Getting noticed has become more challenging. There are more channels to manage, more competition for attention and franchise candidates are spending more time researching before making a decision. We sat down with Julie Maw, Vice President at Mainland, to capture her top 10 trends brands need to get laser-focused on as we enter 2026.

At Mainland, Maw partners with franchise organizations to guide growth and transformation, blending PR, marketing and digital content into campaigns that build visibility, trust and long-term impact. With more than 15 years of experience across marketing, media and technology, Maw has spent her career helping brands grow by turning big ideas into practical, executable strategies.

“When applied consistently, PR builds credibility and trust at scale —  the kind of confidence franchise candidates need before they ever enter the sales funnel,” Maw said. “The return shows up in higher-quality leads, shorter sales cycles, and stronger close rates, not just headline volume.”

Here are the trends Maw believes brands must engage with in 2026 to truly get noticed.

1. AI-Powered Storytelling That Enhances, Not Replaces

While AI is being used more widely, Maw says it should support people’s work, not replace it. At Mainland, and according to Maw, AI is a tool to improve storytelling rather than automate it.

“AI is changing the landscape for all of us, whatever role or function we’re playing,” Maw said. “But it’s really about using it to enhance and help us polish the stories we’re working to tell, not to replace them.”

From identifying news angles to analyzing performance data and personalizing outreach at scale, AI allows brands to work faster and more intelligently. Still, strategy remains human-led.

“AI supports our strategy. It doesn’t replace it,” Maw said. “It's the teams who use AI strategically that will replace those that don't.”

2. Franchisee-Led PR Is Becoming Non-Negotiable

Earned media is putting less weight on corporate talking points and more focus on real operators and their experiences. Reporters want to hear from people who are actually running the business.

“More and more, they care about real franchisees — real operators — not just what they perceive as corporate talking points,” Maw said.

At Mainland, this reinforces a core belief: brands don’t sell brands, people do. Franchisee success stories, multi-unit growth journeys, career switch narratives and community impact consistently outperform brand-centric announcements.

“The most powerful PR asset in franchising is the franchisee, not the brand,” Maw said. “And that's really something we champion here.”

3. Authority Matters More Than Awareness

It matters more that a brand is trusted than widely seen. While visibility matters, Maw says brands perform better when they focus on substance instead of volume.

“There’s a misperception that we need a high volume of media placements,” she said. “But what we’re really seeing work are powerful stories that offer real insight.”

Thought leadership, trend forecasting, and data-backed perspectives help brands become trusted category voices.

“Being seen everywhere matters less than being trusted somewhere,” Maw said.

4. Data Is Now a Media Hook

Editors are asking brands to back up their stories with data. When brands can share numbers tied to growth, technology or customer behavior, it strengthens the story.

“One of the things reporters will ask us before they even book an interview is, ‘Can they bring the data?’” Maw said.

When brands can share the right data, such as AUVs, growth patterns and performance trends, it gives reporters what they need to build stronger stories and shows confidence in the business.

“Brands that can package their data into insights and forecasts earn repeat media attention,” she said.

5. Category-Level Storytelling Outperforms Brand-Only News

Media outlets care about what’s happening across industries, not just which brand opened a new location. Maw encourages brands to zoom out.

“The fastest way to get noticed is to talk about what’s happening beyond your own brand,” she said.

Talking about industry-wide issues like labor, real estate and technology helps brands come across as informed rather than self-promotional.

“Reporters get burned out sometimes from talking to a brand that’s just about pushing its own ad,” Maw said. 

6. Founder and Executive Visibility Is Central

Human leadership stories are cutting through the noise, especially in long-form formats like podcasts and interviews.

“What we're seeing is founders and executives who can get personal, share their stories, share their journeys, share the lessons they've learned, the pivots or growth challenges, that really speaks to potential franchisee candidates because it humanizes the brand,” said Maw. 

Speaking naturally tends to work better than sounding scripted.

“Media doesn’t want perfection,” she said. “They want perspective and they want to make sure that these founders, these executives can bring that to the table.”

7. High-Quality Announcements Perform Better

Earning strong media placements starts with understanding what reporters are actually looking for. According to Maw, journalists are focused on stories that offer substance, relevance and clear news value — not a steady stream of updates.

“When brands focus on fewer, more meaningful announcements, those stories are easier for reporters to say yes to,” said Maw. “It’s about bringing them something that’s timely, credible and worth their audience’s attention.”

Milestones that signal real momentum, insights tied to broader industry trends and stories with clear impact are far more likely to break through than routine updates.

8. PR and Franchise Sales Must Be Aligned

Earned media works best when it’s tied directly to development goals. PR needs to align closely with how brands are growing.

“Media coverage should reinforce the franchisee value proposition,” Maw said. “Stories should align with the ideal candidate profile.”

While PR may not offer the same immediate metrics as paid ads, it plays a critical role in pipeline development. 

9. Regional and Local PR Fuels the Buzz Factory

National credibility helps, but local and regional coverage is usually what drives action. Maw says this lines up with what Mainland hears directly from franchisees. After interviewing hundreds of owners each year, the team sees the same pattern over and over: most prospects spend about 6.4 months researching a brand before they ever fill out a form. That timeline shows up across industries and reinforces the need to stay visible while people are still deciding.

“Our goal is to activate the buzz factory and be everywhere they’re spending their time,” she said. “While national credibility gets attention, local relevance drives the action. Potential candidates are seeing themselves in franchisee stories and looking to real franchisees as key validators, building their confidence in the model, potential for success and taking that next step.”

10. Consistency Beats Virality

Rather than chasing viral hits, earned media works best when it’s built steadily over time.

“PR is a marathon; it's not just a flash-in-the-pan moment,” Maw said. “I think all of our clients are hoping for that big spot on Fox Business, CNN — which we deliver and can carry impact. But really, it's about creating a consistent strategic conversation nationally, regionally and locally.”

Long-term relationships with reporters, consistent storytelling and strategic cadence build trust over time.

What This Means for Brands in 2026

When it comes to where brands should focus in 2026, Maw points to earned media as a key part of the mix, especially when it’s built around real people and aligned with other marketing efforts.

“Brands that show up consistently earn editor trust, which increases the likelihood of the brand being brought in for thought leadership and subject-matter expert stories,” Maw said. “What we have seen is that you can nurture those relationships over time with the media. They are more likely to pick up the phone and call us or call our clients for another big story that they're breaking.” 

Taken together, these trends show that brands that lead with real people, credible insights and consistent earned media will be the ones that cut through the noise and earn trust in 2026.

For more information on Mainland, please visit https://hellomainland.com/.