Horizon Media Charts the Marketing Course for 2025 with Industry Predictions

"25 Trends on The Horizon in '25" Report: Anticipating Change, Embracing Opportunity

NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Media Holdings, parent company of the full-service marketing portfolio including Horizon Media, the largest independent media agency globally, today unveiled its inaugural annual marketing industry forecast - "25 Trends on the Horizon in '25."  The 2025 report maps out the trends that leaders from across Horizon's portfolio predict will reshape how brands connect with consumers in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

These predictions center on the critical interplay of technology, cultural intelligence, and creative strategy, helping businesses stay ahead in a complex and fragmented marketplace.  The report explores the shifts that are poised to redefine media, marketing, and consumer engagement over the coming year and includes 25 predictions across six focus areas: Advertising Shapes — and Reflects — Our World; The Consumer, Today; Behind the Brand; Media Meets Momentum: Technology Driving New Connections; Essential Channels for a Fragmented World: Experiential, OOH, and Audio; and Ethics, Privacy & Progress: The New Org & Partnership Guide.  Showcasing Horizon's commitment to industry-leading innovation, data-driven creativity, and transformative solutions, the report incorporates insights from Horizon Media, Horizon Next (full-service marketing), Night Market (commerce), One Horizon (full-service advertising), HS&E (sports and experiential), Blue Hour Studios (social agency), First Tube (moments marketing), and Green Thread (B2B marketing).

Some of the insights from "25 in '25" include:

Bill Koenigsberg, CEO and founder, Horizon Media — on the future of agencies:
"…data alone doesn't drive meaningful outcomes. The ability to refine and integrate data is what makes the difference. That's why our approach to data emphasizes the flow of information — the way insights are harnessed and deployed — to fuel smarter decision making…As I reflect on how data and emerging technologies have changed the way we do business, I recognize the definition of an agency is evolving as quickly as the definition of advertising. The traditional holding company model, built on scale for its own sake, is giving way to something more dynamic and responsive. Today, Horizon isn't just adapting to these changes—we're driving them." 

Bob Lord, President, Horizon Media Holdings — on technology acceleration: 
"As we look toward marketing trends and drivers for 2025, the headline is simple: technological changes will accelerate – reshaping enterprise strategies, consumer behaviors, and innovation. The fusion of technology and marketing will redefine how businesses engage, decide, and compete. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) are not just trends; they represent a transformative shift in creating opportunities and addressing challenges…The question is not whether technology will redefine marketing, but whether marketers will be ready navigate consumer behaviors increasingly shaped by technology innovations."

Domenic Venuto, EVP, Chief Product & Data Officer, Horizon Media — on democratized access:
"Horizon's blu. LLM deployment democratizes access to even more vast datasets, offering a conversational interface that replaces technical processes and puts powerful insights into the hands of all marketers instantly. The result will be a transformative shift: marketers querying data, refining audience segments, and extracting consumer insights in seconds, with less reliance on technical expertise. The platform moves beyond traditional media planning to encompass business and marketing intelligence, integrating data from structured, unstructured, and synthetic sources to provide a richer, more accurate 360-degree view of the customer journey."

Maxine Gurevich, SVP, Cultural Intelligence, Horizon Media — on rethinking audience engagement:
"Cultural intelligence will be central to how brands build emotional resonance, foster loyalty, and drive impact. As consumers increasingly align themselves with subcultures and value hyper-personalized experiences, marketers must rethink how they engage audiences — not just by observing cultural trends but by embedding them into their strategies…Cultural resonance doesn't come from targeting a demographic; it's about understanding the passions that define people's lives."

David Campanelli, President, Global Investment, Horizon Media — on industry growth:
"The global advertising industry is projected to grow this year, but at a slower pace than in 2024. Key growth drivers include retail media and other digital channels, but economic uncertainty is leading marketers — especially those in the U.S. — to temper growth expectations…While the global market is robust, a more cautious outlook in North America reflects economic trepidation. For marketers, the emphasis will be on balancing investment across high-performing channels like retail media while navigating uncertainties in regional markets."

Latraviette Smith-Wilson, EVP, Chief Marketing & Equity Officer, Horizon Media — on inclusion intelligence:
"Forward-thinking companies will integrate DEI across operations, culture, and values, moving beyond HR-centric programs to enterprise-wide priorities with measurable outcomes. Advanced technologies like AI and data analytics will play a pivotal role in enhancing accountability, tracking progress, and identifying gaps with precision. Simultaneously, as inclusive practices enhance both organizational performance and consumer engagement, the most effective marketing will increasingly reflect this strategic integration of DEI…These businesses will reframe the competitive edge, positioning themselves as the standard for sustainable success and proving that inclusion is not just a driver of progress but a prerequisite for prosperity."

Alejandra Rubio, SVP, Head of Business and Brand Strategy, One Horizon — on amplifying creativity:
"Far from replacing human talent, AI enhances creative potential by handling tasks like concept iteration and asset adaptation. It allows agencies to move faster and think bigger, delivering bold, boundary-pushing ideas that align with brand objectives. The future isn't about automating creativity — it's about amplifying it…This year, the industry will spotlight the importance of craft in advertising, but with an intelligence-backed foundation. "

Randy Browning, President, Night Market — on powering incremental revenue: 
"This year the advertising industry will embrace what Horizon Media's Night Market coined 'the pervasive store.' Retailers are integrating digital media into physical stores with technologies like interactive kiosks, digital shelf displays, and smart shopping carts, transforming aisles into digital touchpoints. This omnichannel approach gives brands a holistic view of the customer journey and unlocks opportunities to boost engagement and conversions across both online and offline channels…advertisers will face increasing pressure to prove ROI and incremental revenue from their investments. The industry's fragmented attribution methodologies and reliance on metrics like ROAS are no longer sufficient. Night Market's NEON platform, for instance, offers a neutral and consistent measure of incremental ROI with 97.5% accuracy, delivering insights that drive smarter decisions and more meaningful business."

Kerry Bradley, SVP, Strategy, Horizon Sports & Experiences — on women's sports:
"Sports marketing is undergoing a transformative shift in 2025, fueled by the rising momentum in women's sports, immersive, tech-driven experiences that blend physical and virtual worlds, and a growing focus on independent and athlete-led media platforms. Women's sports aren't just having a moment—they're driving a lasting shift in the sports landscape."

Sarah Bachman, EVP, Head of Blue Hour Studios — on creator partnerships:
"Influencer marketing is entering a new era this year, characterized by its meaningful, long-term partnerships with creators. More brands are leaving behind transactional, one-off deals to pursue authentic collaborations that resonate with niche audiences and fandoms. This year, expect to see marketers challenge the traditional assumption that influencers must resemble their target audiences.  Research by Horizon Media's Blue Hour Studios reveals that shared values and interests — not demographics — are the most impactful criteria for creator partnerships today."

Read more from Horizon's experts and access the full trends report here.

About Horizon Media Holdings
Horizon Media Holdings is the privately-held parent company of Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency and the largest independent globally. Its portfolio includes Horizon Next (full-service marketing); Night Market (commerce); One Horizon (full-service advertising); HS&E (sports and experiential); Blue Hour Studios (social agency); First Tube (moments marketing); 305 (multicultural); and Green Thread (B2B marketing). Horizon Holdings drives enterprise-level innovation, fosters collaboration across its portfolio, and explores new growth opportunities and technology solutions to help its clients navigate the shifting marketing challenges of today and tomorrow.

For more information, visit www.horizonmedia.com.

SOURCE Horizon Media