Discover how marketers are using AI to advance performance marketing, strengthen audience data use and move closer to true omnichannel orchestration.

This comprehensive research report, developed by Winterberry Group with sponsorship from the United States Postal Service and NaviStone, explores how AI is reshaping the way brands plan, activate and optimize marketing programs across paid and owned channels.

Drawing from a survey of over 250 U.S. marketers and media professionals, supplemented by qualitative interviews with leaders across brands, agencies, data providers, technology platforms and specialty service providers, the report’s key findings include:

• Performance marketing continues to gain enterprise priority: 71% of marketers report that their organizations have placed greater emphasis on performance-oriented marketing over the past three years, with this shift appearing across major verticals including financial services, retail, B2B technology, healthcare and CPG 
• A “core four” performance mix continues to anchor marketer efforts: Online display advertising (57%), paid social (54%), direct mail (45%) and paid search (45%) remain the channels most often cited as important to performance marketing objectives, while retail/commerce media continues to gain traction at 37%
  
• AI is already generating measurable marketing value: 63% of marketers report that AI has driven clear effectiveness improvements over the past year, while 62% report clear efficiency gains 
• Direct mail remains central to AI-enabled performance strategies: Nearly 96% of marketers report using or testing AI to support direct mail programs, with 93% characterizing those efforts as delivering moderate or significant value
• The opportunity ahead: omnichannel orchestration: Marketers are optimistic about AI’s potential to improve effectiveness, efficiency, attribution and audience engagement, but continued progress will require brands to address integration, cost and data quality challenges