Mainline media — the mass channels marketers traditionally call TV, radio, print and cinema — remains central to large-scale brand building. But by 2026 these channels will increasingly act like hybrid platforms: mass reach + digital precision. Expect programmatic buys, AI creative tools, privacy-first measurement, and sustainability to reshape how brands plan and buy mainline campaigns. (Definition and context: mainline = traditional/above-the-line channels.) Elyts

1. Programmatic and DOOH move to the centre of mainline strategies

Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) and programmatic execution are no longer niche additions — they’re core to mainline plans. DOOH inventories are becoming programmatically addressable, enabling real-time context (weather, events, traffic) and creative swaps that behave like digital display ads while still delivering mass physical reach. Industry reports show steady DOOH growth and strong momentum for programmatic buying heading into 2025–26.

What to do: Start treating DOOH as a programmatic channel in media plans — buy flexible dayparts, use triggers (event, weather, time), and integrate with mobile retargeting for measurable cross-channel lifts.

2. Addressable TV and “big-reach with precision”

Linear TV is evolving rather than dying. Addressable TV — serving different ads to households within the same linear break — unlocks the mass reach of TV with household-level targeting and deterministic measurement. Advertisers reallocating modest shares of budgets to addressable TV saw higher reach efficiency in recent studies, making it a strategic bridge between classic mainline and data-driven media. TV Tech

What to do: Test addressable buys alongside broad TV campaigns; use it to extend reach among hard-to-find audience pockets while preserving TV’s branding power.

3. AI-driven creative and shorter, sound-off formats

Artificial intelligence is accelerating creative production and personalization. Expect tools that create multiple ad variants tailored to local markets, screen formats, and dayparts — and do it fast. At the same time, ads are getting shorter and optimized to work without sound (for DOOH and social spillover). AI also supports dynamic copy and image swaps based on live triggers. Adtelligent+1

What to do: Build modular creative systems (assets that can be recombined automatically), prioritize silent/sound-off storytelling for OOH/DOOH, and maintain brand consistency through AI governance and human oversight.

4. Privacy-first measurement and first-party data strategies

With third-party cookie deprecation and growing regulation, measurement is moving to privacy-preserving methods: first-party IDs, clean rooms, probabilistic+deterministic hybrid matching, and incrementality testing. Mainline media will increasingly be measured through linked audiences (CTV/Addressable TV + DOOH ↔ mobile) and brand lift/incrementality rather than simple last-click attribution. Media Marketing+1

What to do: Invest in first-party data capture (CRM, loyalty, onsite), build partnerships for clean-room analysis, and plan experiments that measure incremental sales/brand lift rather than relying exclusively on third-party pixel tracking.

5. Sustainability and premium print repositioning

Sustainability matters to audiences and buyers. OOH owners, publishers and cinemas are adopting energy-efficient LED displays, recyclable materials, and transparent carbon reporting. Meanwhile select premium print titles are consolidating into fewer, higher-impact issues to serve luxury advertisers seeking permanence and credibility. These trends make certain mainline placements more valuable for brand purpose and premium positioning. PJX Media+1

What to do: Add sustainability KPIs to media selection (e.g., lower carbon screens, sustainable print runs), and consider premium print for luxury branding campaigns where tactile quality supports positioning.

6. Integrated omnichannel playbooks: Merge reach and activation

The strongest mainline campaigns in 2026 will be those explicitly built to funnel mass reach into measurable activation: TV + Addressable + DOOH + Mobile retargeting + retail/POI executions. Retail and cinema tie-ins, QR/AR activations from DOOH into mobile experiences, and synchronized creative (same visual language across screens) will amplify impact. 

What to do: Design campaign journeys that map a user’s likely path from large-scale exposure to a near-term conversion (e.g., TV > DOOH reminder near store > mobile offer).

7. Practical checklist for marketers (actionable takeaways)

  1. Allocate a test budget (5–15%) to programmatic DOOH and addressable TV to compare incremental lift vs. traditional buys. 

  2. Create modular creative that can scale across TV, DOOH, print and mobile — optimize for silent viewing and short formats. 

  3. Invest in first-party data & clean rooms — measure incrementality and protect privacy. 

  4. Score media partners for sustainability and premium quality (print runs, low-energy screens). 

  5. Run omnichannel pilots that link TV/OOH exposure to mobile/retail actions and track lift.

Closing — What 2026 will look like for mainline

Mainline in 2026 won’t be old vs. new — it will be integrated. Brands that combine the storytelling and scale of TV/print/cinema with programmatic precision, AI creativity, privacy-safe measurement, and sustainability will win. The opportunity is to keep mainline’s heart (reach + credibility) while modernizing its brains (data, automation, and measurement). Start small, test fast, and scale what shows real incremental business impact.


Elyts Advertising and Branding Solutions | www.elyts.in  (India) | www.elyts.agency  (UAE)