Financial marketers face a defining year as AI, shifting consumer behaviour and rising expectations around trust reshape how brands connect, differentiate and drive growth.
Tim Berney, CEO of VI Marketing and Branding, a digital and creative marketing agency spoke to Financial Promoter about why credibility, not just capability, will determine success in 2026.
Looking back, Berney described 2025 as the year AI moved from experimentation to infrastructure.
“It stopped being a ‘nice-to-have’ and became central to how marketing works. It is no longer just automation, it is an assistant that can analyse, plan and execute,” he said.
At the same time, the continued decline of third-party cookies accelerated the shift towards first-party and zero-party data. As generative AI made content production easier, a new constraint emerged.
“Creative is no longer the bottleneck. Data is. The brands with strong data foundations are the ones with the advantage,” Berney said.
Search behaviour also evolved significantly, particularly among younger audiences, who are increasingly turning to platforms such as TikTok, Reddit and community-driven spaces rather than traditional search engines. As a result, brands have had to rethink what SEO means in practice, with many seeing website traffic decline.
Offline channels also regained momentum, according to Berney. In-person experiences and community-led events became more prominent as brands looked to build deeper engagement and create content people actively want to share.
Alongside these structural shifts, expectations of brands increased, he added.
“People want companies to show empathy, understand context and stand for something consistently, not just when it is convenient,” he said.
Looking ahead, Berney warned of a growing tension between efficiency and effectiveness.
“There is a real risk of creative deterioration. When organisations focus too heavily on AI, efficiency and martech, creativity gets treated as decoration rather than strategy,” he said.
In financial services, where trust and differentiation are critical, this can be particularly damaging.
“If you sound like everyone else, you become interchangeable and less trustworthy,” he noted.
AI-driven automation does offer clear benefits, particularly in areas such as cross-selling to existing customers, Berney said. However, over-reliance on automation can lead to generic, easily ignored communications, especially for institutions without a well-defined brand voice or those constrained by regulation.
Direct mail has also continued its quiet resurgence. While less precise than digital targeting, it can feel more personal and remains effective in a category where location still plays a role in decision-making. Berney said he believes 2026 will expose weaknesses in approach.
“Institutions that chase performance metrics while ignoring brand identity will feel it. You cannot optimise your way out of being forgettable,” he said.
In terms of channel strategy, Berney argued that trust and personalisation will be the defining forces.
“People want experiences that feel tailored without feeling intrusive,” he said. “That puts pressure on brands to use data responsibly, with clear ethical boundaries.”
Content is also becoming more disciplined and strategic. Rather than simply increasing output, Berney said successful organisations have built systems to repurpose content and amplify genuine expertise.
“Thought leadership works when it is grounded in real experience, not just volume,” he said.
Paid social and over-the-top (OTT) channels continue to offer strong targeting capabilities, particularly when supported by adaptable, lower-production content.
At the same time, omnichannel consistency is becoming essential, he added.
“Customers do not think in channels,” Berney said. “They move from social to search to website to call centre and expect a coherent experience throughout.”
In a category where decisions carry financial and emotional weight, consistency across touchpoints plays a crucial role in building confidence and driving conversion. This shift is changing how campaigns are developed.
“In financial services, campaigns are less about big launch moments and more about guiding decisions,” Berney explained.
He noted that rather than pushing for immediate action, effective campaigns build credibility, reduce uncertainty and make the next step feel safe and straightforward.
Internal processes are also evolving. Compliance, which was traditionally seen as a final checkpoint, is increasingly integrated earlier in the creative process.
“Bringing compliance in from the start helps good ideas survive. Otherwise, many never get the chance to develop,” Berney said.
Beyond campaigns and channels, Berney also highlighted a broader strategic shift towards continuous trust-building.
“More brands are investing in executive visibility, thought leadership and consistent education. Credibility is built through repetition, not a single message,” he said.
At the same time, differentiation is becoming harder as more organisations rely on the same tools and templates.
He said: “The brands that stand out will be the ones that communicate with conviction, not those trying to sound like everyone else.”
Ultimately, he emphasised that despite advances in technology, the fundamentals remain unchanged.
“Financial customers are human,” Berney noted. “They make emotional decisions. Good service, reduced friction and timely answers are what create trust.”