Warc has released The Marketer's Toolkit 2027, a report that identifies five trends that will disrupt existing global marketing practices.

The report is based on a worldwide survey with 1,000 marketers and one-to-one interviews with marketing leaders. 

According to it, marketer optimism has dipped for the third year in a row, with just 46% expecting business to improve in 2027. While that is a drop of nearly 20% points from three years ago, fewer marketers anticipate budget cuts.

The five trends outlined in WARC’s Marketer’s Toolkit 2027 that will shape marketing strategies next year are: 

The drive to AI delegation  

Seven out of ten (69%) marketers expect customers to use AI agents for product research in the next three years, but just 8% expect full purchase delegation to AI. 

The post-social era

Two in five (43%) advertisers believe social media advertising is becoming 'less effective', but nearly six in ten (58%) feel ad buying practices are 'too set' to cut platforms from media plans, even if traffic declines. 

The clip economy 

Four in five (83%) marketers say short-form videos are a popular format among consumers, yet two in five (40%) doubt it can deliver the same brand halo as TV, film, and events. 

The summer wildcard 

Nearly half (45%) of marketers have not seriously considered how rising summer temperatures could affect their category, while only one in four (25%) have taken action. 

The AI tightrope 

Marketers are split on AI: four in ten (42%) expect it to boost marketing effectiveness, but just as many remain unsure, and one in five (19%) have negative expectations. 

Aditya Kishore, insight director, Warc, said, "The macroeconomic backdrop remains challenging – a fading middle market, mounting sovereign debt, and a cost-of-living crisis are all still weighing on marketer optimism. But beneath these pressures, important shifts are reshaping the industry. AI agents are starting to influence how consumers shop, algorithms are superseding social connections on social media, and the rise of the clip economy is changing how brands connect with audiences. Marketers who understand these emerging trends – and act on them – have a genuine opportunity to turn disruption into growth in 2027."