“I see a lot of marketing trends emerging around AI in 2025. We know AI can analyze data and we also know customers respond better to personalization,” says Emily Ketchen, CMO and VP of intelligent devices group and international markets at Lenovo. “I think we’ll see marketers use AI to create even more personalized content and targeting. I expect to also see brands use AI to tailor suggestions for customers as well as the emergence of self-adjusting campaigns based on consumer feedback. Responsible and transparent use of AI will continue to be a hot topic, and how marketers integrate AI use to augment and assist instead of replace will be important.”

Don McGuire, chief marketing officer at Qualcomm, says that as AI tools become more commonplace in tech marketing, we will see these tools become more agentic rather than prompted as they are now. 

“More people and companies have started testing out different AI tools, and looking ahead, we see the interface for how we interact with these tools evolving so they’re even more deeply ingrained in workflows,” he says. “As AI runs at the edge – both on-device and in the cloud – it will evolve and become more fluid,  anticipatory of needs, and multi-modal, rather than needing to be prompted with a query, making workflows even more seamless. Humans will always drive the AI and control the final product, but continuing to utilize these tools at scale will enable marketers to offload menial tasks, freeing up time to focus on the strategy and creative.”

“In 2025, marketing organizations will see the true benefits of AI and automation at scale by moving from pilots to production, powering everything from complex content supply chains to optimizing media performance in real time,” says Jonathan Adashek, SVP, marketing and communications at IBM. “Yet, content creation and data analytics are just the tip of the iceberg. We will start seeing the real promise of AI and its potential to completely transform how marketing is getting done, drive productivity and help these teams unlock efficiency. 2025 will be the year we become a world-class marketing team enabled by AI.”

As tech becomes more commonplace in every aspect of our lives, people will be desiring ways to unplug and connect in real life.

“We’re at a fascinating crossroads where technology connects us, yet overuse leaves us yearning for meaningful interactions,” says Melissa Hobley, chief marketing officer at Tinder.

“Across industries, tech brands are recognizing this duality and focusing on tools that bridge the gap between online and offline worlds. From dating apps to social media platforms, the challenge is to create features that not only connect users but also inspire real-world engagement.”

“At Tinder, we’re leaning into the shift toward real-life connections by creating experiences that extend beyond the app,” she adds. “Think Tinder Passport, where users can match in different cities and plan IRL trips, or Tinder’s  Swipe Off competition, a campaign that brings winning college students together through concerts. We’re also making waves with It Starts With a Swipe events, partnering with iconic experiences like Smorgasburg and Chaotic Singles Parties to encourage authentic face-to-face interactions. We’re proving that while we’re a digital brand, IRL connections are just as important. The challenge and opportunity here lies in creating tools and experiences that not only connect users but inspire them to build real-world relationships that are memorable and impactful.”

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The outlook looks at a number of forces including supply, tariff impacts, high interest rates, affordability challenges and the challenges of electrification.

“2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one,” said Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility. “A key concern is how natural EV demand fares as governments rethink policy support, especially incentives and subsidies, industrial policy, tariffs, and fast evolving OEM target setting.” 

For automotive marketers, that means delivering better customer service, embracing new technologies and cultivating loyalty.

“Selling cars in 2025 is all about selling an experience, not just a vehicle,” says Brad Audet, chief marketing officer, Mazda North American Operations. “While the revolution of electrification, connected technology and safety enhancements is top of mind for automakers, the human element remains paramount. Amidst evolving regulations and industry disruption, connecting and building relationships with customers based on shared values and empathetic engagement will be the key to unlocking automotive marketing success.”

AI will be a big theme for all marketers in 2025 and this includes car marketers. “Automotive marketing will center around AI-driven innovations that redefine how brands connect with consumers,” says Shelley Pratt, director, marketing communications and media at Infiniti.

“AI will enable hyper-targeted advertising, leveraging advanced data insights to deliver highly personalized campaigns that resonate on an individual level,” she continues. “This personalization will streamline the buying process, supported by tools like AI-powered chatbots capable of predicting individual client needs. However, maintaining the human touch in these interactions will be critical to fostering trust and enhancing the client experience.”

“Content creators will play a pivotal role in this evolution, utilizing AI tools to craft engaging and relatable stories at scale,” she adds. “Formats like short-form video, particularly Reels, will be key for showcasing vehicles in dynamic and aspirational ways. As retailers plan to increase their AI budgets to enhance digital operations, the automotive sector is poised to embrace authentic, tech-enhanced strategies that build deeper, more meaningful connections with consumers.”

Kim Ito, vice president of marketing at Mitsubishi Motors North America, says that a back to marketing basics approach will be necessary in the new year. “The fundamental task of any effective marketing team is still going to be cutting through the clutter and noise in everyone’s daily lives to deliver a clear and compelling message. Clarity, creativity and authenticity are arguably more important than ever, as consumers continue their move away from brand and product loyalty.”

“Getting and keeping customers remains the goal, as transitioning shoppers into new customers is more challenging and expensive than ever before,” she continues. “The lines between performance marketing and brand marketing will become blurred across all industries, but in particular in the car industry, as incentive spend continues to climb and brand loyalty remains low.”

At Mitsubishi Motors North America, the 2025 focus is on perfecting every touchpoint in the brand-level experience and transitioning it to their individual vehicles. “We’re investing heavily in the digital retail experience – a project we call ClickShop 2.0 – in order to give customers the ability to shop where, when and how they want, including from home, and the transparency built into our program gives them the confidence car buyers are seeking,” adds Ito. “With our lineup moving into hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electrics over the coming years, we need to be ready for the next generation of shopper who lives a digital-first life.”

“Developing perks of ownership also will be important and a key way to differentiate between brands, rewarding the most loyal customers and building their loyalty toward an extension of brand-level messaging. Brands will need to offer added value with a vehicle purchase: we already offer Mitsubishi Motors Confidence, providing two-years of included maintenance and an industry leading warranty, and we’re looking at other ways to reward our most passionate owners as well.”

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As brands look to capitalize on this growth, expect them to embrace new drinking occasions, cultural partnerships and data-driven storytelling.

“Next year, expect more innovation driven by different drinking occasions,” said Sofia Colluci, CMO of Molson Coors. “Consumers are looking for a variety of things in the beverages they buy. So while we see non-alc and low ABV continuing to grow, we also anticipate other options making their way into market, whether that’s new pack formats or higher ABV in channels where consumers are craving more flavor.”

“In the new year, we are expecting continued consumer openness to the implementation of sparkling wines for new, unexpected, celebratory, and most importantly everyday occasions,” says Cécile Artigalas, CMO at LVMH’s CHANDON. “The sparkling wine category has been growing as consumers recognize a wider applicability of sparkling pours, better fitting the richness of their lifestyles, with the use for only special moments becoming out of step with what many consumers want.” 

“At CHANDON we expect to see our products becoming more integrated into our consumers’ everyday hosting experiences: flavorful, elegant, well rounded and crafted with care, they strike the right balance to accommodate all palates at home or on the go,” she continues. “Whether a birthday toast, the pairing to a homemade meal, or a casual gathering with friends on a Tuesday, our exceptional and affordable sparkling wines are the perfect pour for any occasion, big and small.”

Jordan Rothschild-Noome, CMO of High Basin Brands, sees 2025 as the year of hyper-local and traceable spirits and mindful consumption. “With consumers eager to know the origin of every ingredient, brands will look to highlight local sourcing and small-batch production to meet demand for transparency,” he says. “This will redefine ‘premium’ as consumers seek authenticity in their glass.” 

“The future of spirits marketing will also be rooted in authenticity,” continues Rothschild-Noome. “Storytelling will be at the heart of successful campaigns, with brands highlighting their heritage, craftsmanship, and commitment to quality. Consumers want to connect with brands that share their values and offer more than just a product—they want an experience. VR and augmented reality experiences will likely become more widespread, allowing consumers to experience virtual tastings, immersive distillery tours, or interact with the brand in ways that feel personal. This will be pivotal as e-commerce continues to be a driving force with consumer sales.”

“While luxury consumers continue to value quality and craftsmanship, there is also an evolution to brands that are culturally relevant and more personally connected,” says Greg Levine, vice president of marketing, single malts at William Grant & Sons. “Both Glenfiddich and The Balvenie have each crafted the finest whiskies for over 130 years.  Today, we continue to build on each brand’s heritage with partnerships, innovation and campaigns that resonate with the discerning whisky drinker.”  

Glenfiddich recently unveiled a multi-year global partnership with Aston Martin Formula 1, which is an example of such a partnership. “Together, they will celebrate their shared commitment for mastery and design through exceptional experiences and touchpoints,” adds Levine. “To commemorate this historic partnership, Glenfiddich has explored its archives to unearth a rare cask from 1959, paying tribute to Aston Martin’s debut in Formula One. This release also embodies the craftsmanship of Glenfiddich Malt Masters across generations and pays homage to a defining decade for the distillery.” 

To help tell their stories, expect brands to be strategic with technology and employ AI when needed. “Data-driven insights will continue to play a pivotal role in predicting consumer behavior in real time, allowing us to meet their evolving preferences quickly,” says Jenny Hermanson, senior director of omnimedia strategy at Pernod Ricard USA. 

“We’ve found they’re increasingly seeking content and experiences that are relevant to their own needs,  so it is critical we design personal experiences that capture attention and resonate with them,” she continues. “Personalization will take center stage, fueled by technologies that enable us to create deeply relevant experiences—from custom cocktail recommendations to immersive storytelling that connects consumers with the rich heritage and craftsmanship of our brands.”

“The growing adoption of AI is expanding consumer choice and transforming how people discover and engage with products,” she adds. “This trend is set to accelerate, making it critical to integrate advanced technologies and consumer insights into our marketing strategies– whether that be through provide contextually relevant content aligned to each consumers unique consumption occasion in media or serving up the next best product recommendation in CRM to drive stronger conversion and cross-sell across our portfolio of brands.”

Andrea Sengara, vice president of marketing at Campari America added that, “the emergence of social and retail search will also be pivotal, and the way consumers discover brands will continue to evolve. While traditional search engines remain important for Boomers and Millennials, [LDA+] Gen Z increasingly relies on platforms like Instagram, and YouTube to discover new products and trends. Spirits brands must ensure a strong presence on both retail and social search platforms to remain discoverable and relevant.”

“Generative AI will also play a pivotal role in automating customer service and improving the e-commerce experience,” she continued. “Spirits brands have an opportunity to use AI to deliver personalized marketing, such as cocktail recommendations and cross-selling opportunities for customers, deploying predictive analytics to boost conversion rates.”

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“Personalization and customization are no longer nice to have tactics,” says Tariq Hassan, chief marketing & customer experience officer at McDonald’s USA. “It’s required to build deeper relationships in ways that reflects an understanding and connection with our fans, as humans who participate in a wide range of culture and subcultures, it is critical to have the right ‘know me’ data about the customer and strategy to guide how we activate on that data to create value for our fans and our businesses.”

Thomas Prather, chief marketing officer at Smashburger says that suggestive selling in apps, as well as offering personalized order suggestions based on past purchases will be more common. “Personalization might sound a little bit creepy but when creepy flips over to being helpful you’re locked in,” he says. “If we can help a family figure out what they’re doing for dinner faster and easier in the way that it seems seamless for them and reward them so they can have a discount in the future, that convenience play will be super important.” 

As inflation continues to linger consumers are seeking value when they eat out. “Now more than ever, value and affordability continue to be critical for all customers across all categories,” adds Hassan. “We’ve always been known for providing our fans with consistent, everyday affordability and they count us to continue to be there for them. We’re continuing to innovate how McDonald’s will continue to bring them a reliable way to find the great food and value they’ve come to love.  Every day.”

For fast casual restaurants, value will also remain important, as will experience and convenience.

“In 2025, guests will continue to seek out craveable food at an affordable price when and where they want it. It’s no longer a one size fits all business model,” said Patty Trevino, chief brand officer at Denny’s.

“They are looking for restaurants who engage with them, remember them with technology and provide convenience,” she continues. “Our 24/7 restaurants and virtual brands hit that convenience mark. Or conversely, some guests will want a welcoming experience and place to gather with friends and family over a conversation and endless cups of coffee. As America’s diner, we need to be ready to continue to innovate our menu and the guest experiences to meet them where and how they want to dine.”

Zahra Nurani, vice president of marketing communications at Burger King, also sees the importance in guest experiences. “As we look forward to 2025, I believe brands must make a more intentional shift from a guest-centric to a guest-embedded approach,” says Nurani.

“This means moving beyond merely listening to our customers to actively living in their world and evolving alongside them,” adds Nurani. “The key will be to reimagine the familiar through co-creation, infusing innovation, promotions, communications, and the overall experience with a fresh perspective. By celebrating the authenticity of the everyday individual, we recognize the immense power of their endorsement. In an era where authenticity drives trust and loyalty, this approach surpasses traditional marketing strategies.”

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A forecast from PwC has already predicted that, after a big spike in revenue in 2023, growth in the entertainment and media industry will settle to a calmer 3.9% per year through 2028, and advertising will be a bigger factor in revenue growth, making up 55% of the growth during this period. PwC has projected advertising spend on entertainment properties will double between 2020 and 2028, topping $1 trillion in 2026, as even previously ad-free media look to that revenue stream to make up for stalling subscriptions. 

“Looking ahead, it’s about leveraging streaming’s versatility to create tentpoles and meaningful moments that resonate with audiences’ passions,” said Karen Kovacs, President, Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “This dynamic between premium content and ad-supported streaming has repeatedly driven effectiveness and shaped the cultural zeitgeist. We saw it this year with the extraordinary symphony around Wicked, the 50th season of “Saturday Night Live,” and the success of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. From sports to blockbusters to late night, ad-supported platforms continue to thrive, and innovative ad formats will further integrate brands into these cultural touchpoints, enhancing how fans connect with content.”

“The pipeline is back” 

The film industry was kneecapped over the last year by the lengthy tandem strikes of the Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild, which were only resolved in late 2023. This means 2025 will be a recovery year, after the pace of new releases in 2024 suffered the aftershocks of the strikes, said John Partilla, CEO of Screenvision. 

The movie business will be very robust going into 2025 and 2026, said Partilla: “The pipeline is back.”

Studios have recently tried to replicate the recipe of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon of summer 2023 with the holiday releases of Gladiator II and Wicked, but the jury is still out on whether the “Glicked” combination will have the legs to create a cultural moment that can carry into the new year. A number of other releases are expected to provide tentpoles, said Jen Cowan, VP of entertainment at TMA. The films that could create fan excitement include the final installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, a new Captain America film, a new Jurassic World installment and the reboot of the Fantastic Four, she said. 

Barbenheimer was “a special kind of lightning in a bottle,” said Cowan, but “with so many different audiences and fandom, studios will continue to innovate and find more ways to engage those desired audiences.” Entertainment companies keep seeking brand partnerships, licensing, events and stunts build awareness and excitement for movie releases that may soon be available in streaming, anyway, as the theater window becomes a smaller one. 

While the movies find their footing, the streaming wars will continue shaking up the segment. By the end of 2025, more than half (53.5%) of video subscription revenues in the U.S. are expected go to streaming services. 

“As the streaming industry continues to evolve with consumer behavior, they’ll abandon today’s growth-at-all-costs mindset and provide—profitably—what streamers want: choice, ease, and great content,” said Sarah Harms, VP of ad marketing and measurement at Roku. Subscriber churn will be an issue going forward, said Harms, who noted when one premium service announced a rate hike in 2024, its cancellations on Roku shot up 109% that day, compared to its annual average. 

“Streaming services will need to get creative” to address churn, she said. Companies will continue to experiment in 2025 with pricing tiers, bundles and incentives to target consumers who concerned about the cost of subscriptions. 

While the premium services tinker with their models, ad-supported free streaming services will gain strength. “The free space is thriving,” said Scott Donaton, CMO of the entertainment startup VersusGame. “The ad revenue is flowing there, and so are the eyeballs.” 

For consumers who watched basic cable before, ads are not a new experience, and for viewers who don’t want to spend on premium subscriptions, they are an attractive option that is gaining traction, said Donaton, a former head of marketing for Hulu and author of Madison And Vine: Why the Entertainment and Advertising Industries Must Converge to Survive. 

“If you’re a cord-never or cord-cutter, why not?” he asked. 

Streaming services will continue to experiment with ad formats that integrate marketing messages into programming “because nobody wants to annoy viewers,” said TMA’s Cowen. Roku’s Harms noted the platform’s Roku City screensaver has become a popular real estate for advertisers. 

“The creative potential of TV streaming exceeds the constraints of a traditional 30-second TV spot,” said Harms. She noted Roku worked with Ally Financial to co-create the show “Side Hustlers” as an integrated marketing vehicle for the brand. “Over the next few years, we’ll continue to see brands get creative and find innovative ways to connect their story in unique ways with streamers,” she said. 

Surrendering IP and building fandom 

Just like movie marketers have found new ways to drive people to get out of the house post-pandemic, live events are also climbing back to the pre-Covid levels of attendance and fandom. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour demonstrated that large events are back in a big way, if the passions of fans can be harnessed to sell tickets. But many industry observers say marketers need to turn up the volume on the fans’ excitement to bring in the crowds. 

“As at-home entertainment continues to improve, live events must offer exclusive value,” said  Warren Godridge, founder and CEO of experiential marketing and design agency drive21. “Elevating the overall journey—before, during, and after the event—is key to staying competitive.” 

In 2024, touring artists and festivals turned live events into travel adventures and cultural milestones, and in 2025, they events will seek to engage communities around everything from EDM to Latin music, said Russell Wallach, global president of Live Nation. 

“Engaging subcultures will be essential for brands. These communities create deeper emotional connections that drive lasting loyalty,” said Wallach. “By offering meaningful experiences at scale—like VIP access, immersive activations, or exclusive storytelling—live music becomes a year-round strategy for authentic engagement.”

Marketers will need to tap communities of fans on social media and encourage more user generated content while also recruiting content creators in order to reach audiences that are connecting on social media instead of traditional channels, say experts. 

“Social media will continue to be a game-changer for live entertainment, turning local events into global conversations,” said Wallach. “Fans are reshaping how cultural moments are experienced and shared, amplifying their reach and impact. Brands that embrace this shift won’t just join the conversation—they’ll help shape it.”

Influencers are savvier about brand safety now, so that’s taken out some of the brand risk, said Donaton, and Gen Z trusts influencers more than traditional media. “You’ll see more people letting go in ways that make brands nervous, but it looks worse to try to knock that down than to try to take advantage,” he said. 

“The Taylor Swift effect has made UGC an essential part of any major event strategy,” said Ramaa Mosley, founder of Gen Z research agency Adolescent Content. Successful events in 2025 will need to integrate community-building opportunities before, during, and after the event, and brands are already planning hybrid experiences that merge events, creator activations and fan generated content. Mosley noted her research shows that 85% of Gen Z consumers now expect live events to have some social component.

“A lot of lessons were learned from the case study of Barbenheimer,” said Partilla. Entertainment companies are increasingly allowing consumers to “get into the conversation” while still protecting their intellectual property, encouraging the use of their assets in social media to encourage the passionate fandom, as in the Wicked release. Companies that used to guard their assets against any unauthorized use are now “feeling that this drives energy and drives sales,” and that will continue to grow, he said. 

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While 2025 lacks Olympic-sized tentpoles, sports marketers will still look to some large events to draw crowds. The Super Bowl is expected to kick off the year with record ad sales, and the buildup to the Winter Games in Feb. 2026 should provide some oxygen to late 2025. 

Drawing audiences to live and broadcast sporting events will require a stronger focus on engaging fans in multiple platforms with interactive entertainment and rich content such as behind-the-scenes content, athlete commentary and opportunities for fans to engage. 

“Sports marketers should continue to focus on meeting fans where they’re at rather than just expecting fans to come to them.  The landscape for ingesting and interacting with sports content continues to evolve,” said Adam Falkson, VP Business Intelligence for the Detroit Pistons. On the vein, the basketball team just launched Pistons World, an interactive fan experience  built on the MeetKai platform. With the increased fragmentation of media “offering fans engaging content to view and interact with should be at the forefront to capture attention, drive interest and eventually drive increased fandom.”

New Leagues, New Opportunities 

After the effect of the 2024 Olympics and the surge in women’s sports in 2024, 2025 will be a more challenging year for marketers, who will look for opportunities to add to their efforts in the Big 4 pro sports—baseball, basketball, football and hockey. Marketers will explore opportunities in sports such as soccer, rugby and flag football, which are catching on with U.S. audiences. 

Sports sponsorships are becoming expensive, said Nicole McCormack, SVP/General Manager of Brand Solutions at TeamSnap, a youth sports communications platform. For brands that don’t have a budget for Big 4 sponsorships, identifying up-and coming opportunities will become more important to “carve out a bit of white space for yourself in a very cluttered and expensive sports sponsorship environment.” 

Sports that have large followings outside the U.S., such as soccer and Formula 1 racing, are expected to gain more attention and ad dollars in 2025. Soccer is particular will see a lift, as the sport gains from the move to Miami of the international star Lionel Messi and the ramp-up to the 2026 World Cup, which will play across North America. Meanwhile, Formula 1 is gaining a following thanks to the popularity of the Netflix series “Drive to Survive.” 

“Formula 1 is on fire right now,” said Kate Dzhevaga, CMO & Head of Growth at agency SYMVOLT. “With a whopping 24 races scheduled, brands have a golden opportunity to connect with this expanding audience.” She noted marketers such as Heineken and Pirelli have already benefitted from integrating marketing into the F1 experience,  “and you can bet more brands will follow suit.” 

The popularity of women’s sports will also continue to grow, after the transformative season that saw women athletes capture the public’s imagination, and marketers will dedicate more budgets and effort to that segment. The WTA, the women’s tennis association, is expected to launch a new brand in the coming year, with a strong focus both athletics and entertainment, as well as the athletes’ impact beyond the court, said  Sarah Swanson, Chief Brand Officer of WTA Ventures. 

The expansion of a number of pro leagues—such as the WNBA, which is adding new teams in 2025 and 2026, and the National Women’s Soccer League, expansion to 16 teams—and the launch of new leagues such as the Women’s Hockey League and next year’s launch of the Women’s Elite Rugby League, leave a lot of runway for marketers who want to invest in women’s sports. Both the WNBA and NWSL have signed multi-year, multimillion media deals that should attract advertising in 2025 and fuel growth. 

 “The women’s sports ecosystem is truly at an inflection point,” said Rick Rhodes, Zeno Group’s Global Head of Sports & Entertainment Consulting. “The decisions being made today will determine what the future of the industry looks like in the coming decades.”

Sports gaming is also projected to grow at double-digit rates this decade, with four more states having launched legal sports betting in 2024 and more expected to launch in 2025. Meanwhile, as the practice grows, regulators and the industry will continue to manage the evolution of legal sports gambling in 2024. 

Legislators continue to draw rules to provide guardrails for the practice, while marketers develop their own responsibility guidelines. TeamSnap’s McCormack noted a number of sports organizations, such as the PLAY Sport Coalition, are trying to funnel some of the funds from sports gambling back into youth sports, for example.   

“I expect to see us continue to focus on making sure that we’re welcoming as many people in as possible, spending the resources to do that well and continuing to make sure that we lead this category responsibly,” said Andrew Sneyd, CMO at FanDuel. “I’m excited that we worked really hard to keep brand marketing off of college campuses in the US.  We worked with our partners in industry, to set that as a key rule for the growth in this category. We’re committed to making sure we build this thing the right way.”

Audience-Building Will be Key 

Encouraging fandom, via social media participation (from both fans and athletes) and user-generated content, will be a stronger drive for marketers in 2025. To build engagement, clubs already loosening their grip on their intellectual property in order to encourage user-generated content, and experts anticipate that development will continue. 

“Stadium attendance has less to do with the sport than it does with what teams and leagues are doing to create a worthwhile experience for fans,” said Andres Cardenas, CMO of Minute Media, parent of The Players Tribune. He compared the challenge to the the film industry’s efforts to drive moviegoers to buy tickets. “Ultimately I believe fans will show up for quality entertainment, a sense of community with fellow fans, connectivity to athletes and a comfortable environment,” he said.

The Olympics provided a useful test case for the athlete as social influencer in 2024; the effect is only going to become more pronounced in 2025, say observers. They note how gymnast Steven “Pommel Horse Guy” Nedoroscik and rugby player Ilona Maher rose to stardom based on social media activity. 

“In 2025 we believe there will be pressure to continue to market sport as entertainment, without losing its essence,” said the WTA’s Swanson. “Fans want insight, so social media will remain key to showing the athletes on and off court, creating a direct connection between player and audience. We want to show more authenticity: what their interests are, who their team is, how they dress, how they decompress…and how they react to success and defeat in a genuine, unfiltered way.”

Sports organizations are increasingly focused on helping athletes build their presence outside their sport, and building their personal brands. The decision that gave college athletes freedom to cash in on their name, image and likeness (NIL) has added more fuel to that trend. Basia Wojcik, VP sports at agency TMA noted teams are updating facilities to include production 

studios so athletes can create content and expand their personal brands. “Teams are

missing a huge opportunity if they don’t,” she said. 

The Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce moment during Super Bowl LVIII last February crystalized the potential of sports and entertainment crossovers, and marketers are taking notice. 

“We’ve seen an incredible convergence of sport, fashion, music, entertainment, etc. over the past few years. We believe that will continue to rise as audiences continue to be more engaged with all of the cultural pieces that make up sport,” said Cardenas. He noted there’s been a rise in major brand moments and engagement for events such as the U.S. Open and New York Fashion Week that allow both sport and fashion brands to cross over to a wider, more culturally-engaged audience. 

Marketers will have spend a lot of time crunching data and sorting out their options as the sports market fragments even further, say observers. 

“There’s a ton of opportunity,” said McCormack. “It makes the job harder because there’s more to consider and more to evaluate, but it’s also exciting that there’s so much more opportunity and so many more ways for brands to get involved.” 

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“It’s going to be a year when we see people go back and settle and digest: Go back into their communities, go back into their families, and really figure out, reset, and see what’s in for them,” says Jennifer Halloran, CMO of MassMutual. With so many issues affecting financial services in the balance—trade policies, budget deficits, interest rates and more—”we have a very big focus on making sure that everybody has a balanced practice of wealth management and protection products,” she says.  “That’s going to be very important for us next year.”

As they head into the new year, financial services marketers are focused on shoring up consumer confidence, learning how to target Generation Z consumers and integrating new technologies including artificial intelligence into their efforts. Many marketers are facing uncertainty by leaning into their core values while trying new communications approaches. 

For JPMorgan Chase “it’s a continuation of what we’ve been doing,” says Kristin Faucher, Head of Brand Strategy and Advertising: Card, Travel, Commerce. “It’s a lot of making sure that the right message is meeting the right person,” she says. 

Three basic values will guide marketing, says Faucher. “One is trustworthiness and reliability. The second is really a focus on brand storytelling and helping consumers understand the value of the products through incredible stories and driving emotional connection,” she says. “And the last one is really about how we see customers continue to be more values-based about the brands that they choose to work with and where they spend their money and their time.” 

This is particularly the case with the Generation Z consumers, the cohort born in 1996-2010, who are starting to come into their earning years. A report from Nielsen released in 2024 projected this demographic will overtake the spending of Baby Boomers in five years and become the wealthiest generation by the end of this decade. And Zoomers are keen on doing business with companies that reflect their worldview, so marketers know messaging to them has to factor those generational values. 

As Gen Z comes of age, this demographic will be a key focus for financial services marketers. As Jill Cress, CMO of H&R Block recently told Brand Innovators: “The biggest opportunity there is Gen Z as they start to become regular taxpayers.” She noted that Block’s recent annual report on The Outlook on American Life concluded Zoomers “are going to be future big earners in the economy.” 

As a group. Gen Z is optimistic about their earning potential and their future prospects, which is good for brands as they gear up their holiday efforts and look into next year. “There’s a level of confidence there that we were excited to see,” added Cress. 

Marketers are already learning how to communicate with this group. As Cress noted, Zoomers are hard to reach through traditional media channels. Gen Z is the first generation to grow up with technology, so it approaches media differently, and while Zoomers still get advice from trusted sources, those sources may be on YouTube or TikTok, says Floriana Abramovich, VP Brand Strategy & Advertising at JPMorgan Chase. 

“This audience’s attention span is very limited” so advertising has to make sure it is really speaking to them, say Abramovich. She noted that a recent JPMorgan Chase out-of-home campaign made use of bright colors that are attention grabbing and communicated using emojis, to cater to the demographic. 

“Things are just changing in terms of how we’re going to be moving people to consume,” says Alison Herzog, Head of Global Corporate Marketing, Visa. ”At the end of the day, it still comes down to how you can be smarter about making sure the message is heard in the end.”

Technology is bound to play a bigger part in the practice next year, according to financial services markets. The sector is grappling with using new tools such as artificial intelligence, just as consumers are relying on “Fintech” financial planning tools to organize their finances. 

“People aren’t going to let that one go,” says Halloran. AI can is giving marketers new opportunities for personalization and customer segmentation, but “there’s a regulatory environment there that hasn’t been solved” she says. Discussions about regulating social media and fintech are still pending along with the AI legislation, so there is still a lot to figure out, says Halloran. 

“There’s a lot of really great opportunity with AI,” she says, but added that it’s still important to make sure to have protections and “that we still have that first fact-checking, real person touching all of the work.” 

Keith Clark, chief marketing officer at Mutual of Omaha adds, “The growth of Generative Artificial Intelligence as an essential digital collaborator will continue to redefine the marketing creative process in 2025. Human creativity won’t be replaced, but rather aided by AI, which enables marketers to more quickly iterate on ideas and refine creative approaches. This integration into the creative process has the potential to be a game changer for marketing effectiveness and efficiency.”

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“The concept of value for money is something we’re very much focused on and how do we make sure that we continue to deliver against consumers expectations for what a premium brand like KIND should deliver and what it should cost relative to other options,” says KIND’s chief marketing officer Osher Hoberman.

“2025 will be all about innovation,” says Jess Spaulding, CMO, PepsiCo Foods Canada. Who sees the “insurgence of even more value…through a broad spectrum from price, quality/superiority, premiumization, and customization.” 

Linda Bethea, chief marketing officer at Danone foresees “continued interest in health and wellness, with consumers increasingly seeking out nutritional and functional benefits in food and beverages.” 

“Our mission is to deliver health through food to as many people as possible so we are constantly looking for ways to improve the health benefits of our portfolio and drive far-reaching awareness of those benefits,” she says. “For instance, this year the FDA released its first-ever qualified health claim for yogurt, stating that regular yogurt consumption may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. This announcement was in response to a petition submitted by Danone North America, giving us an opportunity to share the scientific benefits of yogurt in a newly credible and compelling way.”

2024 saw many unlikely brands forming collaborations as a way to get attention in culture. Being a part of the culture will likely remain at the forefront next year. 

“It has never been more important for brands to embrace culture, but it’s also never been as complex to do so successfully,” says Gail Hollander, chief marketing officer at the J.M. Smucker Company. “To get it right, we need to understand the cultural truth, the consumer truth and then the brand truth so that the way you engage is rooted in understanding and authenticity. As the consumer experience continues to become more and more integrated, the brands that win will be those that recognize the opportunity to deepen connections and focus their strategy around it.”

Nostalgia is a big trend in pop culture these days and it is seeping through to the CPG space. According to research from Nestle, 71% of US consumers say that they enjoy things that remind them of their past (i.e. childhood) and 84% of Americans say that nostalgic memories remind them of what’s important in life.

Mike Van Houten, Head of Consumer & Marketplace Insights at Nestlé USA, predicts the “rise of New-stalgia” in 2025. “Nostalgia is back, and what’s old is new again — but in a cooler, more modern way,” he says. “As consumers seek opportunities to escape through culture and reflect on “simpler times” with fondness, new brands are teaming up with legacy brands and using familiar flavors, comforting classics and childhood favorites to reinvent the “old” with a fun and fresh twist.”

Claudine Patel, chief marketing officer at Sanofi, sees something similar when it comes to media buys. “In 2025, it will be all about bringing back the classics with a fresh spin…think of it as ‘old-school meets new tech,’” she says. “We’ll see brands revisiting TV ads, but this time with data-driven  precision—like merging classic TV’s wide reach with the targeting power of digital.“Oh! And in-store advertising will get a glow-up too, with digital displays delivering real-time, personalized messages right at the shelf. It’s all about finding new ways to make the tried-and-true feel brand new.”

Gen Z is influencing how CPG marketers communicate, driving the importance of social media in 2025. “Social media will connect brands to captive consumers,” says Phyllis Rothschild, chief marketing officer, Pete & Gerry’s. “As Gen Z claims more purchasing power, it’s becoming more important for brands to connect with younger audiences and lean into social media trends in an authentic way. With the virality of social media and instantaneous trends, brands must successfully identify moments in time that fit their cultural narrative while remaining authentic to their brand voice and organizational values — all while being relevant to trending topics.” 

Over the last two years, CPG brands have increased their digital media spend and investments in retail media networks. eMarketer predicts CPG brands will continue to invest in these channels but at a slower rate. 

“We continue to see consumer pathways as very fragmented,” says Hoberman. “The consumer journey is less linear than it was even a year ago and it requires us to have much more connected solutions for how we reach the consumer and the synergy between the different media options.” 

“Additionally, our retail partners are much savvier than ever,” he adds. “They’re very sophisticated with how they use data. A lot of the conversations we are having with our retail partners start with what are the insights that we’re getting from the shopper data which is requiring us as a supplier to continue to build new capabilities around CRM and category management. We’ll continue to invest in that in the next quarter.”

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In 2025, expect retailers to focus on the omnichannel customer experience, innovations in personalization, as well as cultivating relationships with Gen Z.

“At American Eagle, we feel the need, the need for speed,” says Craig Brommers, chief marketing officer at American Eagle Outfitters. “Customer trends are moving faster than ever. External events are happening to us faster than ever. Therefore, we continue to rewire our resources to move at the speed of Gen Z.” 

For Lowe’s, the in-store experience is top-of-mind as customers look for hands-on expertise and real life shopping. “Gen Z in particular wants to return to in real life,” says Jennifer Wilson, chief marketing officer of Lowe’s. “There’s been so much tablet and phone time. They’ve grown up in this digital native space that they are welcoming in-person connectivity especially in the home improvement category. I think having brick-and-mortar stores and having people they can actually speak to will be more critical than ever as a future trend.”

As physical stores offer consumers a place to go out into the world, expect unique experiences in stores to help draw people in, as well as digital integration to make the shopping experience smoother.

“In 2025, we will continue to connect with our customers both physically and digitally, as we know our in-store experience—from visual to styling to service—is something Anthropologie is famous for.  We will continue to show up in unexpected ways, especially to deliver unique experiences through partnerships, pop-ups, and community programming,” says Elizabeth Preis, global chief marketing officer, at Anthropologie Group. “At Anthropologie, our dedication to the trifecta of product, creative, and marketing strategy has delivered impressive results in attracting and engaging both new and existing audiences across generations.” 

Lee Sterling, chief marketing officer of Simon Property Group, expects “companies continue to invest in the overall customer experience and focus on reaching consumers where they are with the right product, as well as the right message in the right location at the right time,” she says. “At Simon, this means adding to our retail, dining and entertainment offering, continuing to evolve our properties to be the live, work, play and shop destinations for their local communities, and then sharing each property’s unique story via our owned, earned and paid media efforts. At the same time, you will see us continue to innovate in the omnichannel space to ensure the 360 shopping experience is seamless and as convenient as possible for consumers.”

AI adoption will continue to grow and 2025, as retailers look at ways to use the technology to enhance personalization and the customer experience.

“2025 is going to be the year that not just several but all retailers will be focused on personalization and loyalty as a means to drive increased value from their existing customers,” says Carolyn Pollock, chief marketing officer of Tailored Brands. “With AI tools starting to live up to their initial promise, we’ll be able to supercharge our ability to hyper-personalize – based on data that goes beyond the transaction (including all the unstructured data we could potentially capture from in-store interactions and conversations). The use of AI agents will start to gain hold but, even ahead of that, our ability to harness greater amounts of first-party data will enable us to connect with customers with more relevant content in their preferred channels. This will foster increasingly trusted brand relationships and ultimately help us stabilize revenue in what could otherwise be a more challenging year.”

Jeanniey Walden, chief marketing and customer officer at Rite Aid and executive leader at Thrifty Ice Cream agrees that “creating personalized experiences will be a top priority for every retail marketer.”

“We’re starting to see a significant shift in wealth from Baby Boomers and Gen X to Gen Z and Alpha, and with that shift comes a growing demand for tailored experiences from retailers,” adds Walden. “This means everything—from how brands introduce themselves to consumers to the shopping experience itself—needs to cater to buyers’ needs right at the moment they’re ready to purchase. This reinvention in the buying patterns and behaviors is going to be an exciting time for every retail marketer. The demand for personalization is only going to continue to grow, pushing retailers to embrace AI in every part of their business—whether it’s process, strategy, or even creative efforts.”

Crate and Barrel’s vice president of marketing Megan Bernstein, stresses the importance of testing and learning to optimize this personalization journey when using AI.

“We’ll continue to see different innovation and testing across different marketing channels of how to break through. And I think continuing to leverage AI in a way that is impactful to our business, operationally how we build that into processes but then how we lean into that from a marketing perspective for the benefit of our consumer,” says Bernstein. “Like any technology, it’s not for the sake of using it, but it’s for the sake of really driving the most personalized relevant experience that we can.”

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“I suspect next year’s travel will look a lot like this year’s travel,” said Jennifer Bridie, vice president of marketing at Southwest Airlines. She noted that booking patterns have shifted and returned to a pre-pandemic booking curve.

“The economy is still strong, but now we have to work harder,” said Laurel Greatrix, vice president of brand & communications at Viator, an online travel marketplace owned by TripAdvisor. The years since the end of the pandemic lockdown saw triple-digit increases in travel volume, but “you never know what is you and what is the world” she said. Now marketing has to use data more effectively to drive traffic: “We can’t be just a warm body,” she said.  

The pandemic was tough on the airlines, which saw a “commoditization” of airline travel, as carriers became more flexible about cancellations and rebookings, Bridie explained. Now, a lot of those airlines are going back to their past practices, she noted. For Southwest, that is good news, because it can lean on the flexibility that’s always been part of its brand identity. 

“You have to be able to drive that loyalty back to the brand,” she said. Southwest has announced new products such as enhancements of its companion pass, vacation bundles and interline partnerships and will continue rolling out new features in 2025 to keep its core leisure travelers loyal. 

“We’re really excited for what lies ahead,” Bridie said. 

“I think the bigger thing is connecting all the dots,” said Nicolette Harper, vice president of global marketing and media at Marriott International. The hotel chain is focusing on retargeting travelers across their journeys, using mobility data to connect messaging from airport out of home to inflight entertainment through to buying ads in ride-share services to “tell the next chapter of our story.” 

Travel marketers will focus some of their data power and media spend on loyalty programs in 2025, fine tuning their offerings with technology to fight off commoditization. Every brand now has a loyalty program and “it doesn’t feel so rewarding anymore,” said Marissa Yoss, vice president of media and brand marketing at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The programs are complicated and redeeming rewards is usually difficult, she said. Voss noted Wynham has created a social media-based effort called “what’s the points?” to highlight the ease of use of its loyalty program and promote it to younger users. 

Green travel and movie-inspired destinations

Technology—specifically artificial intelligence—will provide an assist for both marketers looking to target consumers, and for consumers navigating the wide range of choices available. Harper noted that Marriott is “building a massive infrastructure on the adtech side” to support all its brands worldwide with the ability to create and target ads that are brand-appropriate. 

Travel brands are playing up their big selling points to target a consumer base that came back from the pandemic lockdown with new appetites, and to focus on the rising clout of Generation Z, the consumers born since 1996. Travel marketers acknowledge the attitudes and media consumption habits of this demographic will shape a lot of work next year and beyond.

“We’re seeing our demographic continue to skew increasingly young, which is exciting,” said Eliot Hamlisch, chief commercial officer of Amtrak. The railway is leaning heavily on its lower carbon footprint to attract Gen Z travelers concerned about the effects of air travel on climate change, he said. It launched a new “Retrain Travel” campaign on Oct. 1 premised on reintroducing rail travel as a less stressful, more sustainable transportation mode than cars or airplanes. 

Travel has come to be an expectation for consumers, said Voss. She noted Wyndham is seeing a proliferation of “set travel”—consumers who, after binge watching streaming content, want to check out the location of their favorite shows. Expedia identified “jet setting as a trend for 2025, with travelers heading to Cape Town to see the locations of Netflix’s “One Piece” or to Wyoming and Montana for the Paramount+ show “Yellowstone.” Yoss also noted that sports travel is on the rise, thanks to the afterglow of this summer’s Olympics and the anticipation for the 2026 World Cup, which will be played in the U.S. and Canada. 

After a couple of banner years, “It is grit and ingenuity that is going to get us through the next couple,” said Greatrix, “It was revenge travel, and now it’s a lot of intent-based marketing. Now we have to work harder.” 

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