Trends and Technology

Less than three years after AI-based ChatGPT launched, spurring dramatic change throughout the marketing and advertising field, large language models (LLMs) are taking marketing operations to yet another level.

With C-level executives starting to lose faith in chief marketers' ability to spike the top and bottom lines, some are turning to fractional or part-time CMOs.

The web has disrupted just about every facet of paid media in the past decade. The TV upfront? Not so much. Advertisers and media companies are looking to move beyond traditional 60- and 30-second spots and model more effective ways to reach viewers who toggle between broadcast and streaming channels.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banning red dye No. 3 and recommending more detailed food and alcohol labeling underscores several questions for marketers. Namely, should brands be more proactive and opt for greater transparency about health concerns associated with their products?

Regardless of its fate in the U.S., TikTok has spawned the "TikTokification" of digital content, in which advertisers are on the hook to produce short, punchy, and often irreverent content to appeal to gen Zers and other younger demos.

The most successful ads no longer rest on killer creative. Instead, they must be strategically designed to leave a lasting and positive impression on consumers' minds. This shift signals a new reality, with brands angling to scientifically engineer ways to tap into how the human brain processes and stores information.

Brand spokescharacters are having a renaissance as companies scramble to fuel engagement in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Whether it's enduring spokescharacters, such as the Green Giant and the Kool-Aid Man, or edgier mascots, including the Duolingo owl, brand mascots not only fuel engagement but provide some levity to consumers and additional opportunities for integrated marketing.

In an attention economy shifting into overdrive, loyalty programs are an increasingly crucial asset for marketers, as they provide an opportunity to distinguish their brand from competitors, strengthen relationships with customers, and drive sustained purchases.

Despite ample lead time, many brands remain ill-prepared for the European Accessibility Act, which goes into effect on June 28, 2025. Those marketers who haven't already started may need to enhance their websites and algorithms to comply with the comprehensive new law and cater to people with disabilities.

The tension between performance marketing and branding has created a strategic paradox that threatens sustainable business growth. While company values are becoming more and more important to consumers when it comes to what they purchase, marketers are having an increasingly tough time explaining to C-level executives the nuanced, compounding value of investing in branded advertising.

Donald Trump's first term in the White House put businesses' ability to deduct advertising expenses on the chopping block. Experts say his next term could have equally significant — and surprising — implications for the industry.

Gone are the days when marketers communicated among themselves or with their agencies, as if in a large fraternity where everyone understood the jargon. As marketers grapple with a dizzying number of media channels, online platforms, and suppliers, the need to communicate in unambiguous terms has become urgent.

The advertising industry, which is a major contributor to rising greenhouse gas emissions through digital advertising, has a growing role in reducing carbon levels and fostering sustainability.

Ad agencies are starting to launch their own design practices, expanding the breadth of services they offer client-side marketers who have growing and unique demands.

As brands engage gen X, they must navigate the generation's complex mix of financial concerns, multigenerational caregiving, and an unconventional approach to retirement.

A skills-based recruitment strategy — rather than strictly relying on education level — is an increasingly popular ingredient for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that are eager to attract, retain, and grow marketing talent. SMBs can fill in any potential knowledge gaps through training programs that take a long-term approach.

Burnout is taking a serious toll throughout the workplace, leading to lower productivity and higher absenteeism, among other costs — marketing teams may be increasingly susceptible.

The rise of streaming TV is opening up new opportunities for product placement for marketers eager to distinguish their products with consumers. But the execution has become much more complex, as successful product placement efforts require a strategic collaboration among brands, vendors, and content creators to ensure the product fits seamlessly within the narrative.

Adding more budget for marketing training has seldom been more important, as nascent technologies upend traditional advertising practices and CMOs are increasingly held accountable for driving growth. Heightened training also plays into current hiring trends, with 83 percent of CMOs planning to hire this year, per a recent study.

As in-house agencies proliferate, training has become an increasingly important part of the remit. Marketing managers need to show their in-house staffers how to avoid groupthink, maintain an outsider's perspective, and build relationships with other departments throughout their organization.