Predicting the future of creativity feels harder with each passing year, as the rate of change in the ad business accelerates. Still, there is no shortage of predictions for how creative work will evolve in 2025.

For this piece, 59 top advertising leaders offered their thoughts on creative trends that are likely to be front and center this year. Their predictions encompass everything from tone to tech, from politics to purpose, from formats to channels. AI, of course, continues to be a major topic—though exactly how it will manifest in advertising over the course of the year is an open question.

Check out more of our prediction stories here.

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Ideas and people

 
Nils Leonard, founder, Uncommon

2025 will bring a tsunami of dangerous new creative companies led by driven souls with a point to prove. A renaissance. A horde. Change. A reminder that it’s about what it always used to be about. The ideas we have. The things we make. A complete renegotiation of our game. An industry on its side. New heroes. 

Rogier Vijverberg, chief creative hero, SuperHeroes

Forget about machines taking over our jobs, it’s the creative outsiders who are going to bring real fresh takes on advertising and problem-solving. Architects, mathematicians, artists, musicians, developers, creators—they’re coming from every corner of the world. Brands and agencies will be challenged by these humans, in good ways. Because when advanced creative tools are available to everyone—and will blow us away—mediocrity in advertising will be even more painful.

Tara Lawall, chief creative officer, Rethink

I think we will continue to see brands that tap into ownable or human truths in relevant moments getting attention. The mediascape is increasingly complex, and everyone and everything is demanding attention. So the brands that are willing to say something real or do something fun at the right moment will be the ones that achieve virality and get people talking.

Kevin Mulroy, executive creative director, Mischief

In 2025 we will see a more interconnected and immersive creative landscape, with technologies like AI, AR/VR and biotechnology deeply influencing art, design and storytelling, and sustainability, interactivity and personalization will be central to this evolution—is what you’d get if you asked ChatGPT this question. Which is why AI still sucks at talking like a human being. So the trend I’d like to see moving forward is our industry and clients doubling down on true human creativity, and using AI as a tool to augment it, not replace it. Because great ideas should feel like a conversation with the most interesting person in the room, not the least.

Patrick Bennett, chief creative officer, Jack Morton

2025 will deliver some of the most provocative and ambitious briefs we’ve seen in years—and with them, the potential for groundbreaking creative. As the tension in the marketplace reaches a boiling point—fueled by economic uncertainty, cultural shifts and rapidly evolving consumer expectations—brands will be forced to take bold risks to stay relevant. This is an incredible moment for creatives to step up and embrace the challenge. The stage is set for a creative renaissance.

Juliana Cobb, head of creative, 72andSunny New York

After a year of AI ad “experiments” that’ve gone sideways and/or been panned by audiences, I hope to see agencies and brands reinforce the value that only people can bring to the work. Only people have the love and care that makes decent work good, good work great and great work unforgettable. This is craft, yes, but it’s also heart, intuition, inventiveness. A messed-up sense of humor. The unwillingness to stop pushing the work until someone literally yanks it out of your hands and says it has to go out into the world. All these are deeply human qualities and the most essential elements behind the kind of work that you can’t stop thinking about years from now.

Secondly, maybe this is wishful thinking, maybe this is me manifesting, but with the monumental rise in the popularity of women’s sports, 2025 will see a ton of brands creating thoughtful, meaningful and entertaining storytelling around women’s sports and female athletes that makes us all inspired—and jealous as hell. Brands with a pulse on sports would be remiss not to increase their investments in women’s sports, which makes the exploration of that storytelling, and the craft to execute those stories brilliantly, feasible.

Also read: Women’s sports marketing agencies are on the rise

Daniel Lobatón, chief creative officer North America, David

While the market keeps evolving, some truths remain constant—like the power of a great idea to move consumers and make a real difference in their lives. This is exactly where our focus should remain as we look ahead. The best work comes when you’re most human: from empathizing with the client to understanding genuine human behavior, whether in society or behind trends and viral moments. Unpacking the layers of human behavior within these cultural shifts and applying that understanding to creativity is what makes great ideas stick.

Micky Ogando, founder and chief creative officer, Bakery

I think the major advertising landscape trend to follow, although not as sexy a topic, is the oncoming sharp divergence of scale versus substance. On one side, we’ll see a rise in mass-produced, AI-driven work that, while serving the cost-cutting mindset many marketers have, risks blending into a sea of sameness and blandness that reaches many but engages few. On the other, a boutique, craft-focused approach will continue to push out from independent, creative-minded shops and clients who aren’t swept up in the allure of fast-easy-cheap. It will be painful to watch, but I believe the brands that invest in creativity, authenticity and artistry will make the most business impact and win market and attention share.

Marco Pupo, co-founder, Atlantic NY

There will be more about AI, less brand activism, better use of influencers, evolution of brand partnerships, and more brands experimenting with humor—these are some of the trends we expect in 2025. But we hope the biggest trend next year will be brands and agencies spending time and energy figuring out how to do work that goes in the opposite direction of those trends. Once the trends are set, everyone is doing the same thing over and over, and we all get bored, until a brave brand makes an outstanding countercurrent piece of work that shifts everyone’s perspective. And then, a new trend starts…

Al Merry, chief creative officer, Flower Shop

I’m hopeful that 2025 will mark a pivotal shift in agencies being properly paid for their value, extinguishing the outdated impulse to work for free. For too long, spec work and unpaid pitches have undervalued the transformative ideas that drive brand success. But as more agencies take a stand—showing that cultural impact and strategic thinking deserve equitable compensation—I see the potential for a healthier, more balanced creative economy. It would not only strengthen agency-client relationships but also inspire fearless, uncompromised work that moves the industry forward.

Dave Horton, chief creative officer, Special US

We all know AI will make a strong showing in 2025, with more personally tailored content and an abundance of impressively slick visuals. But the writing often feels overly polished—almost too grammatically correct. With this, we’ll see a backlash against AI perfection, driving a desire for more imperfect, more obviously human-generated content. Kind of like a captcha test for brands to pass in the look and feel of their communications. The reaction to Coke’s AI holiday ads is one example of this desire becoming a conversation among consumers. 

[Above: Coca-Cola’s 2024 holiday spots provoked debate, in the industry and among consumers, about the use of AI in ads.]

Jorge Murillo, co-chief creative officer, Alma

As AI evolves, the brands that stand out from the pack will be those that embrace the craft of creativity at its highest form. The masters of design, copywriting, filmmaking and content creation will be the ones consumers will turn to in a sea of sameness. 2024 was the year of the brand act. 2025 will take the baton and crank it up a notch. We’ll see more brand collaborations, more unexpected product innovations, more surprising partnerships with TikTokers, more head turning and more legal departments having night sweats. I’m here for it all.

Ross Martin, president and co-founder, Known

The idea and high craft are all that matter now. Everything else is commodity. 

Chaos and entertainment

 
Tracey Smith, U.S. head of design, Deloitte Digital

We are in an explosive time of creative exploration. Bending rules, breaking grids, pushing boundaries, it’s all up for grabs. A very avant-garde moment for creativity. Stylistically, the work will likely have a refined yet experimental aesthetic to it, the result of creators and designers having access to craft and skills that were once not part of their toolkits, now being executed en masse, with limitless curiosity.

At the same time, we will likely see a trend toward deeper appreciation for communication and entertainment executed authentically. This could come to life through practical elements, “real” set builds, natural lighting, hand-drawn illustrations, and overall embracing the smell of sharp pencils and wet paint brushes. That said, creative expression is the most accessible it has ever been, thanks to technology, and it couldn’t be a more exciting time for anyone with an idea. 

Christy Hiler, CEO, Cornett

Skibidi toilet! Get ready to be entertained in 2025. Simple and fun creative campaigns are on the way in, and we are here for it! Weird and joyful are arguably safer than humor. We must be very thoughtful in navigating cultural landmines. And remember we are not in the entertainment business, but the business of driving business. So, we must find creative and entertaining ways to drive business.

Brooke Stites, CEO, Modern Arts

Brands that thrive will meet consumers where they live: on the platforms, formats and spaces that are a part of their daily lives. It’s about more than long-form content like mini-documentaries, which are a good start. It’s expanding and flexing storytelling through live events, episodic series, comic books, podcasts, gaming and even stand-up comedy specials. But the real prediction is we will see a major brand go beyond creating content and will buy an entire entertainment platform or TV network. Instead of sponsoring culture, they’ll own it.

Jason Musante, executive creative director, Glow

Look for a surge in chaotic creativity—creativity that doesn’t just challenge norms in areas like a brand’s tone of voice, design, and photography guidelines but sets the entire playbook on fire. This isn’t just a shift toward authenticity; it’s a bold leap into an era where creativity is raw, real, messy, and unapologetically unhinged. At its core, this trend centers on fandom—consumers who crave to be part of something dynamic, raw, and in the moment. Fandom is driven by participation over passive consumption, with audiences seeking marketing that embodies that spirit. 

Look no further than the unhinged Nutter Butter TikTok account or Kai Cenat’s unscripted Twitch livestreams as cultural meeting grounds for a new wave of fandom. In these spontaneous spaces, brands seamlessly join the action, appearing in surprise product unboxings, live challenges, and impromptu giveaways. By embracing the spirit of chaotic creativity, brands can forge memorable experiences that spark deeper connections with fans, fostering long-term loyalty that ultimately drives meaningful growth.

[Above: Mondelēz brand Nutter Butter’s TikTok content, created by Dentsu Creative, broke through in 2024 with its surreal and zany vibe.]

Atit Shah, chief creative officer, Digitas

I’ve seen unhinged, demonic work for Nutter Butter. I’ve seen curry houses in England promote their eats through out-of-tune and badly wigged musical numbers. And I’ve seen enough to know that absurdly authentic content is alive and well. Yes, this will be another year of explosive AI everything, but the antithesis will also be on the meteoric rise. The delightfully DIY, the counterintuitive mayhem, the imperfect perfection of human-crafted craziness in the feed.

Laughs and nostalgia

 
Craig Allen, founder and chief creative officer, Callen

The world left 2024 divided, irritable and exhausted. Because of this, I think we see our industry leaning into happier themes in 2025. Namely, humor and nostalgia. I think people just need a release. We’re tired of being stressed out. Humor and nostalgia are two paths to happier times, and brands that wield both will be the ones that succeed in the coming year. My only other prediction is this year’s Super Bowl ads will have a whole ton of celebrities.

Jed Cohen, executive creative director, Mother LA 

We. Need. More. Humor. Laughter is a universal language that doesn’t need to be celebrity-driven. Just insert the brand in the average person’s day-to-day. Cannes Lions created a humor category, which is an incentive if you’re into that. Also, can we sprinkle some escapism with humor so we can all disassociate a little? Give me bagels as pirates—bring me out of reality for a second.

Vanessa Chin, senior VP of marketing, System1

Consistency is king. Letting brand campaigns and assets wear in is a marketer’s secret weapon to ad effectiveness. Brands will be bringing back beloved characters and storylines, but with fresh updates. The myth of ad “wear-out” has been debunked and brands are capitalizing on the knowledge that older ads perform just as well as new ones. Whether an ad is fresh off the press or an oldie but goodie, it seems great ads never go out of style. In 2025, it’s all about blending the old with the new, keeping things consistent, and proving that great ads can stand the test of time. Brands will be mixing nostalgia with innovation, ensuring their campaigns are both familiar and exciting.

Brian Siedband, co-founder and co-chief creative officer, Quality Meats

Humor seems to be a “thing” right now, with award show categories and research studies and op-eds about its “comeback.” I find it kinda funny because I don’t personally really remember a time when humor was specifically not a thing. I mean, I don’t recall ever seeing something really hilarious and thinking, “Humor, huh, how archaic.” I do recall purpose-driven work being a “thing” for a while. But what’s pretty great about humor is you can have a purpose, or not have one at all, and still use humor to make the work disarming and enjoyable. Which makes humor kind of timeless.

[Above: Roku’s amusingly yell-y spots from agency Fellow Kids were among a slew of humor-driven campaigns in 2024.]

Ian Grody, chief creative officer, Giant Spoon

I expect laughter and sensuality to spike, party in response to political change, and partly as an answer to it. Brands with the strongest values will be tested. Do they stand for progress or were they just performing?

On a different note, newstalgia will be in. There are movies and bops and cultural artifacts we can all agree to love. Consider the way Gap has reimagined classic ads—simple, stripped-down musical performances, sometimes involving today’s celebrities, sometimes involving TikTok talent, but grounded in the warm, chicken soup of collective memory. Even throwback mediums like print may surge; simpler times, simpler times, simpler times.

Lastly, communal experiences will become core. Being in the same space, and forging memories together, reminds us of all we have in common.

Andy Silva, managing partner, Party Land

Luxury brands will experiment with humor to soften their image and humanize their products. Think Gucci’s playful ads, which have already dabbled in humor, or brands like Balenciaga that use irony and self-awareness in their campaigns. Similarly, financial services are ripe for a humorous overhaul. Brands like Chime, Robinhood and Betterment have already incorporated humor into their marketing, breaking down complex financial concepts into relatable, funny, and shareable content. Humor allows these brands to demystify finance, making it more digestible and approachable for people who may feel alienated by traditional banking.

Sean McNamara, head of strategy, Party Land 

No matter how smart large language models get at understanding and generating text, they still can’t optimize fun or funny. Real comedy, the stuff that provokes laughter and tears, is about making people feel like you are seeing into their souls, not their data footprints. It embraces imperfection and speaks truth to the chaotic, confused, contradictory nature of real people with real inner struggles who are anything but predictable. As the machines get pressed into action to keep things neat and tidy, let’s make sure creatives have the freedom to stop making so much sense, and start making a mess, because that’s where the humanity of it all shines.

AI and intuition

 
Jaime Robinson, co-founder and chief creative officer, Joan

As AI becomes even more a part of our reality, we’re going to see two positively delightful creative responses. 1) Harnessing AI to make great creative concepts come to life vividly and in ways nobody has been able to do before. See Ari Kuschnir’s hilarious “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” video with Donald Trump and Joe Biden as just the beginning. And on the opposite end of the computer-generated scale, we’ll see 2) batshit crazy, human-made creativity that defies logic and could never be put together through an LLM because, well, it doesn’t make much sense, but somehow it just works. Hats off to Nutter Butter’s TikTok here.

[Above: Ari Kuschnir’s “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” video showed the playful promise of generative AI.]

Stephen Boidock, marketing director, McGarrah Jessee

2024 was the year we experimented, tinkered and frankly just “fucked around” with AI—trying out tools, figuring out what worked and what didn’t. 2025 will be the year we find out. Think of it like panning for gold. Last year, we sifted through the dirt and shiny distractions, unsure what held real value. Now, as we reach the peak of the AI hype cycle, the industry is poised to separate the nuggets of transformative potential from the fluff.

The focus is no longer just on “learning AI.” It’s about harnessing it to create real impact—whether by helping us do the same things faster, produce smarter, better work, connect efforts to tangible results, or even unlock entirely new lines of business. The time for experimenting is giving way to execution, and that’s where the real gold lies.

Josh Gross, chief creative officer, Energy BBDO

“Dumb AI” will persist, but “Smart AI” will be on the rise. Unfortunately, we’ll continue to see lots of ideas that use AI just for the sake of it. But we’ll also see more ideas that use AI in incredibly smart and unexpected ways, like Colenso BBDO’s “Adoptable” for Pedigree. [We’ll also see] increased audacious creativity. In a world filled with uncertainty, the need for creativity will remain. Brands that invest in audacious ideas will continue to deliver outsized results. [Lastly,] there will be a democratization of brand stewardship. Brand stewardship, once the exclusive charge of agencies of record, will continue to become a shared responsibility as influencers, creators and AI are given greater access. 

Troy Hitch, chief creative officer, Rapp

As the industry’s access to and mastery of data increases and generative AI becomes more serviceable, we can move beyond personalization (content made uniquely for an individual) and deliver personal (experiences that touch hearts, change minds and drive action). Brands will seek authenticity in human-first creative work, and niche audiences will become more and more valuable. The most niche micro-influencers will be the main ingredient for brand ideas and then scaled.

Craig Elimeliah, chief creative officer, Code and Theory

In 2025, creativity will be less about individuals and more about ecosystems. The shift won’t just be about using AI or data but mastering the interplay between human intuition and machine intelligence to spark ideas that feel profoundly personal at scale. It’s the beginning of the era of collective invention, where creativity lives in the connections we forge between people, tools and culture. The smartest creators will transcend disciplines, pulling from unexpected places and designing experiences that fundamentally shift how we see and interact with the world. In 2025, creativity won’t just reflect the world around us. It will rewrite it, proving that the most powerful ideas are those we create together.

Della Mathew, executive creative director, 22squared

While brands and marketers may find themselves going all-in on AI, or bullishly rejecting it altogether, the key for creatives lies somewhere in the middle. It’s important to remember that AI, like Photoshop or CGI, is simply a tool to bring a creative vision to life—a powerful one as long as we keep human ethics and a human touch at the center. Our use of AI does not come with the intention to deceive or replace the magic of collaborative creativity. Instead, it’s a way for us to bring executions to life more quickly and to create proofs of concept for internal sell-in and new business pitches. As we rally around a code of ethics, AI will be an integral tool in every creative’s kit, especially in areas like organic social that move at the speed of culture.

Tor Lemhag, executive creative director, Dunn&Co.

Personalization at scale has been the marketing holy grail for a while now, and I think we’ll see the evolution of AI to help tailor creative to the consumer. We’ll see AI-generated commercials exploding, and while the craft will still be lacking, a lot of brands will adopt the “good enough” approach, especially the players that have never had the means to invest in film production before. I also think we’ll see humor, and more pointed creative, make a comeback. The brands that adopt a strong POV are the ones who will stand out and win. Can you make me feel something?

Jay Russell, chief creative officer, GSD&M 

I’m confident we’ll continue to see how AI shapes creativity. There is so much more potential to uncover and tap into when using AI as a tool. We’ve really just begun to scratch the surface. We’ll also see more longer-form content and collabs; this is something our clients are already beginning to ask for and it will be interesting to see how agencies will adapt to these developments. Spend on social will be a main focus and likely to increase as well. Also, CMOs will continue to bounce faster and faster from company to company, and the result will be more and more pitching that increases every year. Oof.

Politics and purpose

 
Ruth Bernstein, CEO, Yard NY

2024 was a year where purposeful brands were quite paralyzed. Scared to go near anything that could be seen as political. In 2025, we will see an evolution and a push for brands to go beyond purpose into real meaningful action. The consumer is craving bright spots. Not every brand can be a beacon, but for those who are courageous and know who they are, stepping into the foggy path of 2025 with clarity and conviction can solidify their connection with consumers. 

Mandi Bright, chief creative officer, Magic Camp

Consumers are increasingly seeking moments of levity and joy. Brands that position themselves as a “bright spot” in consumers’ lives can foster stronger emotional connections. This trend is already emerging as brands move away from overly serious, purpose-driven messaging and lean into creative executions that offer relief and positivity. Following the election, where many voters felt bombarded by heavy rhetoric and polarizing narratives, consumers may now gravitate toward brands that provide a welcome respite from the noise. 

However, this shift toward joy doesn’t mean abandoning substance. The most impactful creative work will strike a balance between entertaining storytelling and meaningful engagement. Brands that manage to be both uplifting and aligned with their core purpose will resonate deeply in 2025. 

Rana Reeves, founder, RanaVerse

We’ll explore ways to keep the momentum up on building equity and representation in work and campaigns within an environment where the lexicon has become polarized. In 2025, a lot of what we will be looking at is how to keep up the equitable gains made over the last few years when it comes to casting, programs and campaigns that center Black/brown/LGBTQ+ narratives or culture and keeping the ownership of brands, language, creativity that originates in those audiences.

This will mean truly embedding the culture these communities represent in the work with depth and a sense of the everyday. It will also mean working harder and more intentionally to directly put these audiences into areas of culture or purpose that have a direct link to products and brands as opposed to the scatter gun inclusion we have seen. The inclusion calendar that the industry has become comfortable with has become a rod of extremism, but the audiences that were/are reached by these moments still exist, so brands and agencies will need to find cleverer ways to intersectionalize.

Also read: Purpose agencies adapt to shifting priorities

Glen Hilzinger, chief creative officer, Luquire

The red wave of last year’s election is a referendum on “woke-ism.” We saw it in the months leading up to the election by companies dialing back, if not completely eliminating, their DEI programs and now even their ERGs. While cause marketing has been a way for companies to connect with consumers on subjects that are meaningful to them, the signal sent by voters is that those efforts are perhaps not as meaningful to the majority of Americans that we, as marketers, thought they were. If tapping into a cultural zeitgeist is a method for brands to endear themselves to consumers, 2025 might just be the beginning of the slow death of cause marketing.

Ben Grossman, president, Doner

Purpose-driven marketing has been one of the most influential industry trends in the last decade. If the industry is honest with itself, results have been mixed. Going into 2025, we’re seeing brands shift focus from their purpose to their mission. This is refocusing marketing on what Main Street, everyday people want from the brands they buy: to meet unmet needs in their day-to-day lives. 

Also, mascots are back. Jingles are in. Talking animals reign supreme. Distinction, rather than differentiation, is the new gold standard in an attention economy where the gross majority of marketing is forgotten, ignored or scrolled past. We are seeing clients double and triple down on development of enduring brand assets that stand the test of time.

Omar Johnson, CEO, Opus Intelligence

Brands will face a crucible of peer and consumer scrutiny over whether their ads and campaigns are woke or anti-woke, effective or ineffective, real or cringe. Consumers will ultimately decide, but the discourse will be robust. In this new politically polarized era, brands might deprioritize multicultural budgets and attempt to go bigger-tent in their appeal and messaging. This will create opportunities for brands and agencies that really seek to understand multicultural consumers and are smart about reaching them. As brands seek safe places to project unity, togetherness, and community, we’ll see increasing advertising and media investment in team sports, sports events, sports content and entertainment categories that project shared interests.

Media and community

 
Mark Fitzloff, founder and chief creative officer, Opinionated

I think this is the year brands take control back from uncontrollable influencers who don’t give a shit about brand positionings, or thoughtful strategies, or anything else other than the paycheck. But I don’t think it will mean a return to traditional media necessarily. Instead, I imagine better investment and craft in owned channels. Yes, it’s super over-referenced, but Liquid Death is a good example of this. Maybe we will see brand-owned podcasts hosted by A-list talent. Or organic social that looks and acts like paid social only more serialized and episodic. Basically, I’m hoping for a best of both worlds situation: the control of traditional media placement, with the channel relevance of influencer networks. Put another way: brands as actual influencers.

Myra Nussbaum, president and chief creative officer, Havas Chicago

Remember when we used to measure click-through rates? Now we’re tracking “scroll-and-impulse-buy” metrics. Thanks to TikTok Shop, the average 22-year-old can go from watching a 15-second video of someone unboxing a product to owning said product faster than you can say “instant gratification.” Gen Z doesn’t just want to buy products—they want to consume entire brand narratives in meme-sized chunks. Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a non-negotiable currency. Brands that sound like your best friend’s chaotic group chat? Gold. Brands that sound like corporate robots? Instant unfollow.

Performance marketing has become a high-stakes game of psychological chess. Machine learning algorithms now predict consumer behavior so precisely, they make Miss Cleo look like an amateur. Want to know what a Gen Z consumer will buy next? Ask AI, not a focus group. The wildest part? Brand loyalty now translates to “How quickly can you make me laugh, solve my problem, and look cool doing it?” Micro-moments of connection trump traditional advertising real estate. Your $10 million Super Bowl ad? Cool story. A creator with 50,000 followers who feels genuine? Priceless.

Raquel Bubar, managing director, T Brand Studio International

After seeing audiences flock to podcasts about politics, news, lifestyle and culture, advertisers are eager to get on board. Custom podcasts, when done right, engage listeners for 20 minutes or more—often across multiple episodes—creating intimate conversations that other mediums can’t match. Podcasts also appeal to a wide range of demographics, from baby boomers to Gen Z. These listeners not only tune in, but also watch podcast recordings on social media, making podcasting even more versatile and shareable than ever before.

Kay Hsu, global head of Creative Lab, Spotify

In 2025, brands will move beyond traditional advertising, with IRL experiences, podcasting and audio leading the charge. Once niche, podcasting now plays a critical role in reaching audiences, particularly Gen Z, and its influence is reshaping media. This signals a new era for audio as a key driver of relevance, attention and cultural connection, reaching audiences traditional channels can no longer engage.

Brands are blending audio with video, generative AI and personalized storytelling to create immersive campaigns that blur the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds. By leveraging real-time insights and cultural trends, they are adopting a culture-first approach to foster deep emotional connections. In 2025, audio isn’t just part of the media landscape—it’s defining it.

[Above: Spotify treated potential audio advertisers to a unique music video in 2024, contained completely inside an Excel spreadsheet.]

Ashley Rudder, chief creator officer, Deutsch NY

In 2025, brands that empower audiences to shape and personalize their omnichannel journeys—leveraging cutting-edge technology and AI to enable seamless, nearly zero-touch purchasing experiences—will lead the evolution of engagement. AI will be the backbone of fully integrated ecosystems, facilitating flawless communication between CRM systems, quizzes, user profiles and platforms across digital and physical spaces. This foundation will position co-creation at the forefront, revolutionizing how brands connect with their audiences. By blending remixable digital content with immersive, tech-driven in-store activations, brands will redefine the convergence of digital and physical worlds. The outcome will be a transformative new era of engagement—one that is deeply relevant, highly personalized and profoundly impactful.

Dan Lucey, chief creative officer, co-CEO, Havas NY

As an industry, this must be the year we help marketers honestly assess how people truly feel about them. They will have to ask themselves: Do they have pricing power? Can they withstand rising costs of materials? What about continued inflation? Can they withstand attacks from startups, disruptors and washed-up rappers literally shooting holes in their product on social media? Are they loved? Are they useful? Are they fun? Do people really care about them? When they understand where they land as a brand, the path to more market share will open up before them and CMOs will feel like Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix,” or Keanu Reeves in “John Wick” or possibly Keanu Reeves in “DC League of Super-Pets.” (OK, I’ve never seen “Super-Pets,” but you get my point.)

Gavin Lester, chief creative officer, Zambezi

In America, we are going to see a lot of communication on the eve of World Cup 2026—people putting flags in the ground in terms of their part to play in the American World Cup. We’ll see an escalation in soccer sponsorships. Also, the continued exposure and marketing around women’s sports will definitely be big, like during March Madness. Hopefully, marketing will work toward becoming more equal in terms of exposure.

John McKelvey, chief creative officer, Mirimar

Optimism: People will seek out and respond positively to optimism, joy, humor and work that offers a break from divisive politics and media. Earned media: As audiences become harder to reach through paid media alone, brands will seek creative work, and agency partners capable of creating it, that genuinely earns media and builds valuable cultural significance for brands. One compelling idea across media: Brands that commit to and repeat a strong core creative idea will win. It can be dimensionalized, and have a tonal range, but being clear and repeatable builds equity and memorability. Entertainment: Brands that embrace entertainment formats to tell compelling stories, rooted in their values, will enjoy outsized success.

[Above: Mirimar’s entertainment-driven work in 2024 included a short film for Beats by Dre starring Josh Allen and Daniel Ricciardo.]

Matthew Woodhams-Roberts, chief creative officer, Special US

Bigger moments for smaller audiences. As online communities continue to fragment and shared experiences become less common, we’ll see brands putting more effort and budget toward connecting with smaller audiences in meaningful ways. Campaigns will become less mass and more niche. The subcultures online are the most passionate. Do something big for them and the ripple effect creates a much bigger conversation for brands who show them the love.

Chuck Monn, chief creative officer, R&R Partners

Solutions-based communications that don’t look like ads. Creative minds can do so much more than just make ads. More and more clients need business solutions that solve problems, and creative minds can do amazing things when asked to solve big problems. Unfortunately, these are harder to give awards to.

Craft and personalization

 
Mina Mikhael and Steve Horn, group creative directors, Translation

Horn: It feels like we’re moving into a really exciting time of singular, artistic, narrative-driven film work (versus a more many-people-around-the-world vignetted approach … which, hey, we love that too). Work like the latest Ja Morant piece for Nike, Erling Haaland for Beats or that weightlifting-ballet-dancing-hunk playing the M4 chip for Apple are all super inspiring.

Mikhael: Part of that trend is clients investing more into the craft, the on-camera work, versus going for volume—the good old quality over quantity. Brands have now spent a decade trying to mimic feeds and meet their audience’s taste, and seeing themselves get lost in the mix. It’s the brands that have leaned into craft and storytelling that are getting the same buzz as when people stop what they're doing to watch a movie trailer. People want to see new stories told beautifully, and brands are catching up to that. 

Horn: It’s where we’ve leaned into with the NBA, with “The Toast” or “The Heist II”—telling these contained yet big and fun stories. Campaigns that skirt marketing lingo for actual entertainment value.

Matt Johnson, founder and chief strategy officer, Haymaker 

I think we’re going to see a huge shift toward authenticity and craft in creativity. People are tired of all the automated, generic, mass-produced junk and endless sales pitches flooding their feeds. It’s exhausting. What’s really going to stand out are the brands and voices that feel intentional and genuinely human. Subcultures and fandom are going to lead the way here. Ideas that feel specific and rooted in real passion are what’s going to resonate and inspire at scale. Anything that feels too broad or generic is just going to come across as out of touch, too safe, transactional, or really boring. As a result, craft will once again become a signal of brand value. A captivating story, a perfectly crafted joke, a beautifully human moment … the brands and agencies that embrace craft across every medium will not only stand apart, they’ll build lasting value.

Walter May, chief creative officer, content studio, London Alley

Hyper-personalized, real-life experiences will be the ultimate power move for brands. It’s not enough to just show up on someone’s feed anymore—you’ve got to pop up in their actual lives, like the friend who always knows what you’re craving. Marketers are realizing the magic happens when digital and physical collide, creating moments where your brand feels alive. Keep it clever, human, and fun—and consumers will invite you into their lives, no awkward knock required.

Matt Sia, executive creative director, Pearlfisher

Hyper-personalization, customization and tailored experiences will emerge as brands compete to embed themselves within their audiences’ lifestyles. Bespoke design is more accessible than ever, and having something ownable, desirable and reusable will lead to more sustainable behavior. Nostalgia will also continue to be a powerful design tool in 2025, but with a twist. Brands may tap into retro themes–think 1990s/early 2000s aesthetics, but with modern, futuristic interpretations. Younger generations who didn’t experience these eras in real life will look to connect and identify with these new aesthetics in their own way.

Jack Suiter, associate strategy director, FutureBrand

We’ve reached a fever pitch of blandification and flattening of corporate visual identity. In designing logos for a mobile-first world, brands have stripped out the joy, whimsy and uniqueness that was so prevalent a few decades ago. With a growing need to differentiate from new entrants and endear themselves to new audiences, I predict (and hope) the bravest incumbent brands will explore bringing back the edge to their logos—the handcrafted icon, the charming mascot, the quirky flair—or risk the slow march to irrelevance.

Collaboration and curation

 
Rafael Pitanguy, deputy global chief creative officer, VML

Co-branding is not new, but I see it reaching more unexpected spaces. It’s no longer just about slapping logos together for the sake of a stunt or for promotions or social media; it’s about truly creating useful experiences and products between segments that once seemed completely unrelated. Gaming companies partnering with fine dining chefs; fitness brands teaming up with travel apps; smart home tech collaborating with luxury skincare—who knows? The fact is, they’ll be even more unexpected—not random, but surprising and meaningful. 

Alma Berruecos, director of product and innovations, Founders

Dreamlike and sometimes nightmarish imagery is everywhere. Whether it seeps out of Nutter Butter’s Tiktok account, or as part of Jacquemus’ store openings in London and New York, or even Casetify’s surrealist collection, there is no denying that in our hyper-visual, hyper-fast world, strikingly simple yet distinctive imagery that is able to break from rest, grab our attention, and transport us for a few seconds to a completely different reality will be the name of the game for 2025.

Cedric Devitt, chief creative officer, SPCSHP

Audiences will grow weary of talking heads against sterile, green-screen backdrops, sparking a revival of escapist imagery. With an increasing need to unplug, people will flock to visuals that transport them, offering a momentary escape from reality. At the same time, expect a rise in text-only posts as a breath of fresh air. Writers will reclaim their place, and audiences will find appeal in the simplicity and impact of words alone.

Every brand and their grandma will attempt to hack the popularity of Twitch streams, hoping to replicate the success of campaigns from McDonald’s and Nike. Expect to see many flops in this space. Also expect to see a surge of mascots, reminiscent of the charm of Grimace or the Dunkin’ Spider. Brands will experiment with creating unique characters, using them to step outside their usual voice, take risks and inject a sense of playfulness that resonates with consumers looking for authenticity and fun.

[Above: Dunkin’s spider character earned attention for its mildly suggestive Halloween posts last year.]

Jeff Stamp, managing partner and chief creative officer, Anomaly New York

In the event that a TikTok ban in the U.S. does not proceed, and as the content continues to become more and more “brand safe,” we’ll hopefully see both brands and agencies get more comfortable with experimenting on the platform—scripted long form, episodic branded content, nonlinear stories, craft experimentation, activations on TikTok Live, product on Shop, collabs with creators or community-led co-creation, etc.

Heather Pieske, chief creative officer, SuperBloom House

Both Gen Z and millennials are proving themselves to be adept curators of their lives, but at a certain point we have to face the music: Our afterlives need the same level of obsessive attention. This year, we’ll see a growing commitment to pre-mortem creative direction of our demise. Think 60-second spots to play at our own funerals, life hype reels, pre-rehearsed fireside chats of both friends and foes, experiential celebration-of-life immersive experiences, permanent OOO messages (“Thanks so much for your message! I am unfortunately off enjoying the sweet release of death”) and hyper-specific post-mortem requests to be enacted by those we leave behind.

Yann Caloghiris, executive director of creative, strategy and innovation, Left Field Labs

The most compelling marketing won’t feel like marketing at all. It will look and behave more like a vast narrative universe—a story you can step into, shape and co-create. Instead of watching from the sidelines, audiences want to step into the story and shape it. Make it their own. We’re breaking down walls between media. Everything—TV, mobile, AR, VR—works together to create one seamless cross-media story. And here’s what’s exciting: AI characters are joining the party. Imagine talking to brand characters who remember you, follow up with you, and keep the story going long after you’ve left.

Justin Bajan, co-founder, Familiar Creatures

Every time some great person in this industry wins some award, they always try to couch it on LinkedIn with how “humbled” and “honored” they are while they smear their achievements in your face. We predict that will all change in 2025. The false humility will be replaced by brasher sentiments like “jazzed” and “stoked.” Maybe even perhaps … “geeked.” Just watch, you’ll see.