Ludovic Martin's Predictions 2026

Ludovic Martin’s message to brands is direct: digital acquisition is getting more expensive and less reliable, while print activation is becoming easier to automate and easier to measure than many buyers assume. In this Predictions 2026 interview, he argues for CRM-linked print, better workflow integration, stronger proof of ROI and more ambitious production choices.

At a glance

1. Digital acquisition is getting pricier and less reliable.
2. Brands are rediscovering direct mail and parcel inserts.
3. Print belongs in CRM and AI workflows — but integration still breaks.
4. Brands still confuse acquisition with branding.
5. Print is measurable — if campaigns are segmented properly.
6. Cheap production choices often weaken impact.

Q. What’s the most comforting myth brands still believe about scaling print activation in 2026 - and where does it break in practice?

 Many brands, especially in eCommerce, are currently facing a scissors effect in their digital advertising strategy: the performance of their campaigns is decreasing, while costs are rising very quickly. The reasons are multiple: customers are saturated by digital ads, developing a kind of ad blindness; the efficiency of newsletters is becoming lower and lower; and, at the same time, performance is impacted by bots.

Brands are currently (re)discovering the power of direct marketing, sent by postal mailings, or parcel inserts in eCommerce. Acquisition cost is low compared to some CPCs in digital campaigns, and the impact is really strong — especially in terms of experience, and brand persistence in the customer’s mind over time.

Q. Where can print connect most effectively with digital platforms in 2026 (CRM-triggered DM, automated door drops, retail kits, measurement loops) — and what’s the real blocker: data, workflow, approvals, tech integration, or procurement?

I see two ways print can connect to digital platforms in 2026 

First, via CRM or marketing automation platforms, where print outputs can be implemented in triggered workflows — to reactivate churned customers or to celebrate special events like birthdays or Valentine’s Day. In the US, we see start-ups developing such connectors within CRM ecosystems, like Postalytics, which makes smart use of postcards.

Second, via conversational AI. ChatGPT is becoming more than a chat. By opening up its App Store, OpenAI clearly reveals its strategy: ChatGPT will become the cornerstone of a company’s ecosystem, building bridges between heterogeneous software and solutions like SharePoint, Notion, Canva, Adobe Express and Acrobat. By plugging ChatGPT into these apps, users will be able to interact efficiently with different blocks of their IT systems and build workflows easily. Print must be integrated into this App Store — but, from my point of view, integration is blocked by problems of product mapping and interoperability.

Q. As budgets tilt from door drops to digital retail media in 2026, what’s the biggest misplaced trade-off brands are making — and what would you like to see them do differently?

Marketers and finance people often get confused: they think that acquisition is similar to brand awareness. But customer acquisition on a website, based on paid advertising, is an illusion — you can’t rely on it. As soon as you cut your budget, traffic stops.

Brands must invest in branding, with a long-term vision. Of course, they can run branding campaigns on YouTube or social media, but they must include offline media to create an experience and a relationship with customers. Paper is essential for creating an experience, thanks to senses that are impossible to use digitally: touch, texture, scent…

Q. In 2026, what do brands and agencies still misunderstand about print’s effectiveness (attention, response, retail execution) — and what single proof-point or change would correct that misconception?

Two misunderstandings are still deeply visible in many brand and agency leaders’ minds: print is expensive, and print is not measurable.

By working with precise customer segments, and by creating campaigns combining direct marketing, outbound calls and smart links to digital channels, it’s possible to measure the long-term effect of a print campaign in terms of sales and repeat rates.

You can also create ROI benchmarks, demonstrating that print and direct marketing ROI is really higher than many digital campaigns.

Q. In print production, which “cost optimisation” habit most often damages effectiveness — and what should buyers change in 2026?

I’m not sure it’s always related to cost optimisation — maybe it’s caused by a lack of knowledge — but I see brands, graphic designers and marketing agencies often choosing the most standard papers and finishes.

Buyers should choose and test premium papers, and special finishing like gold foiling, 3D varnishes… to create a real “wow” effect on customers, especially when it’s related to unboxing or direct marketing campaigns. This is not an additional cost: it’s an investment in brand perception.

Q. Where will AI genuinely improve print-related creative production in 2026 (versioning, localisation, QA/compliance, approvals) — and what’s mostly hype?

AI can definitely help create seamless ordering workflows, especially in online printing, thanks to smart assistants able to check files, explain errors in “natural” language, and even correct many errors — like missing bleed and poor image resolution.

In some cases, AI-powered chatbots are also really useful to help designers or purchasers check the compliance of their artwork. For example, in France, I created for one of my customers a chatbot capable of scanning the design of a wine or beer adhesive label, to produce an evaluation of its compliance with French consumer regulation.

On the design process, my opinion is quite different: we saw a “hype” curve in the past months, but the result is increasingly similar campaigns and design. I think the role of the designer will become stronger in the future, to create real differentiation for brands. And of course, this designer will use AI tools among others in the creative process.

Q. As sustainability gets a bit less airtime, paper is getting better at proving its credentials. In 2026, what’s the most credible way to talk about sustainable print without greenwash — and what proof will buyers accept?

I see a strong similarity between the question of print campaign “performance” compared to digital, and sustainability. There are still persistent myths about high cost and high carbon footprint impact for print compared to digital.

But things are changing now: with AI, media and citizens are discovering the unlimited appetite of data centres for electricity and water. People understand that their daily activities on social media, emails and cloud storage services have an important negative impact on the planet — and it’s accelerating.

Print is an alternative. And brands are starting to understand that printers, paper manufacturers and all other contributors in the print chain made their revolution a long time ago. So, I believe that the best way to talk about sustainability without greenwashing is to explain that print is the medium of the long term — slow, tangible marketing — with supports that can be recycled, multiple times…

Q. Make one prediction we can verify in January 2027 about print activation (DM/door drops/retail) — adoption, performance, integration, or standards.

Haha, funny challenge! I predict that, across Europe, retail companies like supermarkets and grocers will revert back to printed prospectuses, both in DM and door drops. Why? Because they will see a drop in customers’ loyalty and activation with mobile apps.