January always brings a rush of predictions, but as the dust settles, the most meaningful trends start to come into focus. As we reach the end of the month, now is a good moment to step back and consider what will genuinely shape financial services marketing in 2026, not just what’s new, but what will actually drive impact.

Across creative, digital, and experiential marketing, financial services brands are navigating increased competition, AI-driven disruption, and ever-rising expectations from B2B audiences. From financial services digital marketing strategies to brand-led experiences, one theme is already clear: relevance, humanity, and value now matter more than volume.

Below, our team shares their perspectives on where brands should focus their energy in 2026, and how we’re thinking about creative, digital engagement, and real-world experiences.

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Creative & Brand Building

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Owen Moralee, Creative Director

"This year will see brands looking to embrace the ‘real’ and make more human connections. I look forward to seeing more personality, humour and cultural relevance related to business. I fully subscribe to the thinking that when everyone Zigs, Zag!"

Miles Gaffney, Senior Digital Designer

"Taste and expertise will become more important than deliverables. Creativity and originality will cut through the noise."

Jim Barker, Senior Digital Designer

"To reiterate my colleagues, I can see more of a focus on the 'human' element. If you liked 90s/00s grunge, album art, and fanzine styles, you'll be in for a treat."

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Creative & Brand Building Insights
In 2026, financial services branding will be defined by differentiation, not decoration. As AI accelerates content creation and visual sameness creeps in, strong brand strategy, brand positioning, and culturally relevant storytelling will become essential. Brands that invest in originality, human tone of voice, and confident creative decisions will outperform those relying on safe, corporate norms, particularly in competitive B2B and insurance markets.

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Digital Engagement & Financial Services Digital Marketing

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Georgia Terry, Digital Content Manager

“I think this year employee advocacy will be critical on LinkedIn. Individual profiles are cutting through crowded feeds more effectively than company pages, helping brands reach wider, more relevant audiences while still supporting a strong central presence.”

Tom Boddy, Digital Marketing Executive

“AI-powered search is changing how people access information, with fewer users clicking through to websites. Brands will need to focus on being surfaced and cited by AI platforms, not just driving traditional web traffic.”

Elliot Krieger, Head of Digital

“B2B social is moving beyond awareness. The most effective strategies will use social at every stage of the funnel, driving real actions like demo bookings, event sign-ups, and pipeline growth.”

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Digital Engagement Insights
Digital success will hinge on smarter, more connected financial services digital marketing strategies. From employee advocacy and B2B social media marketing to AI-driven search visibility and full-funnel digital marketing campaigns, brands must focus on measurable outcomes, not just awareness. SEO, paid social, and social-led conversion journeys will increasingly work together to drive pipeline, not vanity metrics. Read our full blog on digital marketing trends here. 

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Experiential Marketing & Real-Life Brand Experiences

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Betty Khiavi, Account Director – Experiential

“I predict that the conversation around AI will continue to dominate in the experiential space, dividing audiences with its capabilities and taking over most panel discussions and the limelight with most keynote speeches. Another trend that I think we’ll continue to see is a focus on sustainability. This goes for everything from sustainable and natural materials on stands and exhibitions, right the way through to sustainably and ethically sourced ingredients on bespoke menus."

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Experiential marketing insights
In 2026, experiential marketing within financial services will be shaped by innovation and accountability in equal measure. Brands working with an experiential marketing agency or brand activation agency will need to prove both technological ambition and ethical intent through tangible action.

Account Managers

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Now that we’ve explored the creative, digital, and experiential forces shaping 2026, it’s time to hear from some of our account managers on how these trends translate into real-world financial services marketing strategies.

Lila Shearsmith - Woodall, Account Director - Client Operations

“I’m excited to double down on thought leadership this year. With the rise of AI, we’re seeing financial services brands become increasingly similar, meaning it’s more important than ever to differentiate. And what’s the number one way to do this? Showcase the people and expertise behind your brand. However, given algorithm changes and increasingly crowded social feeds, organic thought leadership alone is no longer enough. It is now imperative to include paid amplification and digital marketing campaigns that promote leaders’ voices beyond the confines of their existing audiences.”

Oskar Mujuzi, Senior Account Executive

“In a similar vein, I’ll continue to champion the use of culture-led content with our clients. It’s easy for financial services brands to fall into the trap of sounding overly corporate and forgetting to humanise their business. In B2B, people buy people before they buy brands, so effective financial services branding and B2B social media marketing should focus on showcasing real personalities, values, and culture, not just products or services.”

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Account management insights
Across client work, differentiation is becoming harder, but also more vital. Successful digital marketing will blend thought leadership, culture-led storytelling, and performance-driven distribution. Brands that align brand positioning, content, and paid digital activity will be best placed to cut through crowded markets and drive meaningful engagement.

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Conclusion

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As we look to the rest of the year, financial services marketing is entering a more intentional, human-led era. Creative success will depend on strong brand foundations and storytelling, digital performance will be driven by digital marketing, SEO strategies, and experiential campaigns will demand both innovation and responsibility.

For financial services and insurance brands, the opportunity isn’t to do more, it’s to do better. Better positioning, better campaigns, and better connections with real people at every stage of the funnel. For any ambitious financial services marketing agency, this shift represents not just a challenge but a significant opportunity to help brands stand out, build trust, and drive long-term growth.

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To learn more about our services, contact us here.