The report draws on an analysis of more than 564 million social media posts and nearly 5,000 search queries and AI prompts. According to Cision, it distinguishes passing attention from sustained interest and explores changing consumer perceptions, while also revealing gaps between what consumers discuss and how AI presents brands and topics.

For marketing and communications teams planning for 2027, Cision says the findings highlight why timing matters as much as understanding what is driving consumer attention. Recognizing a trend only after it peaks can mean arriving too late, while connecting signals while interest is building can help brands identify opportunities to act and understand when to move and when to change course.

Connecting signals behind consumer attention

“Some of the most useful consumer insights emerge when you look at the space between channels,” said Amy Jones, Chief Marketing Officer at Cision. "Search can show where interest is changing. Social helps explain why. And AI answers reveal the narrative reaching consumers. Connecting those perspectives helps brands understand not just what's happening, but how to respond, and when to act."

The report examines consumer trends across health and wellness, food and beverages, automotive, AI and online culture. Cision says the findings challenge assumptions that can shape investment decisions, campaign strategy and reputation management.

Interest does not equal acceptance

Search volume for AI-related queries rose 2,400% over four years, according to the report, while social conversation revealed concerns about the impact of data centers and pushback against AI slop. Cision's takeaway is that brands need to understand what is driving curiosity and concern before deciding how to position AI.

Trends can evolve rather than disappear

While initial searches around “maxxing” cooled, social conversations showed the trend taking new forms, with mentions of “whimsymaxxing” growing 917% year over year. Cision says looking at search and social together helps brands understand whether attention is fading or shifting into something new.

Timing matters as much as staying power

Dubai chocolate became a viral food trend in 2025, but its search spike faded as fast as it arrived, according to the report. Matcha is described as the “always-on” food trend consumers keep coming back to. Cision says connecting search and social helps assess both a trend's staying power and the window of opportunity to capitalize on it.

AI visibility extends beyond a brand's own website

In an analysis of AI responses to “best car”-related queries, Toyota led with a 13.8% share of brand mentions. Yet Toyota's own website accounted for only a fraction of the sources cited by large language models, compared with more than 4,000 for YouTube. Cision's takeaway is that understanding AI visibility requires understanding the third-party sources shaping recommendations.

What consumers discuss can differ from what AI emphasizes

An analysis of magnesium glycinate found that stress relief dominated social discussions of its benefits, while AI responses emphasized bone support and cardiometabolic support. Cision says brands need to understand not only what consumers discuss, but also how AI platforms frame a topic when answering questions about it.

What AI answers mean for brand visibility

According to Cision, brands need to understand not only what audiences are saying and searching for, but also what information they encounter in AI answers. In the automotive analysis, the most-cited sources were YouTube creators, editorial brands and individual journalists, not the carmakers themselves.

The coverage, reviews and community conversation a brand earns are now the raw material for the answers its buyers receive, Cision says. Connecting those perspectives helps teams identify unmet needs, understand potential barriers to purchase and make better decisions about where to invest and how to communicate.

Moving beyond tracking attention

About the research

Cision says the report draws on Brandwatch Consumer Research and Trajaan data covering 564.61 million social media posts and 4,678 search queries and AI prompts, with a primary research period of August 2025 to August 2026. Selected analyses use longer historical periods and examine AI-generated responses to provide additional context, and individual charts specify the relevant date ranges.

Cision describes itself as a global leader in consumer and media intelligence, engagement and communication solutions, serving PR and corporate communications, marketing and social media professionals. Its products include Trajaan, Brandwatch, CisionOne and PR Newswire. The company says more than 75,000 companies and organizations, including 84% of the Fortune 500, rely on Cision.