Beyond trends: 4 major ways consumer behavior is shifting in 2026

2026 consumer trends — insights for brands and marketers

June 17, 2026

At Betty, a Quad agency, we think a lot about key trends that matter to marketers. Our consumer strategy team focuses on the big picture — avoiding fleeting micro trends that may blow up on social but don’t really have lasting impact. Instead, we watch out for major, meaningful shifts in consumer behavior that have the potential to change the way brands position themselves and their products.

This deck is the product of a collaboration between Betty and the connections strategy team at Rise, also a Quad agency. We’ve been presenting it to colleagues and clients, and now we’re pleased to share it with a wider audience. In it, we cover four macro trends — the Optimization Illusion, Algorithms Renegotiated, The End of Enough and Humanity Revived — that might make you look differently at the relationships you have with consumers.

Think of this presentation as a brief overview of how the culture is recalibrating.

And please also think of it as a conversation starter — literally. As in, if anything here piques your interest, our team is ready to share additional context and insights to help you understand what’s really happening in the marketplace. Rise and Betty would love to hear from you.