Stronger investment in AI, bolder creativity, a reprioritization of DEI, more personalization—these are some predictions (or, perhaps, wishes) for 2025 that industry leaders shared with Ad Age. While there is no way to tell what will dominate headlines in 2025, there are at least a handful of topics and themes advertising executives will be thinking about this year.

Here we present those takes from 72 top executives, arranged by topic. Check out more of our prediction stories here. 

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

An AI revolution

 
Damian Benders, general manager of B code media, My Code

I would really like to see creative teams and agencies leverage AI-powered hyper-personalization to go beyond surface-level demographics. We have an opportunity to delve into the nuances of cultural identity with insights AI provides in order to create truly resonant multicultural marketing campaigns. It would also be great to see a collective focus or initiative on AI implementation in multiculturalism that begins to teach algorithms to better avoid perpetuating cultural stereotypes or biases.

Lucas Bongioanni, chief creative officer, Gut New York

More of, deeper, and better use of AI. By deeper I mean using AI conceptually and for developing platforms, not just to generate video. By better I mean better. More brand building through brand love. Brand-building can’t, and shouldn’t, be done overnight; it needs to be a process. [There will be] less people criticizing. I think we’ve reached peak industry discourse. I want to see people making.

[Above: This AI-generated Toys R Us ad sparked backlash from the creative community in June, one of several AI-generated campaigns criticized in 2024.]

Dustin Callif, president, Tool

AI will no longer be used in the shadows. Brands and ad agencies will have an “AI a-ha” moment, realizing that some of the best practices that we’ve been using in our industry (e.g. talent contracts, approach to clearances for objects in photo shoots) can be applied to productions leveraging AI and will no longer be legal blockers. In the immediate, this will lead to the adoption of the use of AI for the creation of consumer-facing content, particularly the automation of lower-funnel marketing content.

In 2025, the creative community will continue to debate the merits of AI in campaign work, specifically videos. As every month passes and more quality creative examples are shared (especially from established directors and brands), the sentiment will dissipate, but the debate will carry on into 2026.

Jon Cook, global CEO, VML

In 2025, I’m excited to see AI continue to evolve into more sophisticated, strategic tools that genuinely transform marketing effectiveness—particularly in measurement and personalization at scale. What I hope our industry steers away from is AI employed to chase vanity metrics or as a mere cost-cutting tool. AI’s true potential is to enhance human creativity and deliver measurable business outcomes.

The future of advertising lies in the seamless integration of data-driven insights with emotional storytelling, whether that’s through streaming content, social commerce, or emerging channels we have yet to imagine.

Scott Hagedorn, global chief solutions architect, Publicis Groupe

We see the winners of tomorrow not as those who use AI, but those who have the highest integrity of data to train AI on—and can use it to rapidly respond to and change strategy and processes in real-time. Gone are the days where we use fixed, reductive, siloed workflows and systems based on channels. Now, we will see the need to deconstruct and rebuild strategic workflows to solve for vastly different client business problems.

Jason Harris, co-founder and CEO, Mekanism

After almost two decades in advertising, the industry’s transformation over the past 12 months has been the most profound change and challenge I have ever been a part of, due to the convergence of rapid technological innovation and complex consumer expectations. Artificial Intelligence is and will continue creating more personalized and efficient marketing strategies over the next two years.

TikTok and Instagram Reels have redefined content consumption, especially among a younger generation that is largely uninfluenced by traditional media formats. We’ll see an acceleration of investments in creators, as well as paid and organic social in 2025.

Also read: 5 of the best TikTok brand activations in 2024

Ivan Kayser, CEO, Redscout 

2025 is when AI really shifts the marketing landscape. It will be the beginning of structural disruption of the marketing industry due to three factors: the first is that leading holding companies have found their AI hook. Publicis and WPP have aligned on AI audience targeting tools built off of primary data and I expect this will further widen the delta between holding companies and those trying to keep up.

The second factor is brand-side marketing team reorgs will be enabled by AI. Marketers have been under budget pressure for years now and are facing slowing performance. They need to embrace change (speed, iteration, personalization) and are extra motivated to embrace new tech to make it happen.

The third factor is a new entrepreneurial agency wave. There has been a lot of agency creation these past few years, mostly founder led, boutique creative shops. That’s about to change with that entrepreneurial energy meeting market demand for AI, and I expect lots of firms will embrace AI as the foundation of their model, not as an add on.

Abbey Klaassen, global brand president, Dentsu Creative

We’re not in an era of AI or human creativity, we’re in an era of “and.” And the shape of “and” looks like a barbell. On one end, we need powerful, breakthrough, culture-hitting creative ideas in order to standout in an algorithmic era. This is where the power of human creativity will reign. On the other end, we’ll leverage technology-enabled, AI-fueled platforms to produce and deploy deeply personalized messaging at scale. This is where the machines will rule. Successful creative agencies must purposefully invest and build around both ends of the barbell.

Joe Maglio, CEO, McKinney and Barbarian, and president, Cheil North America

In 2025, I’m hoping that creative agencies better operationalize AI not only for internal work, but to enhance and empower the creative that goes into market for clients. What I hope we see less of is decision-making (on both the agency and client side) that is solely focused on short-term financials; we need to do a better job of ascribing long-term value to our industry overall.

Jim Misener, president, 50,000feet

In 2025, AI agents will transform marketing. They will automate complex tasks that marketing teams don’t want to do as well as transform how consumers discover, decide and purchase. They’ll personalize recommendations, streamline decision-making and handle routine tasks like product replenishment.

Brands will become part of the conversation with their audiences as chat-driven tools integrate with advertising. Through advertising features such as sponsored follow-up questions, brands will seamlessly integrate with users’ search experiences by appearing as natural extensions of their queries. Marketers will need to learn how to create compelling sponsored questions that align with user interests and needs.

Steve O’Connell, co-chief creative officer, Mod Op

And so it’s begun … the era of clients saying “Can you just have AI do that?” And it’s oftentimes about things that AI can’t do. 2025 will be a huge one for clients (and agencies) learning about the limits of AI and exactly how much human input is still needed, despite the advances made. Of course, since it’s AI, everything will change by the end of 2025. But, hey, if you don’t love and embrace permanent change, you’re probably in the wrong business.

Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer, Mastercard

We began with AI, progressed to generative AI, and are now entering the next transformative phase: agentic AI. This is the game changer. Unlike traditional or generative AI, where you ask for answers and then act on them yourself, agentic AI takes care of everything—from providing recommendations to executing tasks on your behalf. For instance, instead of merely suggesting the best flight options, the AI agent will book them for you.

This shift has profound implications for the convenience of consumers, as they delegate decision-making to AI. For marketers, it’s imperative to adapt, remain relevant and find ways to integrate into this evolving purchase funnel. Brands must ensure they are the preferred brand—not only for consumers, but for their AI agents.

Also read: 5 ways financial brands are connecting with Gen Z

DEI

 
Natalie Ackerman, chief people officer, Jack Morton

Over time, DEI has been isolated and confined to a single department—in 2025 that changes. These skills and mindset must thrive across the agency and be embedded in strategy, creativity, new business and even finance. Chief Creative Officers and Chief Talent Officers will partner and ensure that they are equally committed to DEI for their business and clients. It also means they will thrive and help their clients smartly and authentically reach new customers.

Tesa Aragones, president, AKQA North America

In 2025, I hope diverse lived experiences drive better work and workplaces. Diversity fuels innovation, creativity and inclusion and [is] essential for a stronger, more impactful industry … Innovation thrives on balance, not burnout. Prioritizing well-being, like mental health days, fosters creativity. A healthier industry means better ideas.

[Above: A vignette from a campaign by GLAAD and storytelling studio Ground Media, launched ahead of Pride Month, showcasing stories of trans people at various stages of life. This campaign was among Ad Age’s top DEI-driven campaigns of 2024.]

Jason Klein, chief operating officer and co-founder, SeeMe Index

The DEI backlash clickbait will be replaced by stories of brand growth through inclusivity. Brands that truly double-down on inclusivity efforts, showing up across all consumer-facing touchpoints—advertising, websites, products and external commitments—will be the true winners. Just look at e.l.f Beauty. In fiscal year 2024 it brought in more than $1 billion in total revenue, around 77% higher than the previous year, according to the company.

Suzy Mae Mattay, strategy directory, Battery

The failures of Bud Light and Target to support the LGBTQ community in times of challenge, the trend of shrinking DEI budgets and increase of identity politics are leading to an atmosphere of tension and fear. Risk aversion is natural for big brands, but we will see a few fearless companies rise, using content and intensely forged partnerships (and even celebrity part-ownerships) to find their hungry audiences and stand out.

A return to bold creativity

 
Adrienne Cleveland, executive VP, chief operating and culture officer, The Martin Agency

By 2025, we’ll need to pay extra attention to supporting creatives, especially in a world full of political tension. Creativity thrives when there’s openness, collaboration and freedom to explore ideas. Creatives need a space to think outside the box, share bold ideas and feel safe doing so. It’s all about creating a culture where innovation can blossom, and people feel encouraged to do their best work.

Kelle Coleman, head of marketing and growth, Verb

In 2025, I’d like to see the industry ditch the done-before, cookie-cutter campaigns. I want to see more bold, culturally relevant ideas that actually connect with audiences and deliver real results—not performative fluff or half-baked trends. I want to see campaigns that are not “one size fits all,” but leaning into their niches (e.g. exclusive inclusivity), and are focused on the IRL brand experience versus what gets shared on social media. The future belongs to brands and agencies willing to take risks, spark conversation and create experiences that leave an undeniable mark.

Phil Cook, chief marketing officer, WNBA

There are a handful of brands out there that deliberately pivot away from the practices that dominate today’s marketing industry: the use of AI and reliance on data. In 2025, I look forward to watching these brands make big and bold investments on the basis of their intuition and gut feel. They’ll live within a cluttered marketplace and look to distinguish themselves from their competition by making an immediate impact in a commodity-laden space. These will be the brands that surprise us.

[Above: Oslo, Norway’s tourism campaign from July went bold, featuring a “a (fictional) guy who grew up there and hates the place,” wrote Ad Age Creativity Editor Tim Nudd in his roundup of the top ads of 2024. The ad came in at No. 7 on the list, which you can check out here.]

John Geletka, founder, Geletka+

Newstalgia, as it’s often called, is making yet another comeback. Sorry, not sorry, but is this just brands running out of fresh ideas, using the past as a creative Hail Mary? Or is it a reflection of collective unease about the future, where consumers cling to the comfort of a reimagined past for a fleeting dopamine hit? Sure, there are timeless classics—but let’s be real: the brands chasing after nostalgia without purpose are just being lazy. Borrow it strategically, or don’t bother. Nostalgia can absolutely fuel innovation when used thoughtfully, but it has to be wielded with intent.

Also read: 3 strategies for nostalgia marketing

Liz Grabek, senior VP, consumer strategy, Betty

In 2025, with AI allowing us to offload some of the more mundane parts of our strategic and creative process, I am looking forward to seeing brands use that time and energy to take even bigger creative swings and get more embedded in culture. Culture moves fast, and brands can play a big role in furthering fandom and conversation when they keep up. I don’t want to see brands playing it ‘safe,’ even in a time of ever-tightening budgets. Brands will also have to walk a fine line with technology—using it as a tool to accelerate creative output without losing the human authenticity consumers crave.

Nick Law, creative chairperson, Accenture Song

AI will make strategic intention and creative decisions from humans more important than ever. AI’s ability to get an idea out of your head into the world instantly will recast the role of humans in the creative process. When you can generate infinite variations and iterate endlessly, any project will require tightly focused strategic intention. Similarly, the generative process itself will be guided by the most essential creative act: human decisions. Decisions guided by ineffable human qualities that have always distinguished the best creatives; What’s interesting? What’s clear? What looks good? What has meaning? In short, creative decisions that are shaped by taste.

[Above: Production company Tool of North America shows off AI in a spec ad for Land Rover that took just one day, rather than several days if shot traditionally.]

Shayne Millington, chief creative officer, McCann New York

Just when you think you have finally nailed the six-second brief. We’ve been in this constant race to go shorter, faster, snappier—because we thought people had no time for us. I think the pendulum is swinging back because it turns out, people have plenty of time for things they care about. Great news for all of the haters of the snackable six-second brief—people aren’t scrolling past everything—they’re stopping for what matters. Long-form documentaries, deep dives, episodic branded content and even longer music and movies are proof that audiences want to spend time with great ideas.

Olivia Newman, senior integrated strategist, Campbell Ewald

Brands that dare to get weird will rule in 2025, turning heads, stopping scrolls and building cultural moments people won’t forget.

Also read: Inside Nutter Butter’s bizarre TikTok strategy

Andrew Panay, CEO, Panay Films

This year for brand storytelling will be all about taking bold swings, particularly with comedy. Audiences are tired of seeing the same stories over and over in brand campaigns, and they’re ready to move past safe work to edgier material that still has elegant tones. After a few years of tepid creative risks, confident brands will push the boundaries beyond the recent status quo, using comedy to deliver the bite and cleverness that audiences are craving.

Rob Rivenburgh, global CEO, Mars United Commerce

I’m looking forward to retail media strategies focusing less on the media buy alone and paying more attention to the creative ideas needed to influence behavior. It’s critical to get the media plan right, of course. But what truly changes behavior are compelling, insights-driven messages and relevant, memorable shopping experiences. The need to drive real business impact from their retail media investments will have best-in-class marketers devoting more time to the ideas that will bring the media buy to life.

Tyler Turnbull, global CEO, FCB

In 2025, I believe more clients will further recognize the exponential value creativity can deliver across their business. In a world where it has never been easier to produce invisible work, brands who commit to bold, big and transformational ideas will stand out, be considered and purchased like never before. It is also important to remember that clients partner with agencies because they want a tight team of great people, doing the best work of their careers, and delivering exceptional results. Placing greater emphasis on talent in 2025 is fundamental in an industry that is being so deeply disrupted by technology, data, AI and, of course, continued consolidation.

Influencer marketing

 
Bryce Adams, senior VP, partnerships, Open Influence

July 1, 2025, will mark four years since name, image and likeness was officially enacted. With the first NIL class graduating college this May, more brands will embrace student-athlete creators as a stand-alone strategy, allocating unique budgets and line items separate from overall creator/influencer spend. Combining the passion points of sports and school pride, highly respected, savvy content creators will help ambitious marketers stand out.

As more brands, universities and institutions scale back DEI initiatives, I hope they prioritize plans to identify, nurture and develop diverse talent. We know the best outcomes arise when the workforce reflects the customers served.

Zach Blume, president and co-founder, Portal A

In 2025, we’re going to see more resources than ever before being poured into the creator economy, rivaling all other traditional channels. Beyond that, marketers will evolve beyond using creators simply as media units—they will invest in big, conceptual executions that break through the noise, and long-term creator partnerships will feel more authentic and less transactional. 2025 is a year where creator marketing matures, with the sophistication beginning to match the volume of investment.

Sign up for our influencer marketing newsletter here

Ryan Detert, CEO, Influential

Brands are no longer content with just knowing an influencer can drive awareness—they want to see how creators impact the entire customer journey, from that first click to an in-store purchase. The influencer marketing industry needs better measurement tools, and brands are shifting away from vanity metrics like likes and shares. In 2025, it’s going to be all about real-world results: sales, foot traffic and actual business outcomes.

Also read: Inside CeraVe’s Super Bowl 2024 influencer campaign

Gabby Gamad, chief operating officer, LV8

Influencers are no longer just ambassadors for a product—they are becoming integral to brand strategy. In 2025, we’ll see a shift towards long-term creator partnerships rather than one-off campaigns. Expect creators to be co-creators, involved in product development, storytelling and part of the brand's voice, rather than simply just posting about it.

In 2025, brands will increasingly use the comment section as a strategic tool for building community. It’s no longer about flooding every post with generic comments; it’s about thoughtfully engaging with the right conversations, in the right tone, on the right platforms, with the right audience.

Andrew Graff, CEO, A&G

The 50-plus demographic (boomers and 50% of the Gen Xers), with its significant spending power and brand loyalty, presents a valuable opportunity for marketers to tap into a growing market segment in 2025. This generation, often mischaracterized by outdated stereotypes, is actively engaged in reshaping their lives through travel, technology and a desire for continued learning.

Marketers should pay close attention to Granfluencers, as they are redefining what it means to be a senior and challenging stereotypes. These social media mavens are dominating platforms like Reels, TikTok, inspiring younger generations, and proving that age is no barrier to influence.

Authenticity and culture

 
Justine Allan, executive director, strategic business development, Pearlfisher

2025 will be the year of intimacy—meaning that those small and big brands who know their customers intimately will thrive by tapping into their needs. It’s no secret that small brands resonate with their authenticity, agility and human touch, offering bespoke, discoverable options that fulfill consumers' desire for individuality and purpose in a fragmented world. Big brands leverage trust, scale and cultural influence, providing familiarity and consistency in uncertain times. Those stuck in the middle—those brands which inherently lack that comfort and familiarity with their audiences, combined with their trust—will struggle.

Suzanne Barbosa, partner and managing director, Atlantic New York

We’ll see a continued evolution and definition of what it means to build and be part of a “community” in 2025, specifically with brands and consumers—whether cultivated online or IRL. As a result, we’ll see more creativity and ingenuity in how brands connect and add value to people’s lives. Consumers are more multifaceted than ever and so this requires a sharper lens on ingenuity and authenticity for brands to not act as “brands.”

Also read: Marketers should value brand communities over viral content

Lizz Behler, senior VP, brand and offerings, SPCSHP

In 2025, I predict hyper-personalization and indoor lifestyles to dominate, consumers will crave meaningful experiences over fleeting trends. Brands that focus on authenticity and avoid overexposure will gain trust in an increasingly skeptical marketplace. And watch for Shop to evolve further—from a shopping app into a social content powerhouse.

Daale Carter, managing director, Energy BBDO

In 2024 we saw the start of more mindful consumption and digital detoxes. With burnout and negative coverage on the rise, brands that promote more mental balance, are more mindful digitally and support consumers’ desire to disconnect will find themselves building more authentic relationships with this audience.

We will start to see deeper collaboration between networks of micro-influencers and creators, coming together around shared experiences and interests. This will shift the focus from single mega influencers to more co-creation for brands, which means a greater reach.

Also read: Why authenticity is key to reaching Gen Z

Gati Desai Curtis, president, Elite Media 

There will be an instinct to play it safe and speak broadly to the masses, in an attempt to unify and steadfastly avoid alienating. But when you try to speak to everyone, you sometimes end up not really saying anything at all. Humanity can halo—I’d urge brands and agencies to lean into the beauty of the unique, distinctive and specific—because deeply relevant can be broadly resonant.

Sidharth Gowda, head, VP of communications strategy, Wpromote

As AI content continues to flood our digital spaces, 2025 will mark a shift toward “The Trust Renaissance.” Reddit’s rising prominence in Google search results isn’t just an algorithm switch, it’s a testament to our collective hunger for authenticity. This yearning for genuine connection continues to fuel the rise of influencers among Gen Z, whose unfiltered experiences and personal narratives cut through the algorithmic noise. The digital landscape won't become anti-AI so much as pro-human, with trust emerging as the currency of influence.

When 70,000 people scream the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” in unison, they’re not just enjoying music; they’re participating in a moment that validates their own existence in a way no TikTok video ever could.

[Above: Three Gen Z marketers,  Morgan Batts (Wieden+Kennedy); Celine Chai (NinetyEight); and Clay Lute (Berns Communications Group), chat with Ad Age News Editor E.J. Schultz about the biggest brand wins and failures of 2024.

Tiffany Holland, co-founder, head of marketing and media strategy, Consiglieri

Over the past two years, we’ve seen brands suffer significant reputational damage due to perceived political narratives. There are numerous high-profile examples from Volvo’s safety campaign being called “Pro-Life,” to the polarizing reception surrounding Jaguar’s recent rebrand, and of course Bud Light's recent struggles. It’s nearly impossible to put a message into market (especially in social) without someone attributing political intent. The views of a small, but vocal few, have changed the cultural landscape and brands must now decide when/how they respond.

It’s important to remember most consumers are also fatigued by the constant discord and gravitate toward brands that rise above the noise, tap into universal human values, focus on solving painpoints, and strategically use humor and wit to disarm the critics.

Also read: Marketing and design pros on Jaguar’s rebrand

Mike Law, CEO, Carat North America

Just 25 years ago, Y2K was a cultural moment. We all waited anxiously at midnight to see if the digital and technology infrastructure of the world would stop working. Today, we know it didn’t stop, it catapulted the digital world forward in immeasurable ways. In the year ahead, we must remember the intersection of powerful data and technology developments is a human, and a customer.

The better we understand culture, and where customers are congregating, the more meaningful media experiences we can build. The power of social and the instant connection of media to commerce challenges us to think about the total human experience with brands. We must be great at every moment and our industry needs to ramp collaboration.

Sergio Lopez, CEO, Omnicom Production

Brands will get on a healthier content diet in 2025. They got addicted to the empty calories of not-so-creative nor relevant “snackable content” and overindulged in the heavy cuisine of traditional work. They’re figuring out how to get healthy in the new year with the right amount of content that works, sourced from a mix of in-house agencies, holding company production solutions and independent production companies. Together, and with the aid of AI and automation, we’ll craft nutritious content that truly performs, adds value and inspires belief in the brand.

John Montgomery, founder and CEO, Big Communications

As NASA prepares to return astronauts to the moon with Artemis II in late 2025, I expect we’ll see a surge of space-themed marketing and content from brands eager to tap into America's renewed space fever. This is especially exciting for those of us in Alabama, where much of the groundbreaking space technology and innovation happens in our own backyard. We’re already seeing fun collaborations like Nascar’s involvement with the lunar rover program, and I predict this blend of pop culture and space exploration will continue to define many of 2025's most memorable marketing campaigns.

Tim Perlstein, CMO, Merkle

I’d like to see a reinvigorated interest in human-centered design as a critical component of CX—as a counterbalance to the current rush toward AI-driven automation. It’s an “and,” not an “or.” Yes, the potential for radically improved marketing and CX efficiency is unprecedented, but customers are super clear that they want meaningful, engaging, human experiences, not just a bunch of automation.

I’d also like to see marketers and CX leaders double down on designing and managing the post-purchase experience. In the marketing services industry we over-focus on top-of-funnel activities, but this is driven by our own need to sell stuff and drive growth. What customers really want is great service, support and recognition for loyalty once they actually become customers—not just the next sales pitch.

Peyton Sutton, president, Terri & Sandy

In the year to come, authenticity will set brands apart. The importance of building real emotional connections with consumers will rise to the top—the kind of emotional connections that tech can’t replicate, and brands won’t survive without. Quantity is out and quality is in, and there will be a premium placed on craft and creativity. The strongest brands will employ a mindful approach to marketing in 2025, leveraging human emotion and experience to create and rally communities and customers.

Fabio Tambosi, senior VP of global marketing, ESL FACEIT Group

What we will experience in 2025 is a paradigm shift similar to what brands initially saw with the rise of social media and their adaptation to it. Initially, social media teams were viewed as innovations, retrofitted into whatever team had bandwidth, and later seen as part of the digital strategy. Today social media teams are their own entities. We see the same evolution occurring in gaming, entertainment and esports, where brands will increasingly establish dedicated teams for gaming and mobile, just as they have for social media.

But I will say this: let’s stop thinking about Gen Z and Alpha as the future—they are the present, with Gen Z already making up a significant portion of the workforce. Instead, marketers need to focus on accepting and embracing them everywhere they thrive.

Kate Wolff, CEO, Lupine Creative

The rise of culture-based B2B partnerships. With a focus on collectives, events and festivals, brands will increasingly collaborate in pairs and trios. By leveraging matching audience data and cultural relevance, brand activations will start working smarter and harder for everyone involved.

A continued rise in social commerce—driven by the growth of in-app purchase features. Brands and creators will need to integrate these tools into their campaigns and go-to-market strategies to effectively engage audiences and drive purchases. To succeed in the social space, brands must strike a balance between being “raw and real” and “premium and perfect.”

Data, measurement and media

 
Jonathan Akwue, president, Translation

The recent U.S. elections demonstrated the continuing shift of power from traditional to new media and podcasts specifically. While this trend will continue in 2025, we can expect to see media networks dropping poor performing shows just as quickly as they launched them. While the biggest podcast stars will get bigger and some brands will follow Spotify and Google’s lead by experimenting with AI podcasts. With a quarter of the U.S. population watching a livestream every week and Kai Cenat reaching 50 million unique viewers, we can also expect livestreaming to continue to grow.

Parks Blackwell, VP of marketing and client development, PMG

In 2025, video will solidify its position as one of the fastest-growing media channels, fueled by advancements in creative technology, context-driven targeting and dynamic measurement. CTV’s growth will continue to accelerate, with tools focusing on sentiment and content alignment to drive deeper brand connections. Creative innovations such as dynamic and commerce-enabled assets, GenAI creative and vertical video will further evolve the space, while downward pressure on CPMs ensures greater efficiency for advertisers.

Laura Correnti, partner, Giant Spoon, and founder/CEO, Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment

2024 was the year women’s sports broke through, and I think 2025 will be the year they break away—as a standalone market and industry that is invested in, created for and measured by its inherently unique value. I think 2025 is going to be a season of “more.” More (brand) newcomers in the arena, more stories told, more competition covered, more merch and more tickets sold.

Radhika Duggal, senior VP and chief marketing officer, Major League Soccer

In 2025, predictive analytics combined with real-time data will enable brands to anticipate consumer behavior with unprecedented accuracy. Marketers will be able to hyper-target with messaging that can instantly adapt to changing customer needs, preferences and external factors. For example, marketers will use a combination of customer data (e.g., browsing history, location, purchase behavior), external data (e.g., economic trends, weather or local events) and advanced algorithms to forecast when a customer is likely to make a purchase, what products they're most interested in and even what kind of message will resonate best with them at a particular moment.

Bill Koenigsberg, CEO and founder, Horizon Media

The era of one-size-fits-all has been erased for quite some time. In 2025, we will see a continued acceleration of precision marketing driven by AI harnessing the power of robust actionable insights. The shift is not just about data; it’s about deep human insights and creating brand affinity at scale through content and AI-driven connectivity.

Evan Levy, CEO, Fitzco

Social media advertising is going to get better, more clever, more captivating—because it has no choice but to do better. We will spend 2025 becoming increasingly frustrated as we chase imperfect solutions to the privacy, IP and other legal challenges left in the wake of the AI horse that raced out of the barn when no one was looking.

Scott Luther, head of connections strategy and brand performance marketing, TRG

2025 is the year American brands realize they’re trailing the rest of the world and start to act. Over the past 20 years, U.S. advertising spending has fluctuated between 1.2% and 2% of GDP, while the rest of the world averaged 0.75% (Dentsu Global’ ad spend forcasts for 2024). In 2025, we finally stop squandering the spend. Brands and their agencies will request different strategic capabilities from agencies (market-based budget setting, attention-informed media planning) and creative capabilities will shift to include more emotion, fluent devices and consistency.

Sarah Mehler, founder and CEO, Left Field Labs

It is a really interesting time for merging and integrating technologies, particularly relating to entertainment and audience engagement. The future of how we engage with audiences hinges on blending mediums—gaming, hybrid digital and physical aspects, live experiences and more. Into 2025, transmedia isn't just an add-on, it will be the nucleus of modern storytelling.

Angela Rodriguez, senior VP and head of strategy, Alma

The surge in cheaper, faster, better, AI-generated content is colliding with consumers’ declining attention to social media ads. While only about a third of people today say that social ad content captures their attention, marketers are accelerating the deployment of generative and dynamic ads. Something has to give—no savings on creative development through AI will compensate if the ads have no impact. Reach alone is not enough; marketers must craft messaging that not only breaks through the noise, but also authentically connects and delivers genuinely interesting content. Achieving strong return on marketing investment everywhere will depend on walking this fine line between efficiency and meaningful engagement.

Trina Roffino, CEO, TMA

In 2025, hyper-localization—beyond just media—will be a core expectation for brands, requiring agencies to deliver more than just that digital presence. This means creating culturally resonant, locally relevant content and experiences, partnering with local influencers, nonprofits, sports or community events. Meanwhile, live data will help brands respond to trends and consumers’ needs in real time. It’s about becoming part of culture in the context of the communities that truly give shape to the consumer’s life.

Donna Sharp, managing director, MediaLink, and partner, UTA

The marketing and media landscape is set to pivot from hype to deep-seated practicality. Conversations around AI, once the centerpiece of industry conferences, will shift away from the large stages. Instead, discussions will gravitate toward smaller, more focused settings where lessons learned from generative content and predictive media optimizations can be explored in depth, emphasizing actionable insights over broad speculation.

Retail media will continue to redefine the media ecosystem, integrating content and commerce to create seamless experiences that engage consumers and drive measurable outcomes. This evolution will be guided by the largest clients and agency partners demanding accountability and sophisticated measurement.

Mark Singer, U.S. CMO, Deloitte Digital

In 2025, the connection between chief marketing officers and chief financial officers will become increasingly pivotal for organizations navigating a rapidly evolving business landscape. Whether it’s macroeconomic, geopolitical, competitive, technological or supply chain-related issues, marketers must strive to build certainty as the business and customers want assurance—on dollars spent, promises met and experiences delivered. Expect more focus on personalization and automation with agentic services, tech and data will be ubiquitous, and we will see more data-enabled creative tools entering mainstream storytelling with a content revolution on our doorstep.

Scott Stedman, founder, B2B agency The Imaginarium

This year we will see two enormous shifts in B2B. First, account-based marketing, which led B2B into the digital age, will increasingly unbundle from the large ABM platforms, giving brands more options and more agility in finding the most effective data sources. Second, B2B creative's momentum will continue to accelerate, spurred forward by the exciting thought leadership coming from LinkedIn and other places. Expect to see that come to life in the most underutilized channel, account-based CTV.

Grace Teng, partner and chief media officer, Zambezi

I want to see deeper conversations around media strategy. The need for real-time and hyper-targeted data is important—and the backbone of recent mergers like the Omnicom and IPG merger, as well—but without a strong media strategy in place, data won't be as useful as it could be for brands. When it comes to buying, I would love to see more talk about the standards that programmatic companies follow to ensure ad placement makes sense and that ads are paired with work that makes sense.

On the sports marketing side, we've witnessed a serious rise in women’s sports after the success of phenoms like Caitlin Clark, and many high-profile financial investments. I think we'll see a continued climb in sports marketing partnerships and would love to see even more brands invest in a variety of women’s sports in 2025.

Rethinking the modern agency

 
Jared Belsky, CEO, Acadia

Brands get fed up on transparency issues and finally say “enough!” 2025 finally becomes the year where clients rally for a collective “Brand Bill of Rights” which ensures zero mark-ups, zero discounts going back to agencies, zero principal media buying, zero hidden fees, zero conflicts of interest. Agencies can accept this and change, or they can watch the percentage of spend that brands curate in-house to get larger.

Andy Berkenfield, CEO and partner, Duncan Channon

This year will bring the uncertainty of a new administration and shifts in federal spending will impact the private sector. Agencies and their clients should be ready to react. A more business-friendly environment could lead to rapid expansion of new consumer products, technologies and services. The advertising industry is in a technological revolution that is impacting every aspect of the business. This year will be pivotal as we shift how we work by incorporating AI into all aspects of agency operations.

Stacie Boney, president, Hanson Dodge

I hope to see even more IRL in 2025. Whether at our office, clients offices, training/industry events or with consumers, the power of being in person—of making that live human connection—has no substitute. It brings great joy, meaning and energy to our lives and our careers. I have a 24-year-old niece who recently quit one company that was fully virtual to join one that was IRL because she believed it would help her grow faster. Smart cookie.

Also read: 5 future of work predictions and trends to watch in 2025

Lisa Clunie, co-founder and CEO, Joan

I expect to see the opposite of quiet quitting as a trend. Let’s call it “aggressive engaging”—more of the best industry talent pushing for growth, opportunity and progress. As the industry adapts to changing consumer behaviors and tech advancements, the best creatives will seek out opportunities to explore new channels and push for brand transformation. Goodbye to the days of apathy and hello to the days of acceleration.

Amy Edwards, partner and managing director, Quality Meats

A lot of our clients have in-house teams, and I think this is the year that we as an industry will get, let’s call it, 15% to 20% better at recognizing the strengths of the in-house team versus the strengths of an external agency and therefore, how better to work together. Lots of agencies claim they can collaborate but secretly turn their nose up at the in-house team’s chops.

Marla Kaplowitz, CEO, 4A’s

It’s time to reinvent the agency compensation models and move away from the FTE (full-time equivalent) model. We will see a greater emphasis on creativity that will be paramount in a world of human + AI to augment problem solving and identify solutions that generate business growth. Human ingenuity will be the differentiator. The world of partner, build or buy will emphasize partner or buy as agencies seek to identify better ways to compete.

Katie Hankinson, managing director, U.S., Yonder Consulting

This year, generative AI became the talk of the town, changing how we think about creativity and efficiency. Everyone—from brands to agencies—rushed to experiment. Some applications were jaw-dropping; others felt like bumping up against the edges of a sandbox, reminding us there’s still a lot to figure out. As we head into 2025, it feels like the perfect moment to step back, take a breath, and think about how we use these tools—not just fast—but well.

Also read: Why more marketers are in-housing creative

Mona Munayyer Gonzalez, chief growth officer, Pereira O’Dell

The lack of care for agency brand over the past several years coupled with the jolt of wild mergers and acquisitions will result in an overcorrection during 2025: agencies (particularly fresh indies) doing everything they can do break through the mess with wild—maybe too wild—names, identities and stunts.

Increased recognition for not just the small agencies or global networks— but the increasingly rare mid-sized indies who've got the chops, wisdom and hustle to make the small and big guys sweat.

An indie vs. network boxing match at Stagwell Beach in Cannes. Just kidding. Or maybe not?

Lee Newman, president, GSD&M

2025 will be cuffing season for the advertising industry. Media specialists will get real cozy with creative types to break down silos and make magic. “Performance” and “Brand” will commingle in a way never thought possible, and social will become e-commerce’s friend with benefits.

Chris Plating, chief strategy officer, EP+Co

As the industry increases the use of AI, agencies are in danger of robbing young talent of actual training. The technology enables different scales of research and thinking, but we should work with our teams to understand how and why we are processing the info the way we are. AI can’t imagine what has never been done before, but people can, especially those with training and skill development. Otherwise good enough answers will result in good enough results—not the way to build careers or incredible client work.

Darla Price, president, Ogilvy New York

Agencies are proving their ability to play effective roster roles as well as AOR, and 2025 outlooks are still seeing economic softness. Those two factors combined, expect that brands will get even more focused on “brief compatibility” when assigning work—becoming more focused on project-based or serialized assignments that have agencies tap in super-personalized, super-agile teams to deliver strong work with efficiency.

Dave Snyder, partner and head of design, Siberia

Corporations will finally drop the pretense of “green” and reframe climate as “it is what it is” or worse, in purely economic terms: the “Cost of Doing Business.” Expect dystopian marketing campaigns featuring climate collapse as a lifestyle aesthetic. Think Patagonia meets Mad Max. It’ll sell.

The return-to-office wars will intensify. CEOs will blame lackluster quarterly results on “lazy” remote workers while quietly automating white-collar jobs. Workers will revolt, splintering into micro-economies of co-ops and decentralized teams. The gig economy will absorb the fallout, marketing this precocity as “freedom.”

Contributing: Brian Bonilla, Brandon Doerrer, Jon Springer