2026 Theme

A defining moment has arrived for marketing leaders. After years of "just surviving," 2026 signals something different — not a return to normal, but the beginning of a fundamentally transformed era.

The pressures remain real: Economic uncertainty still tops the list of concerns, budgets demand ruthless justification, and new regulations are reshaping how we collect and use data.

Yet beneath these constraints lies a powerful countertrend — most Kiwi organisations are increasing tech investments this year, and business confidence is climbing, not falling.

'New Frontiers' captures this moment of transformation. Kiwi marketers must forge brave new paths: demonstrating clear ROI while the playing field shifts beneath us, leveraging AI strategically without losing the human connection that defines New Zealand business culture, and tapping into authentic cultural narratives — from te ao Māori to our tight-knit community networks—that create genuine competitive advantage in global markets.

Join us for an iMedia Future of Marketing Summit designed for this pivotal year — packed with peer insights from leaders navigating the same challenges, research-backed perspectives on what's actually working in Aotearoa, and fiercely practical frameworks to help you move from defence to offence. This isn't about doing more with less — it's about building what matters with precision, confidence, and strategic impact in a market ready to grow again.