As marketers plan through 2026, it’s tempting to assume that “above the line” belongs to the past. That it has been overtaken by performance dashboards, AI-led optimisation and measurable digital journeys. I believe the opposite is true.
TV, audio, out of home and print, are not becoming less relevant. In an era of misinformation, deepfakes and attention fragmentation, the channels built for credibility, emotional impact and cultural presence are quietly regaining their power.
The shift isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about evolution.
What marketers should be considering for 2026 is not whether traditional media channels still work, but how to plan it differently; more intelligently, more intentionally and more connected to business outcomes than ever before.
Television is still the most powerful platform for trust and scale
Television remains the single most effective way to build brands at scale in the UK.
The latest Profit Ability 2 study, commissioned by Thinkbox, once again confirmed that TV delivers the highest long-term profit returns of any major advertising channel, outperforming paid social and online video across three, six and twelve months.
What’s changed is not TV’s value; it’s its accessibility and intelligence.
AI-powered production tools, broadcaster-built ad studios and automated creative pipelines are dramatically reducing cost and turnaround time. This is opening the door for brands who would never have considered TV even a few years ago.
At the same time, Connected TV and programmatic activation have transformed planning. With over 70% of UK broadband households streaming content via smart TVs, CTV is now firmly mainstream. Brands can layer postcode-level targeting, frequency management, sequential messaging and daypart biasing, while retaining the memorability and emotional impact of a full-screen, lean-back environment.
The key planning consideration for 2026 is total television. This is no longer “linear versus digital”. It’s a hybrid ecosystem where broadcast, BVOD and CTV work together to deliver reach, precision and creative effectiveness. Trust, in particular, will be decisive. TV remains the most trusted advertising medium in the UK and that trust has never been more valuable.
Audio: from background noise to strategic powerhouse
Audio has undergone one of the fastest evolutions in media. In 2026, it is no longer a supporting channel; it is one of the most intelligent, creative and commercially effective environments available.
With digital streaming now accounting for more than 70% of UK audio listening, platforms such as Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube have introduced levels of targeting, measurement and personalisation that traditional radio could never offer. This isn’t replacing radio; it’s enhancing the entire category.
Creatively, audio has leapt forward. Dynamic creative optimisation allows ads to adapt by time, context or behaviour. Host-read podcast formats consistently outperform traditional spots, delivering significantly higher attention, recall and trust. Audio is no longer passive. It’s intimate, influential and increasingly performance-driven.
What’s especially important for 2026 planning is audio’s credibility. As trust in social platforms continues to decline, radio and podcasts remain among the most trusted media channels in the UK. That combination of high attention, cultural relevance and brand safety makes audio a powerful space for both storytelling and measurable outcomes.
The brands that win will stop briefing audio as “airtime” and start treating it as a precision creative strategy, designed to sit across awareness, consideration and conversion.
Out of Home: where physical impact meets measurable intent
Out of Home advertising is experiencing its most significant transformation in decades. What was once primarily about reach is now about impact, intelligence and intent.
Programmatic OOH is firmly mainstream, but its effectiveness depends entirely on the quality of data behind it. Brands are moving away from simple footfall metrics and toward audience-based planning powered by first-party publisher data, mobile movement signals and predictive behaviour modelling.
This shift is turning OOH into a bridge between physical presence and digital response. Advances in QR technology, mobile retargeting and geo-behavioural attribution mean brands can now connect real-world attention to measurable outcomes.
Creatively, OOH is entering a golden era. Dynamic formats, reactive messaging and 3D anamorphic executions are restoring cultural impact and stopping power. Importantly, effectiveness testing from the likes of System1 and Kantar is bringing rigour to what was once instinct-led.
In a world of ad fraud, attention inflation and brand safety concerns, OOH has become one of the safest and most trusted environments available. In 2026, its role is clear: not just to be seen, but to be remembered and acted upon.
Print: the power of pause in a world of speed
Print’s strength lies in physicality, effort and presence.
As Rory Sutherland describes it, there is a “psychology of effort” at play. Print takes time to produce and deliver, and because of that, it is perceived as more valuable. It lingers. It’s absorbed more slowly. It reinforces memory and trust in ways a single swipeable ad rarely can.
Print in 2026 is not about mass reach. It’s about precision and purpose. Premium press partnerships, specialist magazines and targeted direct mail are being used deliberately, when the objective is depth over frequency, authority over clicks.
Crucially, print no longer lives in isolation. QR codes, AR experiences and integrated media packages mean print often acts as a gateway to digital journeys, triggering search, social engagement and personalised experiences.
As attention fragments and budgets tighten, print is chosen less often, however far more strategically. When used well, it can signal quality, credibility and commitment.
Planning media in 2026: the real shift
The biggest mistake marketers can make is treating traditional media as separate from performance, or as a legacy layer that sits at the top of the funnel.
In reality, these channels are becoming more measurable, more targeted and more accountable, while still doing what they’ve always done best: building brands, shaping perception and creating emotional connection at scale.
The opportunity for 2026 and beyond lies in integration. Using TV for trusted reach and memory. Audio for intimacy and cultural influence. OOH for physical impact and intent. Print for authority and pause. Together, they create a brand people recognise, trust and remember.
Traditional media isn’t fading.
It’s evolving.
And the marketers who plan for that future; with intelligence, creativity and intent; will be the ones who build brands that last.
