As the media landscape fragments and AI-generated content saturates feeds, communicators face a massive trust deficit. Creative comms agency Praytell just wrapped a global survey of 3,600 consumers (US, UK, and AUS) in partnership with YouGov to find out exactly how brands can rebuild relevance in 2026.

The overarching takeaway for CMOs and agency leaders? We’ve officially entered the "Personality Era." Audiences evaluate who is saying something, not just what they are saying—meaning the traditional corporate speaking track is losing its impact.

Here is what the data says about the future of our industry:

• The Marketing Funnel is Changing: AI chatbots are moving the industry from an "attention economy" into an "intimacy economy." PR is more critical than ever because third-party verified earned media directly influences the answers those AI chatbots generate.
• "Vibes" Beat Facts (The Parasocial Advantage): The data shows parasocial interaction is positively correlated with credibility. A brand spokesperson, executive, or employee who builds a parasocial relationship with an audience doesn't just carry a message—they carry the trust needed to make that message land.
• Creators = Journalists for Opinion Change: Independent creators and traditional journalists are now nearly identical in their ability to drive opinion change. This fundamentally shifts how brands should balance their earned media and influencer relations budgets.
• The AI Trust Penalty (and Boost): Undisclosed AI usage causes a sharp loss in trust among the public (including 70% of US respondents). However, we found that brands pledging to avoid AI in their content actually receive a measurable credibility boost.

If you are interested in reviewing the full piece, please click HERE.

Image courtesy of Praytell