Amazon Ads: six trends for advertising 2026, between insight and artificial intelligence

2026 looms as a year of consolidation for the global advertising market. A more mature model in which creativity, data and economic measurement are no longer to be understood as alternative dimensions, but as integrated components of the same decision-making process.

This is the picture that emerges from the trends identified by Amazon Ads, which photographs an industry increasingly oriented towards linking advertising investments to measurable results along the entire consumer relationship path. A shift that reflects the evolution of the expectations of brands, called upon to justify average expenditure not only in terms of visibility, but also in terms of business contribution.

According to Marina Guida, Head of Sales at Amazon Ads Italy, the change is already underway: 'The market is evolving rapidly towards increasingly sophisticated advertising models. And the direction is also clear: 'In 2026 advertising is entering a new phase of maturity where it is no longer a question of choosing between creativity and performance, between brand awareness and conversion. More and more brands are discovering the value of integrating these elements throughout the customer journey, combining insight and creativity. This approach allows you to build campaigns that really speak to people, at the times when they are most receptive, through the channels they prefer".

The first trend concerns the overcoming of the historical separation between the creative function and data analysis. A distance that makes less and less sense, moreover, at a time when technologies are the gateway to innumerable data sources. The use of insights is no longer limited to the ex post measurement phase, but can become a strategic input into campaign design. And this change of method evidently promises to have a direct impact on the efficiency of investments.

'The "science" of media and the "art" of creativity,' points out Kate McCagg, Global Head of the Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab, 'are often considered two separate entities. But the most effective campaigns are those where audience signals really inspire the creative process, not just validate it after the fact'. A step that, according to McCagg, reduces the risk of irrelevant or perceived invasive messages, increasing the return on investment.