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15 Performance Marketing Trends to be aware of in 2025

15 Performance Marketing Trends to be aware of in 2025

As we step into 2025, the complexity of the marketing landscape continues to evolve. From rapid AI development to the rise of privacy-first strategies and the ongoing growth of connected platforms, marketers face exciting opportunities and challenges. Here are some potential trends marketers should consider this year.

Commerce Media

Growth of Shoppable Video Content

Shoppable video will dominate, enabling direct purchases from live streams, short videos, influencer campaigns, etc. The future of platforms like TikTok may be uncertain in the U.S. Still, elsewhere, it and other video platforms like YouTube will leverage interactive formats and AI-powered recommendations to turn passive viewers into active shoppers. Live-stream shopping events will seamlessly combine entertainment and commerce, creating immersive experiences that drive conversions.

Social Commerce Growth

Social commerce will thrive as platforms like TikTok and Instagram refine in-app shopping features. Integrated payment systems, AI-driven recommendations, and influencer collaborations will simplify product discovery and encourage impulse purchases, cementing social platforms as critical sales channels.

Emergence of Retail Media Networks

Retail media networks will dominate digital advertising in 2025, with retailers like Amazon and Walmart offering brands access to highly targeted audiences through first-party purchase data. Advanced ad formats and seamless integration of online and in-store campaigns will make retail media networks indispensable for connecting with shoppers at the point of purchase.

Seamless Omnichannel Experiences

Commerce media will prioritize seamless integration of online and offline shopping in 2025. Features like in-store pickup, virtual try-ons, and AI-driven inventory tracking will provide unified customer experiences. This approach will boost convenience and brand loyalty by meeting consumer expectations for flexibility across channels.

Adapting to a Privacy-First World

With stricter privacy regulations, marketers will prioritize first-party data collection through consent-driven methods like loyalty programs and surveys. Privacy-enhancing technologies and consent management platforms (CMPs) will enable brands to deliver personalized marketing while ensuring compliance and building trust in a privacy-first landscape.

“Like all performance media, adapting to the rapidly developing Commerce Media landscape requires a sophisticated level of strategic planning to prevent wasted budget, time and effort.”

Jasvinder Singh Bindra, Commerce Media Director, M&C Saatchi Performance

Performance Creative

Rise of Hyper-Personalized Creative

Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) will transform advertising by delivering hyper-personalized messages, visuals, and offers in real-time. By leveraging user preferences and contextual factors, brands will create engaging campaigns that resonate deeply with audiences, driving higher engagement and performance.

AI-Generated, Human-Curated Content

AI will revolutionize content creation in 2025, generating scalable assets like copy and visuals with unmatched speed. Human curation will refine these outputs into emotionally compelling stories, blending efficiency with creativity to deliver large-scale high-impact, authentic campaigns.

Creative Automation for Omnichannel Consistency

Creative automation tools will ensure consistent messaging across channels while tailoring content to fit specific platform requirements. Automation will become essential for delivering impactful and cohesive omnichannel campaigns by streamlining campaign development and enabling rapid adaptation to trends.

“Automation might be changing the game in scaling creativity,  but it’s the human touch that keeps it real, relatable, and emotionally impactful – making every campaign truly connect and succeed”

Allita Crasto, Global Head of Creative at M&C Saatchi Performance

Programmatic Advertising

Increased Role of the Open Internet

The privacy challenges that have dominated the industry over the last few years remain an uphill battle, however, Programmatic advertising remains a cornerstone and we expect strong growth to continue. 

This is predominantly driven by a shift in the industry to move away from a channel-first approach to buying, and adopt more of an omnichannel, or audience-first approach. Launching your marketing channels in silos has become significantly less effective in the face of signal loss. There is strength in numbers when utilizing an omnichannel strategy, as well as having a much more unified approach to your digital campaign overall.

“Marketers today recognize the importance of reaching customers across multiple channels like CTV, display, audio, and DOOH. However, research shows that buying media in isolated silos is less efficient and effective than a holistic omnichannel approach. By consolidating media buys, an omnichannel strategy creates seamless, audience-centered campaigns that resonate more, and perform better in the face of signal loss. ”

Megan Price, Programmatic Supervisor at FYND Media

Programmatic Connected TV (CTV) Expansion

The rise of streaming platforms will drive programmatic advertising growth in Connected TV (CTV). 2024 saw multiple big brand partnerships with DSPs, such as Roku sunsetting OneView and opening up their inventory programmatically, and Netflix announcing their expansion beyond Xandr, to include The Trade Desk, Magnite, and DV360 as their programmatic partners. 

Improvements in audience segmentation and advances in measurement will enable advertisers to target highly engaged viewers, positioning CTV as a key channel for driving engagement and measurable results.

Programmatic DOOH: Expanding into Non-Traditional Spaces

DOOH is a rapidly growing channel, spurred on by advances in measurement, targeting, and the reduction in barriers to buying. The market share of programmatic buying of DOOH is increasing which means that marketers are moving away from direct deals with high minimums, and utilizing the agility and flexibility that programmatic offers. 

The rising popularity of the audience-first, omnichannel approach to media buying, as opposed to channel-first, will also be a driver in the growth of DOOH.

Data and Measurement

First-Party Data Dominance

First-party data will take center stage as brands prioritize user-consented data collection through interactive campaigns like quizzes and surveys. These strategies will ensure compliance, build trust, and empower marketers to deliver more personalized and effective campaigns.

Holistic Attribution Models

Marketers will adopt holistic attribution models like multi-touch attribution (MTA) and incrementality testing to understand the impact of every touchpoint in the customer journey. These models will enable smarter budget allocation and data-driven decision-making.

Unified Measurement Frameworks

Unified measurement frameworks will integrate data across offline and online channels, including TV, retail media networks, and out-of-home (OOH) advertising. By connecting data streams, these frameworks will provide a holistic view of campaign performance, driving smarter omnichannel strategies.

Predictive Analytics for Smarter Decisions

AI-powered predictive analytics will enable marketers to anticipate trends, forecast user behavior, and optimize campaigns with precision. By leveraging these insights, brands can enhance targeting, improve ROI, and maximize efficiency across all channels.

“First-party data is often an overlooked asset. By dedicating teams to analyze, optimize, and activate this data, brands can transform it into a powerful tool for driving actionable insights and improved performance.”

Michael Hew, Director, Reporting & Technology at M&C Saatchi Performance

In Summary

2025 promises to be a transformative year for marketers, driven by advancements in AI, the shift to privacy-first strategies, and the expansion of commerce and programmatic media. From hyper-personalized creatives and shoppable video content to unified measurement frameworks and predictive analytics, the focus will be on delivering seamless, data-driven, and consumer-centric experiences. By staying ahead of these trends and embracing innovation, marketers can unlock new opportunities and create meaningful connections with their audiences.

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