Marketing never stands still, and in 2025, it’s moving faster than ever. The days of generic campaigns are behind us. Today’s consumers expect brands to know who they are, what they care about, and how they want to be spoken to.
So what’s coming down the pipeline?
To answer that, Activate Digital – a digital marketing agency that helps businesses grow through a range of digital services – has outlined the key marketing trends you need to keep on your radar this year.
1. Hyper-Personalisation Is Evolving
Personalisation has moved beyond using someone’s name in an email. With AI and behavioural data becoming more advanced, consumers now expect marketing that reflects their habits, preferences, location, and even the time of day.
A great example? Spotify Wrapped.
By using listener data to craft a tailored, shareable story for each user, Spotify set the standard for data-driven engagement: specific, entertaining, and emotionally resonant.
This model has opened the door to more segmented and meaningful marketing:
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In e-commerce: product suggestions based on actual browsing and buying habits.
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In email: timing, tone, and content shaped by user behaviour.
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In content recommendations: curated experiences that feel like a conversation, not an algorithm.
2. Visual and Voice Search Are Taking Over
Remember when you had to type to search online? That’s no longer the norm.
Users are now turning to voice assistants (like Alexa and Siri) or snapping photos with tools like Google Lens to find products, places, and answers.
This shift is quietly reshaping SEO. Marketers must:
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Use natural, conversational language on websites, FAQs, and meta descriptions.
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Ensure high-quality images with detailed alt text.
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Implement structured data so search engines can “see” and understand visual content.
3. Brand Activism Needs Substance
Purpose-driven branding isn’t new — but today’s consumers, especially Gen Z, demand authenticity and accountability.
It’s not enough to post during Pride Month or Earth Day. Audiences want:
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Real action
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Year-round transparency
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Consistent communication
Case in point:
Louis Vuitton’s fashion show at Barcelona’s Park Güell led to damage to protected structures and blocked local access. Despite good intentions, the backlash showed how marketing must respect communities and cultural heritage — not just look good on social media.
4. Managing a Divided Landscape
We’re living in highly polarized times, where even well-meaning messages can stir controversy.
Staying silent may seem safe, but it can also appear indifferent. Speaking out risks alienating some of your audience. There’s no neutral zone.
Marketers today need:
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Clarity and conviction
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A defined sense of who your brand is for — and who it’s not
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Authentic values reflected in your actions, not just your messaging
Example:
In 2024, Boots released a Christmas ad featuring Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh as a modern Mrs Claus. While praised for its inclusivity, it also sparked backlash from far-right activists accusing the brand of pushing a “woke” agenda. The lesson? Be ready for polarized reactions — and stand by your message.
5. AI Writes – But It Doesn’t Think
AI excels at the mechanics:
✅ Grammar
✅ Tone-matching
✅ Sentence structure
Need a blog outline or product description? AI can deliver in seconds.
But AI doesn’t understand:
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The “why” behind a campaign
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Whether the message solves the right problem
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How to reframe a brief or challenge an idea
That’s where human marketers shine:
To lead, shape narratives, and offer insights that go beyond the data.
The most valuable marketers today are not just writers — they’re narrative directors, armed with sharp thinking and original perspective.
Still a Human Story
At its core, marketing is still a human act.
Beneath all the trends, tools, and data, it’s about making someone feel something — not because the algorithm said so, but because the message hit the right person at the right moment.
The future belongs not to those who shout the loudest or automate the fastest,
but to those who listen carefully, think clearly, and create bravely.
That’s the one trend that never changes.