09/02/2026
Q3 is coming to a close, and Q4 is fast approaching. Why is that important?
Q4 is unlike any other time of year for marketers—and 2026 is going to make it even more complicated. 📣
Advertising costs spike as brands flood the market with holiday messaging. Consumer attention gets pulled in a dozen directions at once. And this year, political advertising from the midterms will be competing for the same airspace, driving up costs and adding even more clutter across every major channel.
The organizations that come out ahead aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets. They're the ones who did the strategic work early.
That means spending Q3 planning and getting ready. It means knowing exactly who you're talking to and what you want them to do. It means having your creative assets ready before the rush. It means understanding which channels are worth the premium cost in Q4—and which ones aren't for your specific audience.
The window to get ahead of it isn’t October. It’s right now.