South Africa, April 1 -- The funnel is breaking

Today, the funnel is breaking. Not because marketing stopped working, but because people changed, attention fragmented, and trust became the real currency. In 2026, the brands that win are not the ones shouting louder, although paid media has certainly made this possible.

They are the ones building relevance through real human connection, at scale.

That is exactly why creators and influencers have become the new golden thread of marketing.

Social was never for brands

There is a misconception that still shapes how many organisations allocate budgets and structure teams: that social media was created for brands.

I know this will break your heart, but it was not. Social media was built fo...