As we step into 2025, the marketing landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. The way brands connect with consumers is being redefined by technological advancements, shifting consumer expectations and emerging global trends. To help marketers stay ahead of the curve, we’ve identified five key trends from our conversations with brands, agencies, publishers and DSPs at CES that we think will dominate the marketing industry this year. Let’s dive in.
1. Video Advertising is Scaling Up: New Formats, Unique Placements & More
Video remains a dominant force, but 2025 brings a new level of innovation to this space. Connected TV (CTV) and online video (OLV) formats are expanding, offering advertisers more creative and engaging ways to connect with audiences.
- Shoppable Content on CTV: The rise of interactive, shoppable video content is revolutionizing e-commerce. Viewers can now engage with and purchase products directly from their screens, a trend gaining traction among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Intel, Bosch & Microsoft.
- Unique CTV Placements: New ad formats, such as overlays and pause ads, are capturing audience attention during non-intrusive moments, enhancing viewer experience while maximizing brand visibility.
- FAST Channel Growth: Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels are particularly booming in live sports, attracting brands eager to tap into passionate, engaged fanbases.
- Retail Media Integration: Retailers are leveraging their platforms to host video content that not only entertains, but also drives purchase decisions, creating a seamless path to conversion.
Marketers who embrace these opportunities will find themselves at the forefront of video advertising innovation.
2. The AI Revolution: Creativity, Sustainability, and Beyond
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to permeate every aspect of marketing, driving efficiency and creativity. However, 2025 demands a broader conversation around AI’s role in sustainability and ethical practices:
- AI in Creative: AI tools are pushing creative boundaries, enabling marketers to produce hyper-personalized content and immersive experiences at scale.
- Augmented Reality (AR): Through advancements in eyeglass hardware, AR is becoming a mainstream tool for storytelling and product visualization, offering new ways for brands to engage consumers.
- Operational Efficiencies: From contextual insights to automating routine tasks, AI is streamlining processes across organizations, empowering marketers to focus on strategy and innovation.
- Sustainability Conversations: As AI’s energy consumption comes under scrutiny, brands will need to continue to explore eco-friendly AI solutions to align with global sustainability goals.
To stay competitive, marketers must not only adopt AI but also advocate for its responsible and sustainable use.
3. Supply Chain Shake-Up: Curation and Transparency Lead the Way
Transparency and curation are reshaping the ad tech supply chain, bringing renewed focus to efficiency and value:
- Curation’s Resurgence: Supply-side platforms (SSPs) are regaining prominence by aggregating publisher audiences, enabling more targeted and valuable ad placements.
- Direct Connections: Publishers are limiting the number of partners in their tech stack, prioritizing direct relationships that offer greater control and transparency.
- Audience Targeting Innovations: By layering publisher audience data, SSPs are crafting unique value propositions, ensuring advertisers reach the right consumers.
- Supply Chain Clean-Up: The push for transparency and efficiency is eliminating inefficiencies, creating a streamlined ecosystem that benefits both advertisers and publishers.
This shift towards a curated, transparent supply chain is redefining how brands approach their advertising strategies.
4. Consolidation Frenzy: The Big Players Get Bigger
The ad tech and publishing industries are witnessing a wave of consolidation as major players seek to bolster their market positions:
- Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A): The trend of consolidation continues, with larger companies acquiring competitors to expand their capabilities and market reach.
- Publisher Consolidation: To maximize efficiencies, publishers are consolidating web properties within content and lifestyle verticals, creating unified platforms that attract larger ad budgets.
- Global Market Impact: Chinese companies like Temu, ByteDance, Shein and Lazada are aggressively investing in the U.S., building their own bidders and challenging established players.
This consolidation is reshaping the competitive landscape, forcing smaller players to adapt quickly or risk being left behind.
5. What Consumers Want: The Demand for Privacy and Relevant Ads
Consumer expectations are shifting, with privacy and ad relevance taking center stage:
- Privacy-First Advertising: Regulatory pressures and growing consumer awareness are pushing brands to abandon invasive tracking practices. Instead, marketers are turning to contextual advertising, which matches ads to the content rather than tracking user behavior.
- AI-Driven Contextual Insights: Advanced AI tools are transforming contextual advertising from basic keyword targeting to sophisticated content understanding, especially in online video and CTV.
- Enhanced App Engagement: Publishers are revitalizing their apps, encouraging users to engage through unique content and interactive features like recipes or tutorials, creating incremental ad revenue opportunities.
By prioritizing privacy and relevance, brands can build stronger, more meaningful connections with their audiences.
Conclusion
The marketing trends of 2025 reflect a rapidly evolving landscape driven by technology, innovation, and shifting consumer demands. From the rise of shoppable video content to the AI revolution, and from supply chain transparency to privacy-first advertising, these trends offer both challenges and opportunities for marketers.
To thrive in this environment, brands must embrace change, prioritize consumer needs and leverage technology responsibly. By doing so, they can create impactful campaigns that resonate with their audiences and drive long-term success.
Key Takeaways
- Video advertising is evolving with shoppable content, unique placements and FAST channel growth.
- AI is revolutionizing creativity and operations, but there needs to be more of a focus on sustainability.
- Transparency and curation are reshaping the ad tech supply chain.
- Industry consolidation continues, with major players expanding their influence.
- Privacy and relevant ads are at the forefront of consumer expectations.
Stay ahead of the curve by aligning your strategies with these key trends, and prepare for a transformative year in marketing.
