaos. A human must assess which ideas resonate emotionally, align with brand values, and fit cultural context. AI lacks the intuition to judge what feels right for a brand’s soul.

3. Brand Identity & Design: AI for Speed, Humans for Taste

AI can produce multiple design directions—fonts, colour palettes, visual styles—based on input prompts.

Why AI? It’s a powerful tool for rapid prototyping, reducing time spent on early-stage iterations.

Where Humans Step In: Design is subjective and culturally loaded. A human designer ensures that visual identity conveys the right personality, avoids unintended associations, and stands the test of time.

4. Content & Communications: AI for Scale, Humans for Authenticity

AI can draft social media posts, ad variations, and even personalised marketing emails at scale.

Why AI? It’s efficient for A/B testing messaging and maintaining consistency across channels.

Where Humans Step In: Tone, humour, and emotional impact require a human touch. AI-generated content often feels generic — brands need writers and strategists to refine voice and ensure authenticity. 

5. Decision-Making: The Unavoidable Human Role

AI can suggest strategies, but humans must decide:

• Which brand positioning is most compelling?
• Which creative direction aligns with long-term vision?
• How should the brand evolve in response to cultural shifts?

Why Humans? Brands are cultural constructs. They thrive on gut instinct, emotional intelligence, and an understanding of societal nuances—qualities AI cannot replicate.

The Winning Formula: AI + Human Collaboration

The future of branding isn’t AI or humans—it’s AI and humans working together. Use AI to:
✔ Accelerate research
✔ Expand creative possibilities
✔ Optimise execution

Then rely on human expertise to:
✔ Make strategic choices
✔ Infuse cultural relevance
✔ Ensure emotional connection

Brands that strike this balance will be data-smart and culturally resonant, winning both minds and hearts.

Final Thought: AI is the ultimate assistant, but branding remains a deeply human craft. The best brands will always need a human heartbeat.

Creativity isn’t magic—it’s a process you can trigger intentionally. Whether you’re solving a tough problem, brainstorming ideas, or fighting creative block, these 10 proven triggers will help you unlock fresh thinking.

Try one today and see what happens.

1. Necessity: The Mother of Invention

“I have no time/money/resources—now what?”
Constraints force you to think differently.

Pro Tip: Give yourself an artificial limitation (e.g., “How would I do this with half the budget?” or “Solve this in 10 minutes”).

Example: Twitter’s 140-character limit sparked creative brevity.

2. Curiosity: Follow Your “What If?”

Great ideas start with questions, not answers.

Pro Tip: Spend 10 minutes researching something totally unrelated to your work. Cross-pollination sparks innovation.

Try This: “What if my [project] worked like [unrelated industry]?”

3. Opportunity Identification: Listen for Gaps

Problems really are just unmet needs in disguise.

Pro Tip: Pay attention to complaints—yours and others’. They’re goldmines for creative solutions.

Example: Airbnb emerged when its founders noticed a lack of affordable lodging during a conference.

4. Embrace Ambiguity: Get Comfortable with “I Don’t Know”

Waiting for perfect clarity kills creativity.

Pro Tip: Take one small action before you feel ready. Momentum beats overthinking.

Mantra: “Done is better than perfect.”

5. Collaboration: Borrow Someone Else’s Brain

New perspectives = new possibilities.

Pro Tip: Ask someone outside your field, “How would you approach this?”

Example: A chef’s knife design inspired a surgeon’s scalpel innovation.

6. Purposeful Daydreaming: Let Your Mind Wander

Your best ideas come when you’re not forcing it.

Pro Tip: Schedule a 15-minute “thinking walk” (no phone, no distractions, no agenda).

Science Says: Mind-wandering activates the brain’s creative default network.

7. Feedback & Iteration: Fail Faster

Early feedback turns good ideas into great ones.

Pro Tip: Share rough drafts. Say: “This is unfinished—what’s missing?”

Key Shift: Don’t ask, “Do you like it?” Ask, “What would make this stronger?”

8. Playfulness: Creativity Loves Fun

If you’re not enjoying the process, you’re overthinking it.

Pro Tip: Use brainstorming games:

• “How would a 5-year-old solve this?”

• “What’s the weirdest possible solution?”

9. Fear & Pressure: Use Stress as Fuel

Fear can stifle creativity, but a little urgency sharpens focus.

Pro Tip: Set a crazy-short deadline (“Solve this in 20 minutes”). Watch how instincts kick in.

Remember: Fear of failure? Reframe it as “What’s the cost of not trying?”

10. Change Your Environment: New Space, New Ideas

Your brain associates places with behaviors.

Pro Tip: Work from a café, park, or even a different room.

Bonus: Use scent (peppermint boosts alertness) or background noise (coffee shop sounds enhance creativity).

Your Turn:

Which of these triggers resonates most with you?

• Comment below with your go-to (or tag someone who needs this!).

• Try just one today—then notice what shifts.

Want more?  bookmark for your next creative block!

Networking is often framed as a transactional activity—collecting business cards, making LinkedIn connections, and securing future opportunities. While these are valuable outcomes, there’s a deeper, often ignored benefit of networking: the unexpected, brilliant ideas that emerge from casual conversations.

As a creative person, I’ve found that some of my most original ideas didn’t come from structured brainstorming sessions, but from offhand remarks, often made during networking events. A passing comment from someone in a completely different industry, an observation from someone of a different generation, or even a cultural perspective I hadn’t considered—these interactions have led to ideas I never would have reached alone.

The Hidden Goldmine in Everyday Conversations

When we approach networking with the sole intent of ‘making connections,’ we risk missing the real magic: listening. People share insights, frustrations, and observations that can spark entirely new ways of thinking. A software developer might mention a workflow inefficiency that inspires a new productivity tool. A retired teacher might share an anecdote that reshapes how you approach customer education. A designer from another country might describe a trend that hasn’t hit your market yet.

These moments don’t happen when we’re focused on pitching ourselves—they happen when we’re fully engaged in the conversation.

The Power of Diverse Perspectives

One of the most refreshing aspects of group networking is the mix of backgrounds, ages, nationalities, professions, and outlooks. Unlike homogenous groups where ideas often echo one another, diverse networks introduce friction—in the best possible way. Different thinking styles challenge assumptions, expose blind spots, and open doors to innovation.

• A finance expert might approach a problem analytically, while an artist sees it intuitively.
• A young entrepreneur may prioritise speed, while a seasoned executive considers long-term resilience.
• Someone from a different culture might highlight a solution that’s standard in their country but unheard of in yours.

This variety is priceless. The more varied your network, the richer your pool of inspiration.

How to Network for Ideas, Not Just Contacts

If you want to tap into this overlooked benefit of networking, shift your approach:

• Listen More Than Talk – Instead of focusing on what you can get, pay attention to what others are saying. What problems do they mention? What unique perspectives do they have?
• Engage with People Outside Your Field – Some of the best ideas come from cross-pollination between industries.
• Follow Up with Curiosity – If someone says something intriguing, dig deeper. A simple, ‘That’s fascinating—tell me more about how that works,’ can lead to unexpected insights.
• Keep an Idea Journal – Note interesting thoughts or observations from conversations. Either on paper or your phone, while they’re still fresh. Revisit them later—they might be the seed of your next big idea.

Final Thought

Networking isn’t just about who you know—it’s about what you learn from them. The next time you’re at an event, resist the urge to ‘work the room‘ for contacts. Instead, immerse yourself in conversations. You might walk away with more than a new connection—you might walk away with a brilliant idea.

Have you ever had a casual remark at a networking event lead to a breakthrough? I’dlove to hear about it!

Remember when you were a child? Everything was a possibility. A cardboard box wasn’t just a box; it was a spaceship, a castle, a time machine! We were all born with a spark of creative genius, an innate ability to see the world with fresh eyes and dream up incredible things. So, what happened?

Well, life happened. We went to school, learned rules, and started worrying about ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ answers. We traded our crayons for spreadsheets and our imaginations for deadlines. Sound familiar?

Dr. George Land’s fascinating study, originally designed for NASA, showed us just how much we lose that natural creative flair. He tested kids at different ages and found that a staggering 98% of 4 and 5-year-olds scored at ‘creative genius’ level. But as they grew, those numbers plummeted. By adulthood, only 2% scored that high. That’s a big drop, right?

It’s not that we lose our ability to be creative; it’s more like we bury it under layers of ‘adulting.’ We become afraid of looking silly, or making mistakes, or just letting our minds wander. But here’s the good news: we can dig that creative spark back out!

I had one of my team who had a voracious capacity for work, but rarely produced anything fresh. Give her a task and she would leap into it and not stop until it was completed. I had to suggest she stopped for breaks, time to think, relax, review and re-charge. At times, I even had to intervene and slow her down. Have a chat, ask about her hobbies and home. It took time but her work developed a new spark and better solutions. 

Think of it like learning a language you’ve forgotten. It might take a little practice, but it’s totally possible. Here are some playful ways to get started:

• Embrace Playtime:
  • Remember how much fun you had as a kid? Reclaim that joy! Doodle, build Lego structures, play with modelling clay. Let your inner child lead the way. Take ‘play breaks’. Your mind will carry on working for you.
  • Try something that has no pressure to be ‘good’.
• Ask ‘What If?’ More Often:
  • Kids are masters of ‘what if’ questions. Ask yourself, ‘What if I tried this new approach?’ or ‘What if I looked at this problem from a different angle?’
  • This is a great technique to use with your team. Turn it into a game.
• Break Your Routine:
  • Our brains love patterns, but they can stifle creativity. Take a different route to work, try a new hobby, or rearrange your furniture.
  • Even small changes can have a big impact.
• Get Curious:
  • Explore something new! Read books on topics you know nothing about, visit museums, or watch documentaries. Curiosity is the fuel of creativity.
• Embrace Mistakes:
  • Kids don’t worry about making mistakes; they just keep trying. Adopt that attitude! Mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow.
  • Reframe mistakes as learning experiences.
• Collaborate and Brainstorm:
  • Talking to other people (and listening) will provide you with new perspectives.

Remember, creativity isn’t about being perfect; it’s about exploring, experimenting, and having fun. All those creative abilities are still there. Time to find where we buried them!

When working as a creativity coach, I often find myself in discussions about how far AI can be truly creative. I’m a fan of AI and use it daily, but it’s important to recognise its limitations, and one that is most important to me is ‘true creativity’.

While AI can generate seemingly creative outputs like art, music, or text, most experts agree that it currently lacks that capacity for ‘true creativity’ as humans experience it, which involves deep understanding, emotional resonance, and personal experiences that AI cannot replicate; AI essentially combines existing patterns and data in new ways, rather than generating truly original ideas with personal meaning. 

So what is it about AI and creativity?

• Limitations of AI creativity:
  AI can only create based on the data it has been trained on, meaning it cannot ‘think outside the box’ or generate truly novel concepts that are not derived from existing patterns. Humans involved in creative activities work very hard to avoid recycling existing solutions.
• No emotional intelligence:
  AI cannot understand or express emotions, which is a key component of human creativity. 
• AI as a creative tool:
  While not truly creative itself, AI can act as a powerful tool to assist human creativity by generating ideas, variations, and inspiration.
  The role of human input:
  The most creative AI outputs often require significant human input in the form of prompts, parameters, and interpretation of the generated results. 

For now, true creativity and innovation is the domain where the ability of humans to create genuinely unique solutions is still unrivalled.

Reviving the FAQ Page: A Key to Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)

In the age of AI-powered search, traditional SEO is evolving. Search engines are no longer just looking for keywords; they’re trying to understand user intent and provide direct answers. This shift demands a renewed focus on Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), and the humble FAQ page is poised for a remarkable comeback.

Why FAQ Pages Are AEO Powerhouses:

• Direct Answers: FAQ pages are inherently structured around questions and answers, mirroring the format of many AI-powered search results (think Google’s featured snippets).
• User Intent: They directly address common user concerns, and clearly understand customer needs and pain points.
• Rich Data: FAQ pages provide valuable data to search engines, helping them understand the topics and questions relevant to your business.
• Improved User Experience: Well-crafted FAQs provide quick and easy access to information. This will improve user satisfaction and reduce customer support inquiries.

AEO Best Practices for FAQ Pages:

• Keyword Research: Identify the most frequently asked questions your target audience posts. Use tools like Google Trends and keyword research tools to uncover relevant search terms.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Address a wide range of questions, from basic enquiries to more complex issues.
• Concise and Clear Answers: Keep answers brief, informative, and easy to understand. Use bullet points and numbered lists to improve readability.
• Schema Markup: Implement Schema.org markup to help search engines understand the structure of your FAQ page and display your answers in rich snippets.
• Regular Updates:  Review and regularly update your FAQ page to ensure accuracy and constantly address new questions.
• Promote Your FAQ Page: Link to your FAQ page from relevant pages on your website, such as your contact page and support pages.

Beyond Traditional FAQs:

• Interactive FAQs: Consider incorporating interactive elements like chatbots or interactive quizzes to engage users and provide a more personalized experience.
• Video FAQs: Create short, informative videos to answer common questions visually.
• Blog Posts with FAQ Sections: Integrate dedicated FAQ sections within relevant blog posts to provide in-depth answers and address specific user concerns.

The Future of AEO

As AI continues to evolve, AEO will become increasingly important. By embracing the power of FAQ pages and implementing the strategies outlined above, businesses can improve their search visibility, enhance the user experience, and maintain a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

Sound Techniques Don’t Die

The FAQ page, once considered a static afterthought, is poised for a resurgence as a key element of AEO. By carefully crafting and optimising your FAQ content, you can position your business to thrive in the age of AI-powered search and deliver a superior user experience.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice.