Dentsu Creative's 2026 CMO Report reveals growing budget confidence across Asia Pacific, as marketers look to close the gap between AI investment and business impact.

More than a quarter of Asia Pacific CMOs (26%) plan to increase marketing budgets by 10-20% over the next 12 months, the highest proportion of any region, according to APAC findings from Making it Real, Dentsu Creative’s 2026 global CMO Report.

Across the world, CMOs are moving beyond the early excitement surrounding AI and entering a more pragmatic phase, focused on turning technology investment into stronger brands, deeper customer relationships and measurable growth. In Asia Pacific, that ambition is accompanied by greater budget confidence and higher expectations of agency partners.

APAC marketers are entering 2027 with greater confidence than many of their global peers, reporting fewer challenges as they navigate changing consumer behaviour and culture.

Their expectations of AI are also rising. Ninety-three per cent expect agencies to demonstrate how it improves marketing impact and effectiveness, while 92% want greater transparency about how their partners use the technology. At the same time, 90% believe AI should empower talent rather than replace it.

The report surveyed 1,950 senior marketing decision-makers across 14 markets in April 2026, including Australia, China and India in Asia Pacific.

Yuichi Toyoda, Chief Executive Officer, dentsu APAC, said: “Asia Pacific marketers are heading into 2027 with confidence and a clear appetite for growth. They’re investing, embracing new technology and looking for agencies that can turn those capabilities into measurable business outcomes.

“That is how we think about AI at dentsu — AI for Growth. As a growth partner to our clients, our focus is not simply on efficiency, but on using AI to create greater impact, effectiveness and ultimately growth.” he said.

SIX SHIFTS SHAPING APAC MARKETING

Making it Real identifies ten global themes exploring how CMOs are rethinking creativity, technology, talent and customer experiences to turn investment into growth. The APAC findings highlight six shifts shaping the region's marketing priorities for 2027.

APAC CMOs are planning bigger budgets

APAC CMOs report fewer difficulties navigating changing consumer expectations than their peers in several other regions.

Overall, 63% expect budgets to grow by at least 5%, including 26% planning increases of 10-20% and a further 6% expecting growth above 20%. Confidence extends to the wider economy, with 82% expecting their domestic economy to improve over the next 12 months.

That optimism is accompanied by a clear focus on where investment goes. Eighty-five per cent want innovation directed at their most urgent business challenges, compared with 80% globally. For agencies, new capabilities will need to demonstrate a tangible contribution to client growth.

Less pressure, more confidence

APAC marketers report fewer pressures than many of their global peers. Just 39% cite unrelenting pressure to grow and perform as a significant challenge, compared with 48% in North America and 42% in EMEA. While 41% say understanding and responding to changing consumer behaviour remains difficult, only 30% report challenges keeping pace with culture, well below North America (41%) and EMEA (42%).

Just 33% identify marketing to Gen Z and Gen Alpha as a significant challenge, compared with 41% in North America and 42% in EMEA.

AI optimism comes with higher expectations

APAC CMOs want AI to deliver more than productivity gains. Ninety-three per cent expect agencies to demonstrate improvements in impact and effectiveness, while 92% want greater transparency about how their partners use the technology.

Practical applications are moving up the agenda. Fifty-nine per cent are prioritising AI influencers and customer service agents for 2026/27, while 52% are backing dynamic creative optimisation, ahead of North America (47%) and EMEA (45%). A further 92% believe AI will transform search.

Agencies will increasingly need to show how AI is improving the work, strengthening customer relationships and delivering measurable value for clients.

Human creativity becomes more valuable

Despite their enthusiasm for AI, APAC CMOs place considerable importance on human talent and insight.

Ninety per cent believe AI should empower talent rather than replace it, seven points above the global result. Eighty-nine per cent believe empathetic human truth will become more important in a world of perfect information, while the same proportion say hearing directly from customers matters more than ever.

Toyoda added: “AI will make much of the middle of the value creation chain dramatically faster and more efficient. But that makes the human role at either end even more critical — defining the right problem and setting the bold vision and direction at the beginning and exercising judgement and turning ideas into action at the end.

"The agencies that create the greatest value will be those that know where each creates the most value and bringing them together effectively.”

Creators and communities move closer to the heart of brand strategy

Eighty-seven per cent of APAC CMOs believe relatable creators, including nano influencers, can outperform celebrities, compared with 81% globally. Fifty-seven per cent are prioritising talent and influencer collaborations for 2026/27, while 85% believe brands should start conversations rather than finish them.

For marketers, this means involving creators and communities earlier in the creative process, drawing on their understanding of audiences and culture rather than relying on them solely to amplify finished campaigns.

Real world experiences are back in focus

As marketing becomes more automated, APAC CMOs are placing greater value on experiences that bring brands and consumers together.

Eighty-five per cent plan to invest more in real-world experiences, compared with 82% globally, while 86% see sport and entertainment as important opportunities to build brands at scale as audiences fragment.

Toyoda added: “Real-world experiences are becoming more valuable as marketing becomes more digital and automated. The opportunity is to connect those moments across content, media and customer experience, extending their impact beyond the event itself and turning engagement into measurable growth.”

Download the full Global Dentsu Creative 2026 CMO Report, ‘Making it Real’: https://www.dentsucreative.com/campaigns/dentsu-creative-cmo-report-2026