2026 isn’t about doing more. It’s about working smarter, being bolder, and acting with intention.

The industry-leading brands won’t just follow trends, they’ll create experiences people remember. Here’s what we see shaping marketing in 2026, and how Switch is already preparing for what’s next.

Intentional Experiences, Not Just Events

In 2026, “having a presence” isn’t enough. Brands are rethinking every touchpoint – trade shows, tours, meetings, field programs – as connected experiences that move people to think, feel, and act. The focus is shifting from doing more to doing the right events, with smarter design, tighter storytelling, and better use of data. That’s the space Switch lives in: taking business goals and translating them into experiences that look incredible and perform even better.

Content That Lives Beyond the Event

Events won’t be just “one and done.” In 2026, every experience will become a content engine, built to live across social, digital, and real-life channels long after the event ends. Experiences should create months of content, not just a single highlight reel. This concept keeps the audience engaged and focused on the event, ensuring it remains top of mind as they move forward.

Modular Everything

Budgets and expectations are rising, which is why modular systems are having a moment. Exhibits, pop‑ups, and meeting environments are being built as kits that can flex from a 10×10 to a 30×40, without starting from scratch each time. This isn’t just a cost play, it allows brands to stay visually consistent while tailoring messaging to each audience. Switch always designs this way: one strategic system, many reusable configurations for your calendar year.

Brands Prioritize Storytelling

In 2026, brands won’t just market, they’ll tell stories consistently. Expect more original series, behind-the-scenes content, and ongoing storytelling that feels more like culture than advertising. At Switch, we are already creating narratives and experiences, not just campaigns. You want your client to relate to your brand and fully immerse themselves in your company’s vision. Content will be part of the experience from the start, not just captured afterward. Every wall, interaction, and lighting choice will be planned to be shareable and ready for social and digital platforms.

Tech as a Utility, not a Gimmick

AI, AR, VR, and interactivity are shifting from novelty to usefulness. In 2026, the smartest brands will use tech to:

• Personalize attendee journeys
• Simplify check‑in, lead capture, and follow‑up
• Make complex products easier to understand in seconds

Switch approaches tech like production design: it’s baked into the plan, not an afterthought. That means programming, wiring, UX, and staffing are all aligned so the experience feels frictionless.

Purpose, Sustainability, and Reuse

Sustainability is no longer a “nice to have” – it’s starting to influence material choices, fabrication methods, and program architecture. Brands are asking: How many times will this build travel? How easily can it update? What happens after the show? Switch’s modular exhibit systems, reconfigurable scenic, and in-house fabrication give you room to design for reuse, not just for one big show. That’s better for budgets and better for your ESG story.

Designing Around Real Data

The real evolution in 2026 is how teams use data before and after an experience. Attendance, dwell time, content engagement, scan-to-meeting conversion, and even social lift aren’t just recap KPIs anymore. They’re inputs to the next design. Switch builds programs with measurement in mind: where people will gather, what they’ll interact with, and how that behavior translates into metrics that leadership actually cares about.

Experiential Marketing Will Lead the Funnel

If there’s a throughline in all of this, it’s simple: 2026 rewards brands that design experiences that are intentional, scalable, measurable, and deeply human. Switch is built for that reality:

• Strategy that starts with the business problem
• In-house creative, fabrication, production, and digital to keep ideas and execution aligned
• Programs that can live across trade shows, meetings, field marketing, and content that all feel unified

2026 is all about connection.

It’s about connecting with people, culture, and moments that truly matter.

At Switch, we’re not just predicting the future. We’re designing it.