There’s no crystal ball in an industry where trends change as quickly as feeds refresh, but that won’t stop us from making predictions.

We asked experts and executives in the marketing industry what they think will be the biggest social media trends to watch for in the new year.

AI, but maybe only in private: If there’s one thing Dan Murphy, SVP of marketing at Liquid Death, expects to see next year on social, it’s “more and more AI slop,” which he would like to reserve the right to engage in if only for parody purposes. “It’s this weird, confusing time where you see something with high production value and you assume a lot of thought has gone into it, but it’s no longer the case,” he said, adding that “the ability to create content has so far outpaced good content” creation.

As generative AI makes it easier to churn out pictures and videos, Manu Orssaud, CMO of Duolingo, said brands should seek to put forth extra effort to stand out. “As audiences become overwhelmed by automated content, attention will shift toward content that feels real and intentional,” he said. “Originality and personality will matter more than ever.”

Craig Brommers, CMO of American Eagle, predicts a return to longer-form storytelling on platforms in response to the rise of AI-generated content, citing the brand’s success on platforms like Substack. “It’s clear that our mostly Gen Z audience is craving deeper understanding, deeper connection, and deeper differentiation,” he told us.

Continue reading here.—KH

At CES, what’s happening in the hotel suites above the conference is just as interesting as the panels happening below—perhaps even more so.

But corralling execs to get to those meetings is no small feat, which is probably why companies like Netflix, Google, Instacart, Yahoo, and UTA typically opt to conduct business in private Aria rooms upstairs. If you’re already in the Aria, where much of the marketing programming is, why not meet there behind closed doors? The crowds at the elevators throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, where people waving company-branded paddles jockeyed for executives’ attention, were just one reminder of the wheeling and dealing afoot.

In the public eye, the AI announcements continued apace this week. Lenovo’s keynote at Sphere on Tuesday took nearly two hours to get through all of the AI-related news, where wild graphics helped keep people’s attention. (Shout-out to Clippy, who popped up during a section of the keynote highlighting a partnership with Microsoft.) At one point, a pattern of phones stacked together in a cylinder almost mimicked a black hole, a trippy image that made it all the more clear why bands like Phish are staples at the venue.

Even with the hate for some AI wearables, companies like Lenovo are still bullish on them. Throughout the keynote, Lenovo showcased new wearables, like glasses and a pendant. Execs repeatedly noted that listening and recording by the devices would be done with consumer permission, which served as a subtle nod to the sometimes-wary consumer sentiment around wearables.

Even as AI dominated conversations, consumer control and the importance of the human touch have been a continued drumbeat.

“AI hasn’t changed the principles of marketing,” Allison Stransky, VP of corporate marketing and CMO, Samsung Electronics America, said during a panel I moderated on Tuesday centered on AI and creators. “We’re all humans.”

Read more here.—KM

Last year can be defined by a lot of things: an uncertain economy, high prices, tariff anxiety—and, well…an abundance of protein. (Protein cold brew, anyone?)

A survey by Shopkick and Trax, which included responses from more than 5,600 consumers, found that 65% of shoppers consumed protein-enriched snacks in 2025. Of those who hadn’t, an equal share said they’d be open to trying them.

And the appetite appears to extend beyond curiosity. More than half of respondents (56%) said they were willing to pay more for snacks with added protein, while 41% said they’d switch brands altogether if their preferred protein-forward product was out of stock.

The findings come as consumers are looking for healthier snacking options in categories such as breakfast foods (53%), dairy (47%), and beverages (44%) becoming “the new frontlines of innovation,” per Shopkick.

In fact, 71% of respondents said they believe they need to increase their daily protein intake, and 39% reported prioritizing protein at breakfast.

“Brands that want to convert this movement into long-term loyalty must win where it matters most: by being consistently available, highly visible, and packaged with clear, simple messaging that communicate both health benefits and value,” Brittany Billings, CMO at Trax, said in a statement. “The data confirms this is more than a passing trend; it’s signaling a fundamental change in how Americans approach snacking.”

Continue reading on Retail Brew.—JS

Stories we’re jealous of.

• The Wall Street Journal wrote about the growth of Meta’s Reels, which has become a $50 billion business and is predicted to surpass YouTube and TikTok in 2026 revenue.
• Bloomberg wrote about the grocery chain Aldi and how it achieved a cult-like following.
• Digiday wrote about why publisher-creator partnerships are becoming more common.