CES 2026 and the Future of Measurement in Performance Media

CES is often remembered for what it introduces. New devices. New interfaces. New promises.

But the most consequential shift we saw this year wasn’t about what media looks like. It was about how media is finally being asked to prove itself.

Across conversations about connected TV, AI-powered search, retail media, and agent-led discovery, one theme kept resurfacing: measurement is no longer a supporting function. It’s the battleground.

More signals than ever, fewer shared truths

Media has never had more data.

Intent signals. Commerce data. Exposure logs. Engagement metrics. Transaction records. AI-generated insights layered on top of it all.

And yet, CES made clear that many brands are still struggling with a basic question: what is actually working?

The challenge isn’t a lack of signals. It’s fragmentation. Different platforms telling different stories, each optimized to their own definition of success.

As media environments multiply, siloed dashboards make it harder, not easier, to make confident decisions.

Why unified measurement became the adult conversation

One of the quiet throughlines at CES was the push toward unified outcomes. Not perfect attribution. Not a single source of truth. But coherence.

Leaders across retail media, CTV, and commerce talked about connecting exposure to behavior, and behavior to real-world results. That means linking media delivery to outcomes like sales, lift, and incrementality, not just engagement.

This is where conversations around card-linked data, transaction-level validation, and closed-loop measurement gained traction, particularly from organizations like Mastercard, which emphasized the importance of tying impressions to verified transactions.

The message was clear: performance media can’t rely on proxy metrics forever. Proof matters.

Incrementality moved from theory to requirement

Incrementality showed up again and again at CES, not as a buzzword, but as a posture.

What actually changed behavior?
What happened because media ran, not alongside it?

Retail and commerce media leaders pointed to iROAS, lift studies, and controlled testing as the tools brands are increasingly expected to understand and use. Not just for optimization, but for accountability.

This shift is being driven as much by CFOs as by CMOs. In a climate where budgets are scrutinized more closely, performance has to be defensible, not just directional.

CES reinforced that the brands best positioned for what comes next are the ones treating measurement as a learning system, not a scoreboard.

New interfaces didn’t change the fundamentals

AI agents, conversational search, and emerging discovery environments were everywhere at CES. But beneath the surface, the same foundational questions persisted.

Whether discovery happens through a search box, an agent, or a community-driven platform like Reddit, the need for trust, relevance, and validation doesn’t change.

People still want context. They still seek confirmation. They still rely on signals from other humans.

Measurement systems need to reflect that reality. Not every meaningful action happens immediately. Not every outcome is linear. Some of the most important signals show up over time, across channels.

What this means for brands right now

CES didn’t suggest that brands need to chase every new media environment.

It suggested they need to ask better questions.

• Are we measuring outcomes that matter to the business?

• Do our metrics reflect how people actually decide?

• Can we explain why something worked, not just that it did?

• Are we investing in systems that learn, or ones that just spend?

Performance media is entering a reset phase. The winners won’t be the brands with the most dashboards or the newest tools.

They’ll be the ones who build measurement frameworks that respect complexity, reward honesty, and create confidence in decision-making.

That’s the shift CES pointed to this year.

Not more data. Better understanding.

FAQ

• What does “performance media’s measurement reset” mean?

  It refers to the industry shift toward more accountable, outcome-based measurement. CES 2026 highlighted the need to move beyond siloed metrics and toward systems that connect media exposure to real business results.

• Why is incrementality so important now?

  Incrementality helps brands understand what impact media actually had, not just what happened alongside it. As budgets face more scrutiny, proving lift and true contribution is becoming essential.

• How does AI affect media measurement?

  AI introduces new discovery paths and interfaces, but it doesn’t remove the need for trust or proof. Measurement systems must adapt to capture behavior across channels while still grounding results in real outcomes.

• Is unified measurement realistic for most brands?

  Perfect unification is unlikely, but coherence is achievable. Brands can align around shared outcomes, consistent methodologies, and learning-focused frameworks that improve decision-making over time.

• What should brands prioritize next?

  Brands should prioritize measurement systems that support learning, transparency, and accountability rather than chasing every new platform or format.