Even as planning for 2025 intensifies, the marketing landscape continues to evolve at an extraordinary pace. Technological advancements, shifting consumer behaviors, and emerging trends are reshaping how brands connect with their audiences. For marketing leaders, being at the forefront of these changes isn't just an asset—it's a critical survival skill. From the growing demand for personalized experiences and the shift towards conscious consumerism, to the increasing influence of social search and the rising importance of data privacy, these evolving consumer behaviors and emerging trends are altering the marketing landscape.

As we finalize plans for next year, here are seven key 2025 marketing trends we're tracking, their implications, and our approach to guiding clients through this ever-changing landscape.

1. The Rise of Decentralized Search

• Prediction: Voice search, visual search, AI, and social search will reshape how consumers, especially younger cohorts, discover and interact with brands.
  
• Why this matters:
  • By optimizing for multiple search types, brands can capture a wider audience and meet consumers where they prefer to search.
  • As search technology evolves, brands that adapt early will maintain visibility and relevance in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
  • Voice and mobile searches often have local intent, helping businesses capture nearby customers more effectively.
  • Different search types provide varied insights into user behavior and intent, allowing for more targeted marketing strategies..
• Our Approach: Our Search team is composed of experts from our strategy, paid media, owned media, and digital earned media solutions. Together we implement a holistic approach: voice search optimization for conversational language, leveraging markup for visibility on AI assistants, and enhancing brand visibility within social platforms. At the same time, optimizing for traditional organic and paid search remains essential. This comprehensive approach ensures our clients effectively engage consumers across all search and conversation fronts.

2. AI and Automation Reshaping Marketing Workflows

• Prediction: AI and automation will continue to revolutionize both agency and brand operations, but the most significant impact will come from combining these technologies with human creativity and strategic thinking.
• Why this matters:
  • AI and automation can handle routine tasks, freeing human talent to focus on high-value, creative work.
  • AI can help forecast trends and consumer behavior, allowing for more proactive rather than reactive marketing strategies.
  • Access to cutting-edge AI and automation tools can help attract and retain top talent who are eager to work with cutting-edge technologies.
  • Encouraging the innovative use of AI and automation fosters a culture of continuous improvement and creativity.
• Our Approach: At AGM, we believe the true power of AI and automation is unlocked when combined with human creativity and ingenuity. To encourage innovative uses of AI and automation, we established our "Innovators" program. This initiative recognizes and rewards team members who leverage our tools in inventive and impactful ways, making it an integral part of agency culture. Our Innovators have come from all areas of the agency, from Client Solutions to Field Marketing, from Paid Media to Creative, and more.

3. Primacy of First-party Data and CDPs

• Prediction: First-party data strategies and CDPs (Customer Data Platforms) will be crucial as data privacy concerns grow and social platforms prove volatile (e.g., X's recent shutdown in Brazil).

  “84% of Americans are concerned about the security and privacy of their personal data online.”
  

  USA Today/Blueprint, June 2024

• Why this matters:
  • Reliance on first-party data reduces vulnerability to sudden changes in third-party platforms or regulations.
  • First-party data collection aligns with evolving privacy regulations, reducing legal risks and building trust with consumers.
  • Direct customer data allows for more accurate and nuanced personalization.
  • Brands with strong first-party data capabilities will have a significant edge in understanding and serving their customers compared to those still relying heavily on third-party data.
• Our Approach: We're helping our clients gain unfiltered access to customer intelligence by providing data collection and management strategies, which lets them deliver personalized marketing while maintaining control of customer relationships. This positions them to thrive in a cookieless future, armed with deep, actionable insights about their audience.

4. Localization in Global Marketing

• Prediction: Localization and cultural sensitivity in marketing will become even more crucial, driven by global connectivity, demand for authenticity, and the rise of emerging markets.
• Why this matters:
  • While global markets are increasingly interconnected, consumers value brands that understand and respect their local culture.
  • Emerging markets present significant growth opportunities, but success hinges on culturally appropriate communication.
  • Social media and the internet have amplified public discourse and scrutiny, making brand missteps instantly visible and potentially viral.
  • Localized marketing can lead to higher engagement rates, improved customer loyalty, and increased ROI.
• Our Approach: Leveraging our global presence in North America, Europe, and APAC, along with our dedicated multicultural marketing division, we develop comprehensive localization strategies. They combine in-depth local market knowledge with culturally-tailored content creation and media planning. This ensures our clients' efforts are truly localized and culturally relevant.

5. Seamless “Phygital” Ecosystems

• Prediction: The line between physical and digital experiences will continue to blur, creating integrated phygital ecosystems.
• Why this matters:
  • Brands offering integrated experiences stand out in a market where consumers expect fluidity between physical and digital worlds.
  • By connecting touchpoints, brands gain a more comprehensive view of customer behavior, enabling more accurate personalization and targeting.
  • Leveraging data across all touchpoints allows for highly personalized experiences, even in traditionally impersonal settings.
  • A unified approach ensures consistent brand messaging and values across all customer interactions, strengthening brand identity.
• Our Approach: We leverage our integrated agency model to create cohesive customer journeys across all touchpoints. Our Paid, Earned and Owned Media teams collaborate to develop unified strategies blending online and offline channels and measurement frameworks. Our holistic view of the customer journey lets us identify and capitalize on opportunities that might be missed in a more fragmented agency structure.

6. Expansion of Programmatic Ad Buying

• Prediction: Programmatic will continue to expand, offering more diverse inventory, premium placements, and increasingly precise targeting across more channels.
• Why this matters:
  • Programmatic’s growth includes sophisticated data integration, allowing for highly targeted and personalized ad experiences.
  • The rise of retail media networks offers new opportunities for brands to reach consumers closer to the point of purchase.
  • Expansion into areas like transit advertising and digital out-of-home allows for more contextual and location-based targeting.
  • As programmatic expands, so do the capabilities for incorporating AI to optimize cross-channel attribution and performance measurement.
• Our Approach: Apex, our in-house programmatic desk, lets us navigate this expanding landscape by focusing on proactive exploration and integration of emerging platforms and placements. Our dedicated team implements adaptive strategies that emphasize transparency, data-driven decision making, and cross-channel integration. This expertise lets us stay responsive to the rapidly evolving programmatic ecosystem.

7. Lower Interest Rates > Higher Consumer Spending

• Prediction: Lower interest rates (likely to be led by the US Federal Reserve this month) will boost consumer spending, creating new market opportunities.

  “Cheaper borrowing costs boost consumer spending.”
  

  Forbes, August 2024

• Why this matters:
  • Lower interest rates typically lead to increased disposable income, letting consumers reconsider previously deferred purchases.
  • Increased financial freedom can be linked to aspirational messaging, allowing brands to connect with consumers' desires and dreams.
  • By aligning with consumer aspirations during this period, brands can foster long-term customer relationships that persist beyond the low-interest-rate environment.
  • Increased consumer spending power presents opportunities to introduce complementary products or premium versions of existing offerings.
• Our Approach: Our strategy and data teams closely monitor consumer research and economic trends to anticipate shifts in spending patterns. Based on these insights, we work with clients to recalibrate their marketing strategies, emphasizing product value, quality, and service. We tailor campaigns to highlight how offerings align with evolving consumer aspirations, enabled by increased financial freedom. This data-driven approach ensures our clients are well-positioned to capture emergent spending behaviors and maximize opportunities in a changing economic landscape.

In Conclusion

Adapting to these changes will require agility, creativity, and a willingness to embrace new technologies and methodologies. For those who rise to the challenge, the rewards will be substantial: deeper customer relationships, more effective campaigns, and a competitive edge in an increasingly complex marketplace. Ready to turn these predictions into your realities? Get in touch.