VML Hungary’s CEO, Tamás Balog, and the company’s Business Development Director, Illés Simon recently joined Márkamonitor Editor-in-Chief László Szakács on Jazzy Radio to discuss the agency’s newly released The Future 100: 2026 report and what its findings mean for brands navigating a volatile, fast-changing marketplace.
Now in its 12th edition, The Future 100: 2026 is VML Intelligence’s annual forecast of the trends set to shape business, culture and consumer behavior in the year ahead. This year’s report draws on research conducted by SONAR based on a global survey of 15,639 adults across 16 markets, complemented by insights from more than 60 global experts. It maps 100 trends across 10 sectors, spanning culture, technology, travel and hospitality, brands and marketing, food and drink, beauty, retail, luxury, health and innovation.
The discussion unpacked not only how the study is built, but also what distinguishes the 2026 edition from previous years. This year’s report frames 2026 as a year shaped by a powerful “metamorphic” current, in which consumers are no longer simply enduring disruption but are increasingly trying to turn uncertainty into reinvention. VML describes this mindset through ideas such as “dysoptimism” and “crisis-conscious optimism”: a worldview that recognizes instability, yet still looks for progress, agency and renewal.
A central theme of the conversation was how this shift is changing the role of brands. In a world defined by economic pressure, geopolitical tension and emotional fatigue, brands are being asked to do more than sell. The expectation is that they act as sincere partners: simplifying life, supporting wellbeing and offering consumers a sense of grounding in uncertainty. The episode also touched on the consumer behaviors emerging from this climate of pressure and adaptation. Rather than giving up pleasure altogether, people are reframing it. The report points to smaller indulgences, more intentional spending, low-cost but high-impact travel, immersive wellness and more mindful lifestyle choices as signals of a broader reset in how consumers define value. VML’s data shows that 69% of respondents still feel optimistic about their own future, while 86% are drawn to experiences that inspire awe, open new perspectives or contribute to personal development.
Artificial intelligence was another major focus of the interview. The conversation explored the increasingly complex relationship between AI-generated content and reality, as well as between human identity and machine capability. The 2026 report argues that AI is evolving from a tool into a collaborator, while the boundary between human and technology continues to blur.
As Balog and Simon made clear, The Future 100: 2026 is more than a trends report. It is a practical brief for marketers and strategists to understand where culture is moving and how to respond with creativity, clarity and credibility. In that sense, the Márkamonitor conversation was not only a review of this year’s forecast, but also a sharp reflection on what brand leadership requires now: humanity, adaptability and the confidence to operate in a world where uncertainty is no longer the exception, but the condition.
For those who missed the live broadcast, the full interview is available here:
