The 5 trends shaping SA media in 2026

As physical and digital worlds continue to merge, mood-boosting consumerism is on the rise, and shared experiences are becoming a key marketing driver. Together, phygital advertising, treatonomics and connectioneering are redefining the country’s print and digital media landscapes.

No matter which combination of trends marketers pursue, making solid connections with consumers in their personal spaces must underpin the creative approach if it is going to be successful.

That being said, here are five key trends shaping media and marketing in 2026:

1. Let’s get phygital

It might sound like a scary medical condition, but ‘phygital’ simply refers to blending physical assets like print media with their related digital platforms like websites and social media within the same consumer brand experience. Phygital marketing moves strategic thinking away from simply connecting with consumers on individual channels to connecting with consumers seamlessly across all channels. In other words, bridging their worlds, whether that be print and digital, online and offline or real and virtual.

In the Caxton Media universe, our print titles expand their rooted, community news focus into breaking news, latest news updates and immediate access to vital information when combined with their associated online platforms. For marketers that means being able to tap into the broader community with long-lifespan print communications and then flawlessly evolving this to be part of instant, emerging conversations online.

2. Treatonomics hit the sweet spot

It’s a well-documented fact that during economic downturns the sale of small luxury items increases. Known as the lipstick effect, it first emerged when lipstick sales increased during the Great Depression of the 1930s – a trend seen again in the 2000s after the 9/11 attacks and post Covid-19.

Treatonomics takes this idea of buying small treats to cope with mounting financial pressure one step further, and sees consumers cutting their regular shopping budgets to afford significant treats. This is often an unforgettable experience, a party (think divorce parties and dog birthdays) or an investment item, all with large price tags, bought in spite of strained financial or social conditions, as personal pick-me-up gifts.

Consumer loyalty reward programmes and incentive schemes are directly aligned with this trend. Customers don’t mind having their spend directed towards specific items in exchange for points that can be collected and redeemed against a big-ticket item or the chance to win a high-end prize or experience. Caxton Media’s FoneWorx has an extensive toolkit designed to help marketers find the ideal route for their target audience through rewards and prizes towards sustained brand loyalty in the current economic climate.

3. Connectioneering turns ‘mehs’ into must haves

Adobe’s 2026 Creative Trends Report showed that 70% of consumer decisions were driven by emotion. ‘Connectioneering’ or engineering connection is marketing forged around instantly relatable situations. That is, shared experiences that elicit a deep sense of commonality or ‘this brand gets me’ moments that hit hard and hit home. Content that people can immediately identify with has the potential to turn prospects into lifelong brand supporters merely because these consumers feel seen. This has elevated the role of content marketing in turning insight into creative that feels authentic, timely and culturally relevant.

Community media ads, both in print and online, have the power to turn everyday moments into relatable content. Supported by a focused content studio, Spark Media and Hive Digital Media in the Caxton Media stable both put brands in front of captive consumers in local print and on hyperlocal digital platforms respectively. Because nothing says relatable marketing more than creative content anchored in the local community.

4. First-party flex: get to know your customers IRL

The time for vanity metrics has passed. The industry has entered an era of meaningful marketing that delivers results, including actionable insights. A major trend that has been emerging in recent years and is expected to gain traction in 2026 is integrated insights driven by first-party data. With third-party cookies being phased out, brands are collecting more accurate data directly from users via their digital platforms, and interpreting this to build a real-world view of their customers.

Caxton Media is the proud owner of ROOTS, the country’s most comprehensive local consumer survey, spanning 107 communities and 25,000 interviews, representing 10.8 million adults and 4.5 million households. This, combined with our own first-party data collected from our multitude of platforms and other digital analytical tools, means Caxton has one of the most complete pictures of local consumers available in South Africa today.

5. Cultural intelligence – the new brand currency

Consumers are swapping empty things for meaningful experiences and expecting brands to do the same as they cultivate long-term consumer relationships rooted in trust and shared values. The emergence of cultural intelligence is driving this move, as consumers seek out brands that understand their lived experiences, their cultural spaces and how these factors shape their behaviour. The intersection of cultural intelligence and geotargeted marketing provides an opportunity for brands to offer intentional rather than opportunistic consumer interactions anchored in local knowledge and therefore local relevance.

Caxton Media uses its ROOTS data, extensive local publishing footprint and community proximity to harness the power of cultural intelligence for advertisers. Our local roots in South African communities provide access to real community knowledge on local platforms, ensuring relevance and reach that’s culturally curated as opposed to demographically generic.