It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to James Pinchbeck, founder and director of Pinchbeck Marketing and Advisory.
Every year, marketers and creative agencies look forward to Pantone’s Colour of the Year. Although Pantone began in print, its influence now extends across digital design through HEX and RGB, shaping the visual direction of brands and campaigns. Cloud Dancer, the choice for 2026, is a soft and airy white that represents clarity, a sense of reset and a quiet optimism. It feels well suited to the year ahead for businesses and the wider marketing profession.
For owner managed businesses, scale ups and professional firms, 2026 is likely to encourage a return to clear thinking. Many SMEs still operate without a coherent plan or meaningful measures of success and rely on bursts of activity rather than long term direction. The year ahead should bring a stronger focus on revisiting strategy, refining value propositions and selecting performance indicators that genuinely reflect impact rather than simple vanity metrics.
AI will continue to progress from curiosity to everyday capability. It will support content creation, enhance customer insight and help with decision making. Just as importantly, organisations will need to understand how AI is influencing customer behaviour, prompting fresh thinking about messaging, brand experience and the allocation of marketing investment.
The rise of fractional marketers is also expected to continue during 2026. As businesses recognise gaps in senior in house marketing capability and as AI reshapes required skills, many will seek part time strategic leaders who can provide clarity and accountability without the cost of a full time appointment. This development will also influence agencies, who will be expected to work alongside fractional marketing leaders and offer deeper strategic input.
Cloud Dancer captures the essence of the year. It signals a moment for clearer thinking, purposeful resets and a gentle but confident sense of optimism.
