Well, that’s a wrap—2024 is winding down, and let’s be honest, it’s been a year full of challenges and surprises. At the start of the year, like clockwork, we shared our predictions for what the marketing world might face in 2024. If you’re curious, you can take a look back at those forecasts here and see how they held up against the twists and turns of the past twelve months.
Now, with 2025 just around the corner, the cycle begins again. A new year means new opportunities, fresh hurdles, and, of course, a chance to peer into the future. To get a head start, we reached out to industry leaders and marketing experts to gather their insights and predictions for what’s on the horizon in 2025. Their perspectives shed light on the trends and shifts that could shape the future of marketing in profound ways. Let’s dive in.
The evolving role of AI
Unsurprisingly, AI is expected to play a big role in how marketing teams transform over the coming 12 months. However, effective AI usage goes beyond surface-level adoption. Mark Debenham, VP of Growth at Adverity, anticipates a shift in how businesses approach this technology: “We’ve spent a couple of years experimenting with AI, testing its limits, but in 2025, I think we’ll see a move away from ad hoc experimentation towards a more codified approach with businesses integrating AI more formally into their data workflows.”
Similarly, Bandi Wijaya, Head of Data & Tech at GroupM, notes that “we are infused with AI, and I think we'll keep growing and play big roles in it in data and marketing.” Thomas Tauchner, CEO of JENTIS agrees, highlighting the key role that AI can play for marketers. “AI will help us to generate better data and to do a better job in tracking and data capturing,” he says, “this is one of the big hypes next year: using AI in different segments and sectors of marketing.”
And perhaps the bigger role played by AI couldn’t have come at a better time as marketing budgets become increasingly tighter. As Tauchner points out, “Next year will be all about efficiency in marketing. 2024 was the second year in a row where we needed to reduce budgets in marketing. So after two years of learning how to deal with reduced budgets, I think we should be ready to get more output from smaller budgets.”
Either way, 2025 is likely to see a maturing of AI’s role in marketing. As Debenham notes, “Businesses that invest in aligning their AI strategies with robust data infrastructure will lead the way, turning AI from a tool of curiosity into a competitive advantage.”
The push for data democratization
According to Fabio de Bernardi, VP of Business Development at Adverity, 2025 is poised to see a revolution in how organizations approach data access and this is yet another area in which AI can help; “Data democratization is set to redefine how marketing teams operate,” he says, “Advances in AI and analytics platforms are making it easier for non-technical users to access and analyze data without relying on IT teams. This shift will empower marketing teams to act on real-time insights, driving innovation and agility.”
For years, data democratization has been an aspiration rather than a reality, hindered by technical barriers and organizational silos. In 2025, however, these barriers are breaking down. Bernardi predicts, “We’ll see unified data platforms that bring together marketing, sales, and other departments. These platforms will create a shared pool of insights, fostering collaboration and ensuring that all teams are aligned in their strategies.”
“It's about data availability, data integration, and data openness,” agrees Wijaya. “How can we serve the data that we have from all the different sources, from marketing data to CRM data and customer data?”
Privacy and compliance: a shifting landscape
Nonetheless, while democratization offers enormous potential, it also comes with responsibility. Data governance remains critical. Joseph Caston, Senior Director of Solutions Consulting at Adverity, highlights the need for organizations to balance openness with security: “With democratized data, you need clear rules about who can see what. It’s not just a buzzword—it’s an existential matter. You must ensure that only the right people have access to data while also fostering data-sharing within your organization.”
Likewise, Wijaya points out that data security and privacy regulations will be a cornerstone of 2025: “We deal with a wide range of stakeholders. It’s crucial to ensure they only see the data relevant to them while complying with rules like GDPR and CCPA.”
In the United States specifically, Caston observes an increasing alignment with GDPR principles: “There’s a movement toward a similar model in the U.S., albeit with nuances,” he says, “Organizations need to think hard about data governance—not just as a compliance measure but as a fundamental part of their data strategy.”
Similarly, Tauchner also raises concerns about data protection and the uncertain future of third-party cookies: “There are two big questions for me 2025,” he says, “The first is, will there be a revival of data protection? The second question is all about cookies; Will third-party cookies survive or not? Who will decide if a third-party cookie is activated in the browser or not?”
Data quality over quantity
While the digital age has given marketers an unprecedented volume of data, the challenge now is ensuring its quality. Jessica Cardonick, VP of Product Marketing at Adverity, notes, “We’ve reached a tipping point with the amount of data we have access to. There’s no shortage of it—it’s coming from everywhere. But the truth is, not all of it is useful. 2025 will mark a shift in focus from collecting endless streams of data to prioritizing data that is accurate and actionable.”
Cardonick’s emphasis on quality over quantity reflects a growing recognition that flawed data can lead to flawed insights. “It’s not just about having tons of data,” she says. “It’s about having the right data—the highest-quality data. When you ensure 100% accuracy and provide access to the right people at the right time, that’s when businesses can make their best decisions.”
This point was reinforced earlier in the year by performance marketing expert Alex Sofronas, during The Undiscovered Metric podcast, stating, “Data quality is something that’s a persistent issue. As the data gets bigger, there’s just more chances for something to go wrong.”
The resurgence of Marketing Mix Modeling
As 2025 approaches, marketing mix modeling (MMM) is emerging as a critical tool for marketers navigating an increasingly complex and privacy-conscious landscape. Christina Schlesinger, Chief Revenue Officer at Adverity, articulates its growing importance: “MMM has always been important, but with attribution becoming more difficult, it’s rising to the top of our customers’ agendas. It allows marketers to integrate offline data, like TV and radio, with digital metrics to create a holistic view of their campaigns.”
One of MMM’s strengths is its adaptability in integrating diverse data sources. Schlesinger emphasizes that it can seamlessly incorporate offline channels, such as television, print, radio, and even out-of-home advertising, alongside digital data. “With the fragmentation of media and current privacy laws, MMM provides an attractive proposition. It enables marketers to connect retail and commerce data with traditional media insights, creating a cohesive narrative about their campaign performance.”
In 2025, the role of MMM will only grow as marketers strive to bridge the gap between online and offline performance metrics. By adopting this method, businesses can ensure they remain agile and adaptive in a rapidly shifting marketing landscape. As Schlesinger succinctly puts it, “In a world where attribution is becoming more challenging, MMM provides a critical solution for creating a unified view of marketing performance.”
Profit-based optimization: a 2025 priority
In 2025, advertisers will shift their focus to profit-driven bidding strategies, predicts David Bushell, Director at AdGrow. “If we step aside from all the big hitters, like AI and first-party data, I actually think it’s profit. That’s the big one,” he says, “My prediction for 2025 is that profit is going get connected much more directly to bid algorithms, to bid strategies,” he explains. “Your average retailer will have a Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) based bidding approach at the moment. That’s pretty normal. But, 2025 is the year where we see a more direct profit or Profit on Ad Spend (POAS) based bidding approach.”
Key to this shift is the integration of order-level profit data directly into platforms like Google Ads, Meta Ads, and GA4. “Order level profit [will be] reported straight from the sale from, say, Shopify into the tracking code, straight into Google ads, or Meta ads, or to GA4,” Bushell says. He anticipates advancements from Google, which is working on functionality to optimize directly for profit. “I think there’s a lot more to come in terms of directly optimizing for profit rather than using revenue as your proxy for making profit.”
Preparing for 2025: actionable steps for marketers
The road to success in 2025 begins now. To thrive in this fast-evolving landscape, marketers must take proactive steps:
1. Invest in AI
Equip teams with tools that integrate AI into data workflows, streamlining processes and uncovering actionable insights.
2. Prioritize data quality
Develop rigorous data validation processes to ensure accuracy and reliability.
3. Foster data democratization
Break down silos and empower teams with easy access to shared, high-quality datasets.
4. Strengthen data governance
Implement robust policies to ensure compliance and maintain trust.
5. Leverage Marketing Mix Modeling
Adopt tools that integrate online and offline metrics for a comprehensive view of campaign performance.
6. Adapt to privacy changes
Stay ahead of regulatory developments and prepare for a cookieless future.
Conclusion: the future is data-driven
Marketing in 2025 will be defined by the convergence of technology, data precision, and a customer-centric approach. As Bernardi puts it, “The businesses that succeed will be those that invest in quality data, embrace democratization, and create a culture where data drives every decision.” By aligning strategies with these emerging trends, marketers can unlock the full potential of their data, ensuring not just survival but success in an increasingly competitive landscape.
