Overall, they force the media agencies to reclaim the advice they give to customers on how to ensure discovery when IA and LLM agents do the work that consumers and Google did. The term “Google IT” simply does not have the same ring to this generation of consumers as ten years ago.

Omnicom Media Group, learned Digiday, attacks this fundamental change in front by combining research to discover the new models in a relationship with its customers, as well as what he says to customers to do to prepare their content online to be discovered and played. It is found that the AI ​​generating requests represent almost 25% of research, which means that research has radically changed in a year.

Change has great -reaching consequences, because consumers are based on generative research fueled by AI, advice, comparison purchases and entertainment, or engage in complete conversations. Increasingly, they do not click as much on publisher or brand websites, forcing all parties in the brand’s marketing and media landscape to rethink the way brands engage consumers.

The report, written mainly by Joanna O’Connell, intelligence director of the Omnicom media group for North America, found major cultural changes caused by the use of AI. Research, carried out in July, among the 2,404 American adults aged 18 to 72 asked them who used AI, for which they use it and why. Three in four respondents (75%) said they used a form of AI, while 46% said they used it daily. Confidence in a generative AI increased in the whole of 37% to 61% from 2024 to 2025, while confidence in the previews of Google AI (which O’Connell jokingly called a “gateway medication” for research led by IA – Google “built a bridge to this technology, and people like this”) rose from 44% to 68%. Almost two in three consumers (65%) now expect to get their ideal AI -seated answers.

Research has also revealed five cultural changes, especially the fact that people expect more and more “warm technology” – that machines understand them on a more emotional basis; that the gap between dreams and reality has become narrower; This technology learns adaptively and is able to think; That it is ubiquity makes it as fundamental as electricity; And finally that it allows personalization on a scale never seen before.

In short, marketing specialists must learn to market IA to improve the probability of being presented in a quick response from AI. “Change in less than a year is simply remarkable,” said O’Connell.

Drilling in the categories affected by the model and the changes of use, the study noted that the types of categories sought by consumers in AI corresponds to those where the discovery and comparison are super important, the areas where consumers must navigate in a high volume and a variety of choices. Travel (30%), personal care (27%) and grocery store (25%) are top of the list, as well as household items (23%), clothing, (23%) and electronics (22%).

“As this generative recommendation provides useful usefulness, context and information, you will use it and trust it more,” added Michael Sondak, SVP of OMG and research manager. “We see a collapse of the classic research marketing funnel, where someone looked for information, saw a list of results, both paid and organic, and could have access to several websites.”

“These things now become companions in your purchasing process,” added O’Connell.

Sondak leads to OMG to tell customers how to use the opportunity in this radically modified research landscape. This is where GEO comes into play. OMG recommends what Sonnedak called the four CS: consumers, content, code and credibility.

In order for brands to better understand the modified habits of consumers, said Sonnedak, they have to examine “How do people change the way they are looking for information in a world where I would say that people are no longer looking for, but now ask questions, are looking for answers to their problems or answers to their next product to buy? It is much more active and passive. ”

Therefore, the content must change. “Do [brands] Have the right content on their detained and exploited elements that answer new questions of how people use these discovery engines? Sonnedak.

And with content adjustments, the coding must also change so that the LLM reads properly, he added. Finally, credibility comes from the establishment of confidence with the LLM that the digital information is credible.

OMG recommends that brands take five measures: understand the four CS, starting with the consumer; Audit how your brand appears online; Refocurs this Voice at Chapals or Chatbot Agent Content; reorganize the content accordingly; Then optimize and measure the impact of changes.

And the brands take note of it and act on the recommendations. “The report also validates that the AI ​​transforms the way consumers discover and shop, collapse the purchasing funnel,” said Eric Schwartz, SVP and CMO of the company Clorox, an Omnicom client. “As adoption accelerates, we facilitate the research and purchase of our brands thanks to new Géo-Géoo capacities and experiences through the company. Our brands cannot afford to wait for a new “paradigm” to settle – because it will not. Win now.

OMG is not the only agency to discover the new trends in the impact of AI on research. A new report of the net conversion of the performance agency has revealed similar fundamental changes in consumer behavior. Among the 45% of consumers now using recommendations fueled by AI to shop, half point out, they spend more time looking for purchases and consulting more sources compared to a year ago – no less.

This occurs more among young buyers: 23% of 18 to 29 years say that they use AI tools “often” or “always” when searching for products, against only 15% overall.

The hypothesis was that AI rationalizes decisions. But this new research reveals that consumers who have us more like exhaustive researchers than rapid decision -makers. Whether AI conceives this behavior or simply attracts buyers already in -depth, but the correlation suggests that the buyer’s route does not simplify as the adoption of AI is developing.

Color by number

Forrester published its 2026 predictions for marketing agencies in a report published last week, written mainly by VP and main analyst of Jay Pattisall agencies. Among other forecasts, the report expects additional consolidation (either by Dentsu or WPP) “generates a dozen agency exams”. Other statistics to mention:

• 85% of American B2C marketing leaders plan to review their media agencies in 2026. Six major brands examined media assignments in 2021, and 20 did it in 2023.
• 81% of American B2C marketing leaders plan to increase The practice will increase to almost 33% of the total billing of agencies.
• Forrester has doubled the expected loss of agency jobs for automation and generator 7.5% by 2030 to 15% in 2026 Due to automation, layoffs and efficiency.
• Finally, the creative marketing industry will go from control mainly by media agencies to creative and social agencies During 2026.

Takeoff and landing

• WPP media scored another victory last week, sign a transport giant Maersk As a strategic media partner, interested in using Holdco’s open platform. The company will operate from Essence MEDIACOM In Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Interpubl tasks of global agency partners landed for Bayer’s Division of consumer health, and will manage the media, creation and production through its portfolio. Agencies that have lost part of the company include Omnicom And the WPP media Media. Meanwhile, health marketing Kenvuewhich includes the Tylenol besieged brand, reviews, affecting IPG and Advertising on the media front.
• Stagwell Assembly provides $ 10.1 billion in media spending for the mid-term elections next year, which represents an increase of 15% compared to the mid-term of 2022. God helps us all.
• MasterCard last week launched MasterCard Commerce MediaA new network of digital media which draws from its base of 25,000 advertisers and 500 million registered consumers.
• London -based performance marketing agency Travel further Acquired influence marketing agency SAUDERSON Media.
• Cosmo 5 is the new name of the digital agency Laboratory groupAnd now presents itself as an omnichannel marketing intelligence group.

Direct quote

“I spoke to a client a few weeks ago who said that he was fed up with the Holdco model and the lack of choice they had … They were wondering if they had to burn everything and start again.”

– Jay Wilson, VP analyst at Gartner, told Seb Joseph in the future of the latter’s marketing information.

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