Fastest Growing Brands 2026

Just 14% of brands grew consideration in 2026, a five-year low, after 94% grew the year before. The typical brand lost nearly 2 points of consideration.

The soda tops nine of our twelve audience rankings, from boomers to TikTok users. Mr. Pibb’s rise is largely thanks to the brand’s relaunch. But it isn’t the only grocery item to land in this year’s report. Kitchen-table categories make up 35% of the brands we track but 60 of the 100 fastest growing brands.

Only 40 of 1,101 continuously tracked brands grew every single year for five years. Peacock and Chime saw the largest jumps during this window.

Consideration tends to grow either alongside or shortly after affection. That's what makes AI's position precarious. Most of the AI brands we track are seeing trust and favorability either flatline or slip. Gemini is the only AI brand turning usage into meaningful growth: its consideration rose 4.6 points, alongside gains in trust and favorability.

Gen Xers cut real spending 5.9% this year, the most of any generation. Their sentiment fell 13 points, the steepest generational drop we measured. 46% now say they're worse off than a year ago, an 8-point jump. We’re seeing this play out in Gen X’s purchasing consideration — just 9% of brands grew with them.

The share of U.S. adults who name AI chatbots as the online source they most commonly use to research brands, products and services has more than tripled in five quarters, from 2.6% to 9.2%, making chatbots the No. 3 research channel. This is crucial for brands looking to be discovered.