Marketers Face 40-Point Gap Between Business Optimism and Budget Reality

WARC survey shows 59% expect better business in 2026 but only 19% see budget increases—short-termism and AI anxiety dominate planning

59% of brand marketers expect business to improve in 2026. Only 19% expect higher budgets.

That 40 percentage point gap tells you everything about 2026. WARC’s Voice of the Marketer report surveyed ov…