Where marketing is heading in 2025--and what you should do about it

Ah, 2024.

The year marketers learned to wield AI like a double-edged sword, went full throttle on streaming ads, and finally figured out how to look authentic while selling stuff (well, most of us).

Now that the confetti from New Year’s Eve has settled, and our inboxes are flooded with "New Year, New You" spam, let’s break down the year that was and chart the course for 2025.

Because if we’re not moving forward, we’re standing still, and nobody wants that—especially your quarterly KPIs.

So, what worked in 2024?

1. AI became every marketer’s BFF (best futuristic friend)

Whether it was generative AI crafting clever email subject lines or predictive analytics deciding when customers would actually care about our promotions, artificial intelligence dominated.

Tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney helped brands churn out content faster than ever. But the real MVPs were the marketers who used AI thoughtfully, adding that much-needed human touch.

How to take this into 2025: Don’t just let AI do the heavy lifting. Pair it with your creativity to create campaigns that feel less robo-generated and more like they were made by your quirky intern named Claire.

2. Connected TV (CTV) ads went prime time

Streaming services like Hulu and Roku became the go-to playgrounds for marketers. Full-screen, non-skippable ads? Yes, please.

With the targeting precision of digital marketing and the reach of traditional TV, CTV ads gave us the best of both worlds—except for the part where you have to explain what a Roku is to your parents.

How to take this into 2025: Start small. Test CTV campaigns in Q1 2025 and watch the data roll in. Just don’t skip the part where you obsess over audience targeting.

3. Short-form video & UGC ruled the content kingdom

TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts cemented their status as the holy trinity of short-form video platforms.

And user-generated content (UGC)? That’s still the marketing equivalent of a trust fall. When brands embraced authenticity—letting real people showcase their products—magic happened.

How to take this into 2025: Plan a UGC campaign that feels organic. Hint: your audience knows when you’re faking it.

4. Community-led marketing got personal

Meta Threads and private communities brought us closer to our audiences. By fostering genuine conversations and not just shoving sales pitches down their throats, brands deepened relationships.

How to take this into 2025: Double down on building small, engaged communities. Quality over quantity is the name of this game.

5. Sustainability took centre stage

Green marketing faced a reckoning in 2024.

Claims of "eco-friendly" or "sustainable" were no longer enough—consumers demanded receipts. Those who backed their words with action (and transparency) won over sceptics.

Everyone else? Well, they’re still trying to scrub "greenwashing" from their Wikipedia pages.

How to take this into 2025: Make sustainability part of your core strategy for 2025, but keep it real. No one wants to see another reusable straw campaign that’s secretly shipped with 15 pounds of plastic.

Ok, so now let’s look at what flopped in 2024.

1. Metaverse FOMO

Remember when brands rushed to buy virtual real estate and host digital fashion shows in the metaverse?

Yeah, 2024 reminded us that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Most consumers weren’t ready. And, honestly, neither were we.

How to take this into 2025: The metaverse isn’t going anywhere, but maybe sit this one out until your audience is ready to follow.

2. Over-automation

Some brands leaned too hard on automation, forgetting that at the end of the day, consumers want to feel like they’re interacting with actual humans.

The result? Bland campaigns that lacked soul—and didn’t convert.

How to take this into 2025: Strike a balance. Use automation to streamline, not sterilise.

So, what should you be doing right now to prepare for the year ahead?

• Invest in AI-driven personalisation. Use AI to create hyper-targeted campaigns, but always review them with a human eye. Think “intelligent automation,” not “robot overlords.”

• Get cosy with CTV ads. With streaming viewership still on the rise, CTV is a no-brainer for marketers looking for high ROI.

• Expand your voice search strategy. As more people talk to their devices, optimising for conversational search queries is a smart move.

• Double down on community. Intimate, interactive spaces are where you build trust—and where consumers decide if they like you enough to buy from you.

• Stay authentic (yes, we’re saying it again). UGC, transparency, and storytelling that feels real are the trifecta for winning over increasingly sceptical audiences.

The Bottom Line

2024 proved that digital marketing is as dynamic as ever. And the brands that thrived were the ones that balanced innovation with authenticity.

So, let’s take these lessons into 2025, where we’ll continue to adapt, evolve, and maybe even make the metaverse cool again. (A girl can dream, right?)

Happy New Year, marketers. Let’s make it a good one.

-Sophie, Writer