Every year, marketing and advertising leave important lessons for the market, and in 2025, it was no different. In a scenario marked by excess of information, a dictatorship of immediacy, new technologies and increasingly critical consumers, many brands err by confusing presence with relevance, volume with strategy and technology with purpose.
Caroline Ferrari, Director of New Corporate Business at Octopus, an established advertising and advertising agency, says repeating these mistakes in 2026 can cost much more than visibility and compromise reputation, trust and, above all, results.
“One of the main misconceptions this year was to bet on trends without alignment with the essence of the brand. We saw companies running to use artificial intelligence or new formats only to ndon't be left out‘, without clear strategy, consistent narrative or well-defined metrics’, analyzes Ferrari. According to her, the lack of planning and urgency, turned good tools into empty actions, with low real impact on the business.
Another recurring error was generic communication, especially in a period where the consumer sought identification, personalization and dialogue. “We have many campaigns insist on broad messages, not human and disconnected from the social and cultural context. Brands that spoke to everyone ended up not talking to anyone. The public expects relevant conversations, clear positioning and companies that understand their pain and values”, he points out.
Caroline also points to the over-focus on immediate performance as a critical problem.“We saw that this year was marked by an obsession with clicks, leads and short-term results, to the detriment of brand building. Performance without branding is unsustainable. In 2026, it will be essential to balance data with creativity and long-term vision”, he says.
The lack of integration between channels and teams is also on the list of failures, according to the expert.Fragmented strategies, misaligned campaigns and disconnected communication between online and offline have compromised the consumer journey. For the executive, the next year requires a truly integrated vision. “It is no longer about being on all channels, but about telling a single, coherent and continuous story at all the contact points”.
For 2026, Caroline Ferrari advocates a more conscious, strategic and human marketing. “The learning of 2025, for me, is very clear: brands need less ready-made formulas and more intelligence, active listening and courage to make choices.
