As we begin the New Year, we spoke to industry leaders to reflect on the shifts that shaped 2025 and the forces expected to define 2026. For Arjun Bhatia, Chief Marketing Officer, Bharat Matrimony, 2026 represents the inflection point where marketing moves beyond broad segments toward sharper, data-led understanding of consumer intent and cultural context.
Across categories, brands leaned into technology, first-party data, and platform intelligence to drive relevance, while laying the groundwork for deeper personalization. These shifts, many believe, are now setting the stage for a more culturally intelligent marketing future.
That evolution finds its strongest expression in how Arjun Bhatia views the year ahead. “In 2026, Biggest trend i see is AI unlocking true cultural personalization at scale. We're moving beyond demographics to understand nuanced community preferences - whether that's Nadar vs. Vanniyar traditions or what 'modern' means to a Punjabi Khatri vs. Telugu Reddy family. At BharatMatrimony, this isn't just a trend - it's already becoming our reality. I expect it to getting stronger,” he says.
(As told to Neeta Nair)
