Vic Drabicky’s Post

Exactly zero people have requested this post, but here are 25 hot takes for marketers for 2025.   Some are real-ish (some not so much). All are intended for fun-ish.    1. 2024 was supposed to be the death of cookies. 2025 might be the death of Google as users turn to AI for search. 2. It’s ok because YouTube will continue to grow at warp speed and more than make up for the search drop. 3. Because of this, Netflix will license a major cable company’s feed to offer more live TV. This hot take provided by Jeremy Ekes 4. Tiktok will get banned, then un-banned, then go on a tear. 5. With Gen Alpha entering their teen years, they will further support the TT growth and begin to have a major impact on advertising. 6. Everything will be over-algorithmed, pushing consumers to a bland sameness. 7. Because of this, culture and consumers will turn toward those willing to take risks. Nick Drabicky is spot-on with this one and the one above. 8. Inventive shopping platforms like Daydream will be game changers for consumers and brands alike. 9. Shoppable media and live shopping will take a meaningful step forward - changing our future shopping norms. Thank you Pritika Chugh, MBA  10. Ad platforms will continue to push toward automated creative which will make brands feel great, creative leaders feel stressed, and consumers feel meh. 11. As creative gets automated, content creators continue to shine as new, inventive ideas stand out. 12. Most creative will be video-first which will give Apple so many more chances to revive the "shot on an iPhone" campaign. 13. In 2025, advertisers will flock to podcasting before they become too expensive. 14. Companies forcing a return to office will further grow the podcast listenership. 15. Experience will drive loyalty and growth more than anything else. Thank you Andrea Kostinas for this one. 16. More retail media networks. Everyone from fast food to colleges will try to build their own networks. 17. Biodata companies like Oura flirt with building their own networks too. 18. Which will outrage consumers for a hot second. 19. Smart glasses will have a moment...maybe. If they don't, blame Jared Smith for this hot take. 20. Incrementality will finally become the lead form of measurement as everyone except finance realizes last click is flawed. Rebecca Visconti is dead right. 21. As incrementality grows, Google Analytics will retool their approach again. 22. Performance Media agencies will continue to see margins and marketshare shrink as things become more automated. 23. Smart agencies will move to being strategy focused. This will melt down procurement systems as they struggle to evaluate which agency is most strategic (aka cheapest). 24. None of the above matters as global political leaders will continue to screw things up and stress out the world's population. 25. But it will all be ok as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce get engaged and we are all happy for them. Happy 2025 everyone!