2026 Automotive Advertising Outlook

How auto marketers are reallocating spend, embracing AI, and closing the orchestration gap

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VIDEO LEADS THE AUTO MEDIA MIX

CTV and digital video dominate planned spend increases for 2026

Auto marketers are doubling down on CTV (86% increasing spend) and digital display/video (75%), reinforcing video as the backbone of automotive marketing. Budgets are shifting away from local TV and print in favor of channels that deliver flexibility, scale, and clearer performance signals.

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STREAMING AND AI SHAPE AUTO CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

CTV remains the top trend, with Gen AI rapidly influencing discovery and decision-making

CTV and streaming (90%) lead all consumer trends for auto marketers, reflecting changing viewing habits and premium content growth. Gen AI (60%) is emerging as a major force in how consumers research, compare, and engage with automotive brands.

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PERFORMANCE MEETS ORCHESTRATION

Auto marketers prioritize demand generation and cross-platform execution

In response to economic pressure and media complexity, auto marketers are prioritizing demand generation (56%) and cross-platform orchestration (56%). Measurement and brand advertising remain critical, but the focus is increasingly on connecting systems to drive full-funnel performance.

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AI IS POWERING SMARTER OPTIMIZATION

Data analysis and campaign optimization lead AI adoption

Auto marketers are using gen AI most often for data analysis (57%) and campaign optimization (43%), applying AI where it delivers immediate efficiency and insight. Creative personalization and market research are gaining traction, while more experimental uses remain limited.

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FAMILIAR BARRIERS SLOW AI AT SCALE

Expertise, data quality, and governance remain the biggest obstacles

Despite growing interest, AI adoption is constrained by lack of internal expertise (44%), data quality or access issues (33%), and brand safety and ROI concerns (33%). Integration challenges across existing tech stacks continue to limit AI’s ability to scale.

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FRAGMENTATION IS THE TOP INDUSTRY CHALLENGE

Cross-channel complexity threatens efficiency and performance

Fragmentation across platforms and publishers (78%) is the leading concern for auto marketers, followed by cross-channel measurement complexity (56%). Managing reach, frequency, and consistency across CTV and digital environments remains a persistent challenge.

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ORCHESTRATION IS CRITICAL—BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW

Unified execution across systems is critical for auto marketers

While 85% say orchestration is important, most auto marketers lack the ability and systems to share data, coordinate decisions, and unify workflows. Closing this orchestration gap will be essential to improving efficiency, measurement, and consumer experience in 2026.

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The Auto Takeaway

Automotive marketing in 2026 is defined by video-first investment, rising AI influence, and mounting operational complexity. Success will depend not just on adopting new channels or tools, but on orchestrating them into connected systems that can manage scale, performance, and trust across the entire consumer journey.

For more insights across all verticals, download Mediaocean’s 2026 Advertising Outlook Report.

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