The first half of 2026 has marked a significant shift in how businesses approach growth. AI is no longer used solely to support content production. It is becoming increasingly embedded in data analysis, experience personalization, customer journey optimization, and broader marketing operations.

Against this backdrop, Novaon Digital’s latest Brand Report explores the most notable shifts shaping the marketing landscape, the specific challenges facing key industries, and how businesses can translate AI-Driven Growth from an emerging concept into practical applications.

1. The H1 2026 Market Landscape: Growth Shifts Toward AI, Data, and Experience

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Vietnam’s economy is entering a period in which businesses are seeking new engines of growth, with technology adoption and operational efficiency becoming increasingly important sources of competitive advantage.

At the same time, customer behavior no longer follows a linear funnel. Consumers continuously move across AI Search, social media, commerce platforms, websites, and offline experiences before making a decision.

In an increasingly fragmented environment, brands need more than a presence across multiple channels. The greater challenge is connecting data and touchpoints into a seamless, consistent customer journey.

Automotive: From Selling Vehicles to Optimizing the Ownership Experience

In the Automotive sector, market recovery is unfolding alongside accelerating electrification. The arrival of new vehicle models, technologies, and brands is also making the decision-making process increasingly complex.

A customer journey may begin with AI Search, continue through reviews, online communities, and social media, and eventually move into showroom visits and test drives before a purchase decision is made.

The challenge for automotive brands is therefore no longer limited to selling vehicles. Brands increasingly need to connect the entire experience, from discovery and consultation to purchase, ownership, and after-sales engagement.

Bank-Finance: From Transactions to Personalized Advisory Experiences

For Bank-Finance, pressures related to liquidity, risk management, and the cost of capital are driving institutions toward more efficient and sustainable growth models.

As financial products become increasingly similar in terms of functionality, interest rates, and promotional offers, trust, transparency, and the quality of advisory services are becoming more influential in customer decision-making.

AI and data can help institutions identify customer needs, personalize recommendations, and reduce friction throughout the customer journey. However, these applications need to be built on a strong foundation of security, transparency, and responsible data governance.

FMCG: From Mass Communication to Contextual Experiences

In FMCG, consumers are becoming increasingly fragmented by needs, income levels, platforms, lifestyles, and purchasing contexts. As a result, the effectiveness of traditional mass communication is gradually declining.

AI enables brands to analyze behavioral signals, generate multiple creative variations, and adapt messaging for different audience segments.

However, the opportunity is not simply to produce more content. Brands also need to identify the right context, maintain consistency across touchpoints, and ensure that personalization does not dilute brand identity.

Across these industries, one shift is becoming increasingly clear: marketing growth can no longer rely solely on reach or campaign-level optimization.

Competitive advantage will increasingly belong to businesses capable of integrating data, technology, and creativity to better understand customers, personalize experiences, and optimize performance across the entire journey.

2. Brand Report “Marketing Trends in the First Half of 2026”: From Trends to Real-World Applications

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Developed by Novaon Digital, the Brand Report provides a structured perspective on how AI, data, and automation are reshaping marketing across Bank-Finance, FMCG, and Automotive.

At the center of the report is the concept of AI-Driven Growth: using AI to connect data, personalize experiences, and optimize growth throughout the customer journey, rather than treating AI merely as a content production tool.

The report identifies five major shifts shaping marketing in 2026:

• AI-Driven Customer Journey
• AI Content & Social Commerce
• Data-Driven Personalization
• AI Event Experience & Digital Amplification
• AI Governance & Data Transparency

Beyond these cross-industry trends, the report also examines the distinct transformation taking place within each sector:

Bank-Finance: from transaction-focused services to personalized advisory experiences.

FMCG: from mass communication to context-driven consumer experiences.

Automotive: from vehicle sales to end-to-end ownership experience optimization.

The Brand Report also features international case studies illustrating how AI is being applied across advertising, creative production, customer consultation, social commerce, and integrated online-to-offline experiences.

These examples provide businesses with practical references for identifying AI applications that are directly connected to specific marketing challenges and growth objectives.

3. Conclusion

The first half of 2026 signals a broader transition from reach-driven marketing toward growth powered by AI, data, and experience.

For businesses, the challenge is no longer simply to use AI to work faster. The greater opportunity lies in connecting data, personalizing customer journeys, and measuring how marketing activities contribute to tangible business outcomes.

Novaon Digital developed the “Marketing Trends in the First Half of 2026” Brand Report to help brands in Bank-Finance, FMCG, and Automotive understand the shifts shaping their industries, identify emerging marketing challenges, and define an appropriate AI-Driven Growth strategy.

Register now to receive the full Brand Report, “Marketing Trends in the First Half of 2026: From AI-Driven Growth to Personalized Experiences in Bank-Finance, FMCG, and Automotive.”: [Link nhận tài liệu]