Every year, the marketing landscape gets louder, more confusing, and cluttered with fleeting trends or new shiny platforms. But 2026 is the year to get smarter. It’s about stripping away the noise and focusing only on what truly drives impact and sustainable growth.

In this episode of McFarland Minutes, we’re not giving you trends, we’re giving you judgment. Here is a crisp, focused breakdown of what we’re seeing work with real brands and what we would recommend you stop doing if you want to be ahead in the coming year.

2026 Marketing In’s: Double Down on These
1. Founders, Executives and Employee Visibility: Trust follows people, not logos. Your brand’s credibility is tied directly to the human beings behind it. Elevate your founders and executives as authentic thought leaders, because authenticity is the currency of the modern market.

2. Fewer, Better Platforms: The temptation to be everywhere is a trap. The reality is that one strong, well-dominated channel beats five neglected ones. Identify where your actual customer is, and concentrate your resources to own that space.

3. Cinematic, Story-Driven Content: Stop chasing “viral.” Start focusing on valuable narratives. We need less noise and more stories that make people lean in. This is content designed to build a genuine relationship, not just a view count.

4. Long-Form Content That Gets Repurposed: Think of your content strategy as a pyramid. The base is a powerful pillar: an in-depth film, a comprehensive guide, or a powerful podcast episode, etc. The short-form content that flows from it becomes your effective distribution engine and maximizes the long form video’s impact.

5. Audience Depth Over Reach: The biggest following or distribution list isn’t always the best. Smaller, more loyal, and engaged communities win every time. Focus on serving your existing audience so well they organically become your most effective marketing channel.

6. Clear Positioning: This is our favorite: Clear positioning is about saying who you are and, also, are not for. When you try to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one. Be the guy for the thing. There is always a person who seems to be the connection point and always “has a guy” be the guy for that thing someone is looking for.

2026 Marketing Out’s: What Needs to Go
1. Chasing Trends Without Strategy: That random TikTok dance or fleeting new platform? If it doesn’t directly serve your core business strategy, it is a distraction, not marketing. Cut it.

2. Volume Over Quality: The belief that you simply have to churn out “more, more, more” is bankrupting brands and watering down the message. Low-quality volume cheapens your identity and fatigues your audience. Quality is non-negotiable.

3. Generic Brand Messaging: If your company’s copy could be swapped with a competitor’s and no one would notice, you have generic brand messaging. Be specific. Be opinionated. Be you. AND know who you are trying to serve.

4. Short-Term Metrics as the Only KPI: Don’t measure KPIs one post or one week at a time. Marketing that actually matters is measured over quarters and years and longevity. You must value the long game and the enduring assets you are building.

5. Outsourcing Without Ownership: You can hire a world-class agency, but hiring an agency is a partnership, an extension of your brand. You must be a partner with them.

The Takeaway

The dynamics of the market have fundamentally changed:

Attention is expensive: You can’t just buy people’s focus anymore; you have to earn it with something genuinely valuable

Trust is everything: In a world saturated with AI and trend chasing, the only thing that holds is genuine human trust. That’s why we double down on visibility and community building

Consistency compounds: Small, right actions taken consistently beat massive, sporadic pushes. You build a brand like you build a portfolio through relentless, patient consistency

2026 isn’t about doing more marketing. It’s about doing the right marketing on purpose.