Marketing Trends to Anticipate in 2025

2024 was all about artificial intelligence, personalized marketing, user-generated content, short-form videos, and the rising impact of Gen Z. Curious about what’s ahead? Keep reading to learn what marketing trends we anticipate for 2025!

Shannon

Will 2025 be the year that TikTok expands past Gen Z and into mainstream social media use? Will brands take over and use it for marketing? Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn have all been saturated with marketing. While brands that target specifically Gen Z are focused on TikTok, I’m curious to see if this is the year that we millennials start to infiltrate the youth communication tools. 

Alexas

The 2000s called. They want their flip phones back. I predict that in 2025, playful nostalgia will take center stage as brands tap into the collective longing for simpler times. We've seen it begin with fast food restaurants’ collector's menus, throwback editing styles, and the revival of Y2K trends. It’s all about tapping into fond memories and creating shareable moments, proving that nothing says "modern marketing" like reimagining your childhood favorites. Gen Z and millennials are loving it – because who doesn’t want a side of nostalgia with their fries?

Allison

I’ve found a budding trend in large companies becoming more casual in order to be more relatable to their audience. This trend started years ago with the well-known antics of Denny’s on social media, but we’re seeing more and more trends that include “Letting the Gen Z marketing intern make a video” or using memes instead of professionally-designed graphics. I can’t wait to see how this trend progresses, creating more casual relationships between businesses and customers!

Gaye

In 2025, AI tools will continue to become more sophisticated, helping marketers create hyper-personalized content at scale. But don’t despair, humans! In the wake of all this automation, consumers will seek out brands that maintain the human touch, and authentic creativity will remain crucial to developing emotionally engaging narratives. I predict that copywriters will become experts at blending AI-generated suggestions with original, empathetic storytelling to create content that resonates with their audiences.

Gwen

Marketing, customer service, and commerce direct-from-social will be big this holiday season and moving into 2025. Don’t be surprised if you have a brand or company sliding into your DMs to handle any purchase mishaps or for a general vibe check. Who’s leading the charge? Come through, Gen Z! 48% percent of them are planning to make more purchases directly or in-platform in 2025.

Kate

With the rapidly increasing pace of AI adoption in all facets of marketing and business in general, I predict that deciphering authenticity will become increasingly difficult in 2025. Brands who are really trying to connect with their customers/supporters in meaningful ways will have to get even more creative to compete with digital dupes. Building loyalty and trust among your audience takes time, so using AI to support you, instead of fighting against it, will be crucial. For local marketers, use in-person engagement tactics as the icing on the cake if you want your 2025 campaigns to feel more personal and authentic. 

Martha

Lately I have felt totally overwhelmed by the amount of stuff out there. Stuff to be made, marketed, sold, and ultimately discarded for the next shiny thing. This is one facet driving user-generated content that can, in theory, stand apart from the deluge of brand clamoring for our attention. Maybe I’m just projecting my own anxieties, but I hope that 2025 brings a focus on quality over quantity, not just in the products and companies themselves but in the marketing surrounding them. 

Millie

In 2025, brands focusing on sustainability and social impact are set to earn customer loyalty. Consumers want proof of real action—eco-friendly packaging, transparent sourcing, and reduced carbon footprints. For 2025, it’ll be about more than just buzzwords; people expect brands to openly share their progress and values. Marketers who lead with purpose, showing how their brand makes a positive difference, will stand out in a big way.

What changes do you anticipate for the marketing and public relations industry in 2025? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn, or shoot us an email to get this conversation going.