Although MI GROUP forecasts that Thailand's advertising spending in 2026 will reach 86.271 billion baht, growing only +0.64% and remaining steady from 2025 amid economic uncertainties and year-end risks, what changes more significantly than the spending figures is the new consumer standards simultaneously rising in media use, technology, and purchasing decisions.
Phawat Ruangdejvorachai, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of MI GROUP. He views that unseen figures, especially digital budgets from SMEs marketing on their own and influencer marketing, are expanding significantly, potentially pushing the total actual advertising spending to 111.603 billion baht.
Consumers in 2026 no longer ask "Did they see it?" but rather "Is it worth it, trustworthy, and easy enough?" Warin Thinprapha, Chief Growth Officer of MI GROUP, analyzes that 2026 marks a point where consumer behavior, media, and technology change simultaneously, meaning brands can no longer use old communication formulas as consumers have clearly set new standards. Marketers must carefully and balancedly adjust their strategies.
Consumers emphasize overall value more than just discounts. They expect brands to immediately answer, "What problem does this product solve for me, and how is it better than other options?" Value is not just promotions or low prices but includes quality, experience, and alignment with real life.
In an era where brands' own messages alone are insufficient, consumers want verifiable evidence—whether genuine reviews, creator content, or real user experiences—because trust has become a more important factor for conversion than mere awareness.
Moreover, consumers no longer want more information but easier decision-making. Brands that communicate complexly, have many steps, or present friction in the process are quickly eliminated from consideration, especially as AI becomes the first filter for searching and sorting information.
MI GROUP points out that the role of media is shifting fully from an awareness engine to a decision engine.
For example, videos have become points of sale; AI acts as a decision assistant for consumers; and all platforms are evolving into commerce platforms. Purchases in 2026 will not come from any single platform but from a commerce ecosystem systematically connecting platform, content, and creator.
Furthermore, within this ecosystem, creators and key opinion leaders serve not only to generate buzz but act as trust and conversion engines, turning interest into confidence and leading to actual purchases, especially in markets where consumers have many choices and trust advertising less.
Additionally, to win in the long term, brands must connect online decision-making with offline interaction. Although AI speeds up decision-making, humans still desire real experiences and human connection to build long-term loyalty. Brands that design journeys to seamlessly integrate online and offline worlds have the advantage.
“Brands that grow in the AI era are not just those that understand consumers or platforms best but those that grasp the entire commerce ecosystem and systematically integrate Brand × Human × AI. AI accelerates decisions, humans build trust, and brands must design unified experiences. This is the key to advantage and sustainable growth amid new consumer standards.”
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