January has a way of sharpening focus, making it the natural point to pause, look forward, and start spotting the ideas and shifts that are beginning to take shape for the year ahead.
As part of our annual Three Trends series, we asked industry leaders to share their key takeaways.
Next, we speak to Mukesh Vij, Founder at Hashtag Orange.
Mukesh reflects on the growing accountability around AI and why faster decision-making is becoming a critical creative edge in the industry.
Looking Ahead:
What are three trends to look for in the coming year?
1. AI will move from novelty to accountability
AI is no longer about who is using it. It is about who is using it well. I strongly believe that in 2026, clients will stop being impressed by AI-generated work for the sake of it and start asking sharper questions.
Did it reduce turnaround time? Did it improve creative quality? Did it save money or make more of it? Agencies that treat AI as a thinking partner and not a shortcut will pull ahead.
2. Brands will chase fewer people, but more deeply
The obsession with reach is slowly losing steam. Smart brands will realise that winning culture is not about shouting louder, but about being somewhere specific.
The brands that win will be the ones that can sense, decide, and act within days, not quarters.
Communities, microcultures, and sharply defined audiences will matter more than mass scale. This will push brands to be braver with strategy and ideas.
3. Speed becomes a creative advantage
Not just fast execution, but fast decision-making. The brands that win will be the ones that can sense, decide, and act within days, not quarters. And yes, it still happens.
Creativity will live closer to real-time behaviour, not annual plans or as planned ‘content calendars’.
Looking Back:
Favourite or least favourite trend of 2025:
My favourite was the return of real human connections. Whether it was live experiences, think return of concerts, community-led ideas, book clubs, run clubs, or film clubs.
Screens stepped aside now and then, and that felt refreshing.
If you could sum up 2025 in one emoji:
✨
Because it was less about disruption and more about rediscovering what actually works.
What was your 2025 New Year’s Resolution, and did you keep it?
To spend more time building people, not just work. I did not fully keep it, but I did better than last year. That counts.
