At a time when the digital industry is finding it increasingly difficult to navigate the noise of new terms, technologies and “next big thing” promises, IAB Croatia offers an attempt to bring order and context. The organisation has published Digital Trends Forecast 2026, an annual document that maps the trends expected to deliver real market value in Croatia in 2026, rather than remaining at the level of short-lived hype.
The publication is the result of a year-long effort by the Predictions & Trends Working Group, with contributions from Katarina Exle (Cvoke), Antonio Karlović (WPP Media Croatia), Marko Mikeš (Aleph), Lara Stolnik (Selotejp) i Boris Vukić (404).
Starting from the fact that today’s digital market produces more “trends” than the industry can realistically absorb, IAB Croatia developed the Opportunity or Hype? methodology at the end of 2025. Instead of assessing trends based on the attractiveness of their narrative, the methodology evaluates them through their business relevance. This analytical approach positions Digital Trends Forecast 2026 as more than just another list of predictions. The document is framed as a practical tool for informed strategic decision-making, aimed at advertisers, agencies and all stakeholders in the digital ecosystem who, in 2026, want to invest thoughtfully – where trends have the potential to become real market value rather than short-term distraction.
Seven trends with real value potential in 2026
Members of the working group identified seven trends expected to have a measurable impact on the domestic market next year – whether through media efficiency, improved attribution, brand differentiation, investment optimisation or the growth of digital ecosystems. An overview of the trends follows below, with more details on the evaluation available via the link.
- Attention Optimization – Introduces attention-based metrics as a new quality layer in media delivery, enabling more precise evaluation of brand impact compared to traditional metrics such as viewability.
- Incrementality – Allows brands to better understand the true contribution of campaigns, enabling more objective budget allocation and clearer proof of effectiveness, particularly in the context of brand investment and performance goals.
- AI Creative Fatigue – Saturation with generic AI-generated content is driving a return to human copywriting and a stronger focus on authenticity, brand voice and differentiation. AI remains a tool for operational tasks, while key messages once again require human creative intervention.
- Retail Media – Moves beyond an e-commerce niche into an omnichannel format based on retailers’ first-party data, turning the point of purchase into a media channel. As the fastest-growing segment of digital advertising globally, it delivers clear ROI models, incremental effects and new revenue streams within retail ecosystems.
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – Represents the evolution of SEO towards optimisation for AI models. As zero-click searches increase and AI becomes a primary source of information, brands are beginning to optimise content to be included directly in AI-generated answers, not just search result listings.
- AI-Powered Ad Targeting – Enables hyper-personalisation, more efficient budget spending and higher ROI, while simultaneously raising questions around privacy, data quality and algorithmic transparency.
- Connected TV (CTV) – Is becoming digital inventory, enabling incremental TV reach, more flexible budgets and access to premium audiences that are moving away from linear television.
With the publication of Digital Trends Forecast 2026, IAB Croatia further strengthens its role in the education, standardisation and development of the digital ecosystem in Croatia. The document serves as a reference point for brands, agencies, media and all digital stakeholders in planning investments and decision-making in a year in which the industry is facing accelerated technological cycles, channel fragmentation and a growing focus on effectiveness.
