As we move swiftly through the first month of 2025, clear trends and opportunities for the year ahead are starting to emerge. Change will be rapid and far reaching across seven (of course 7) key areas:
Search Evolution - AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Bard are revolutionising search, with 60% of Google searches now ending without a click. Brands must adapt by overhauling their search strategies, adopting advanced frameworks for paid and organic search integration and optimisation.
AI Agents - AI agents, already well established in platforms like Alexa and Spotify, are rapidly becoming indispensable. In 2025, brands must identify and maximise the potential of existing AI tools while integrating new ones into media workflows to improve efficiency and streamline processes.
Relevance vs. Scale - The rise of hyper-personalisation poses challenges, including execution complexity, higher data costs and a lack of transparency. Brands should prioritise relevance by leveraging data-driven strategies that optimise timing, context and consumer behaviour, to balance scalability and impact effectively.
Commerce Media and AI Campaigns - Retail media and AI-driven performance campaigns, such as Google’s PMax, look set to continue their rapid growth this year. These present lucrative growth opportunities, but brands need to tread with caution. With AI optimisation, it’s crucial to keep safeguards in place to maintain effectiveness while avoiding issues like poor inventory quality and undisclosed margins. Commerce and retail media are highly fragmented, with numerous players vying to take a slice of media budgets, making it a complex landscape to navigate to manage effective campaigns. Much like the early days of paid search back in its infancy, success will depend upon testing, learning and scaling with skilled teams, resources and skillsets.
Creative Innovation - With declining ad attention on social media, businesses must break out of their creative comfort zones. Combatting low-quality AI-generated content requires bolder strategies, empowering content creators, and loosening rigid brand guidelines to better engage audiences.
Video Advertising Transformation - The shift toward digital video platforms accelerates, opening up new advertising opportunities through partnerships with broadcasters and streaming platforms. Innovations such as addressable video and new ad-supported platforms allow for precise targeting, scale and cross-platform measurement. Brands should adopt agile strategies to capitalise on these advancements, making video a key area for increased investment in 2025.
Data Transparency and AI Governance - The demand for data clarity is rising. Brands must scrutinise the provenance, costs, and effectiveness of the data used in their campaigns. With AI playing a greater role in media planning, brands must establish governance frameworks to ensure ethical practices and align AI decisions with their commercial interests.
In conclusion, 2025 will require brands to embrace AI, scale innovative strategies, prioritise transparency across media, data and tech, and venture beyond traditional creative boundaries. By doing so, brands can ensure they remain relevant and poised for growth in an ever-evolving landscape.
