What won’t happen in 2025

Instead of joining the prediction parade, let’s talk about the things we know won’t materialize in 2025 — because some traditions are just too persistent to break.

Retail media networks will stop popping up like weeds

Because what the world really needs is another retailer selling ad space on its website. Your groceries now come with a side of CPMs.

Retail media networks will finally prove ROI

Yes, every retailer under the sun has a media network. But can anyone actually explain the ROI of running banner ads next to frozen peas? Didn’t think so.

Advertisers will nail DEI without tokenism

Nothing says progress like campaigns radiating “diverse stock photo energy” and no substance to back it up. 

Every agency will actually deliver on DEI promises

Expect more flashy initiatives and panels, and less actual follow-through on making their rosters more inclusive. 

Ad budgets will be spent exactly as planned

“No last-minute fire drills,” said no CMO ever. Enjoy another year of reallocating large swaths of money in Q4 while pretending everything’s fine. 

Influencers will get less cringe

For every creator nailing authenticity, there are 10 doing TikTok dances for oat milk sponsorships. Expect more questionable #content. 

Cookies will magically disappear (this time, we promise)

Google’s cookie apocalypse has been rescheduled (and readjusted) — again. RIP to everyone who built their career on third-party tracking.

A media agency will finally crack TikTok ROI

“We’ve got it,” they’ll announce for the umpteenth time. Really they don’t, and neither do you.  

Media execs will finally solve burnout

“We care about mental health,” said the CEO, while emailing at midnight about hitting quaterly targets. 

Social media algorithms will stop gaslighting us

Your organic reach didn’t “drop accidentally,” and no, you’ll never really understand why that post went viral. 

Brands will finally resist jumping on memes too late

Sure, referencing a month-old trend really makes you look hip. Keep it up, boomer marketing teams. 

CTV’s content will stop outpacing its ads

High-production series and low production ad breaks: the cognitive dissonance will continue to reign supreme in 2025.

Brands will stop using pets as influencers 

Yes, it’s cute. No, we don’t need another golden retriever pushing CBD supplements. 

Principle-based buying will stop being a smokescreen

In 2025, it’ll still be the perfect cover for opaque practices, hidden rebates and vague accountability. 

Brands will stop trying to make their own influencers 

No, your CEO doesn’t need a LinkedIn post with Gen Z slang. Let the professionals handle it — or at least someone with a ring light.

CTV won’t feel like cable 2.0

With ad breaks longer than a Peloton class and the same three spots on repeat, welcome to the future — circa 1998.

Influencers will get better at disclosures

“Totally not sponsored … but shout to [brand that’s clearly paying them].” Get ready — 2025 promises more creative takes on clarity. 

Ad tech will finally clean up its supply chain

Transparency is the goal, and yet in 2025, you’ll still need a PhD in spaghetti diagrams to figure out where your ad spend actually went.

Privacy laws won’t make ad tech more complicated  

2025 will bring new regulations, new loopholes and the same old guessing game over what’s actually compliant.

Curation won’t just be another buzzword

Ad tech will keep hyping curated marketplaces while quietly stuffing them with low-quality inventory. But hey, it’s premium if you say it is.

Ad tech M&A will finally slow down

The consolidation frenzy isn’t over yet. By 2025, half the industry will own the other half — or at least try to. 

Everyone will finally agree on agency compensation models

Retailers? Performance-based fees? Commission? In 2025, it’ll still be a free-for-all of “creative accounting.”

Agencies will finally solve talent turnover

The endless cycle of burnout, poaching and ghosting clients mid-project isn’t going anywhere next year.

Brands will use the TikTok ban to get serious about strategy

Instead of reevaluating their overdependence on a single platform, expect more of the same: panic, pivot, repeat.

A TikTok ban won’t lead to mass panic among marketers 

Expect more scrambling, rushed “pivot to Reels” strategies and existential dread about reaching Gen Z. 

TikTok creators will stop pretending they’re platform-agnostic 

They’ll claim they’re ready to migrate, but 2025 will reveal that building an audience on Reels or YouTube Shorts isn’t as easy as copying a username.

Meta will finally fix its endless bugs

In 2025, the ads manager will still crash during your campaign launch and reporting will still glitch right before client presentations. 

YouTube will finally solve its content moderation problem 

Between conspiracy theories, copyright claims and demonetization drama, 2025 will be business as usual. 

AI-generated content won’t flood the internet

The web will keep getting clogged with soulless, keyword-stuffed AI articles, making it harder than ever to separate quality from noise. 

The ad industry will fully embrace AI platforms

In 2025, agencies and brands will side-eye AI tools while quietly using them to write their ad copy faster and cheaper. 

Publishers won’t lose ad revenue to AI platforms

AI platforms are already eating search traffic — and by 2025, they’ll be siphoning off ad dollars too, leaving publishers to fight for scraps. 

The industry will stop panicking about AI replacing jobs

2025 will bring more headlines about AI taking over creative and media planning roles but also more confusion over whether that’s actually happening.