The digital world is loud at the moment. Ear-ringingly loud. Full of hype, AI hot takes, and enough scaremongering to make even the most confident marketer second-guess themselves.
Last month, we brought together a brilliant group of ecommerce marketers at Spring at Somerset House for our ‘Noise Cancelling’ lunch - a chance to step back from the chaos and share some honest thinking, and work out what’s actually worth paying attention to in 2026.
The food was exceptional (we’re all still dreaming about that unbelievable chocolate cake!), and the conversation was better than ever.
Here are our top takeaways from the event:
AI and new digital tools are moving fast, but so is everyone else's learning curve. A mutual collective feeling of FOMO or being left behind is palpable, but one thing is clear, you’re not behind, you’re just navigating the same landscape as the rest of the industry. Don’t focus on others, focus on what you need AI to do. Get comfortable in ambiguity, making mistakes and change. The goal is to not let the noise freeze you out of action.
You won’t nail it the first time. You’re not expected to. Pick something, test it, learn from it, and go again. Momentum over perfection, every time.
YouTube, traditionally seen as a predominantly paid search platform with its Google ownership now hugely crosses over into the world of paid social, affiliates, and LLMs. Big picture thinking has never been so important. Viewing the channels in silos can miss a great opportunity, especially when it comes to testing budget.
The theme of the lunch was resounding: there’s a lot going on, a lot of constant change, and everyone is trying to navigate it all in the best way possible. It’s important to get comfortable with ambiguity and making mistakes or changing your mind. You won’t have all the answers straight away, but we can help guide you to make the best strategic decision for your brand.
