CES 2026: Innovation Without the Buzzwords

By Tim Finnigan, Head of Growth Marketing, Verisk Marketing Solutions

CES always reminds me that innovation is not stagnant, but constantly moving. This year in Las Vegas, what stood out most to me wasn’t just the technology on display and the long elevator lines for customer meetings, but the conversations happening around how brands actually turn innovation into impact.

At the Brand Innovators Marketing Leadership Summit at the ARIA Resort & Casino, I joined the session “State of the Industry: Innovation, Disruption and the Road Ahead,” moderated by Drew Ingram, U.S. Activation Lead at PepsiCo. Alongside leaders across B2B and B2C, we tackled the questions marketers are actually wrestling with: what’s working? What’s noise? And what’s next?

Moving Past Marketing Speak: What Marketers Really Want to Know

This panel wasn’t about vague inspiration or buzzwords you often hear at conferences. It was focused on specific insights, real world examples, and what’s actually working for marketers. And with marketers from across industries in the room, there was clear interest in hearing how we’re all approaching these challenges.

Across sessions (even the outdoor ones where temperatures dipped to 50 degrees), a consistent theme emerged: Regardless of industry, the challenges around innovation, disruption, and growth are strikingly similar.

Innovation: Process, Culture, or Both?

Our panel opened with a fundamental question: How do organizations define and operationalize innovation today?

The consensus was clear: Innovation succeeds when it’s both structured and cultural.

Data‑Driven Innovation

For me, innovation starts with data, market signals, and customer feedback. These inputs reveal shifting behaviors, emerging opportunities, and unmet needs—allowing teams to prioritize innovation grounded in reality, not hype.

Culture That Encourages Experimentation

But structure alone isn’t enough. Teams need the permission to test, learn, and iterate quickly, especially in areas where data, identity, and activation intersect to drive growth.

The most effective innovation shows up in:

• Better decisioning
• More refined capabilities
• Increased confidence to act

Innovation Must Drive Outcomes

Innovation can’t be disconnected from performance. The brands that get it right tie innovation directly to:

• Efficiency
• Relevance
• Revenue

Short‑term results and long‑term investment should reinforce each other—not compete.

How We Approach Innovation at Verisk Marketing Solutions

At Verisk Marketing Solutions, innovation is deeply collaborative. We bring customers into pilot programs early, test capabilities in real‑world environments, and refine solutions before scaling.

Internally, our Innovation Panel surfaces ideas rooted in customer needs and market challenges, ensuring what we build is both relevant and actionable.

Disruption: Separating Signal From Noise

The second half of our discussion focused on disruption—and how brands can navigate it without losing focus.

Today’s disruption comes from:

• Competitive pressure
• New technologies
• Shifting consumer behavior
• A constant stream of trends

The challenge isn’t awareness. It’s prioritization.

What Customers Actually Want

In a noisy environment, customers reward:

• Relevance
• Clarity
• Value

That means anchoring decisions in real consumer buying behavior, not chasing every new platform or tactic.

Panel Insights on Navigating Disruption

Each panelist brought a unique lens:

• Amie Owen (Omnicom Media Group) emphasized the power of alignment—without it, speed and opportunity suffer.
• Brian Cordes (DIRECTV) highlighted the importance of addressability and the need to pivot quickly to meet brands where they are.
• Ian Simpson (Sensor Tower) reinforced starting with client challenges to drive better solutions.
• Jess Smith (Mars) grounded the conversation in measurement, focusing on penetration and long‑term trend tracking.

Together, these perspectives underscored a shared truth: Impact comes from depth, not distraction.

What CES Reinforced for Me

Walking away from CES, three themes stood out—themes that will shape how marketers approach growth in 2026 and beyond.

1. Innovation Must Be Accountable

Innovation only matters when it’s tied to outcomes, not ideas alone.

2. Disruption Rewards Clarity

Brands that know who they serve—and why—move faster and with more confidence.

3. Data and Identity Are Foundational

Without a trusted, connected view of the consumer, even the best strategies stall.

CES will always be about what’s next. But this year made one thing clear: Sustainable growth doesn’t come from chasing what’s new—it comes from using insight to act with intention.

I’m grateful to Brand Innovators, Drew Ingram, and my fellow panelists—Brian Cordes, Amie Owen, Ian Simpson, and Jess Smith—for an honest and energizing discussion. While the forces shaping marketing continue to evolve, the fundamentals of impact remain the same.