The world of advertising never stops evolving. This year has brought unexpected twists and events that no one would have anticipated. Although some developments were foreseeable, such as the continued expansion of the capabilities of the artificial intelligence (AI) or the growing prominence of retail media for advertisers, others have shaken the industry. An example is the decision of Google to allow consumers to choose about the use of third-party cookies rather than eliminating them completely.
This year has shown how complicated it is to predict the future of advertising. However, its dynamic nature and focus on innovation make it a vibrant and exciting industry. With this in mind, these are the tendencies key that, in my opinion, will shape the advertising landscape in 2025.
Advertisers will return to the future
Although Google’s decision not to remove third-party cookies may seem like an unexpected turn, the direction we are heading remains the same. Allowing consumers to choose over third-party identifiers will hasten their demise. He new privacy paradigm is here to stay, and advertisers must adapt.
At first it was thought that the lower viability of identifiers would make campaigns less efficient, but the paradox is that the opposite is also true. Advertisers who, in 2025, are willing to move from hyper-segmentation to a new model, based on hybridization of traditional solutions with new technologiesyou will see better results while prioritizing privacy.
This means that the fundamentals of advertising will once again be at the forefront, with greater focus on the media planning phase to find relevant audiences and ensure they are reached. At the same time, new technologies will optimize ad buying. AI-powered tools will make setting up, launching and optimizing campaigns more efficient, while more precise measurement of attention, such as eye movement tracking, will further improve campaign execution. This new era of advertising will be more powerful and more privacy-friendly than its predecessor.
The battle between publishers and AI search will intensify
The explosive growth of AI does not stop. In 2024, one of the most important developments for consumers has been the launch of AI-enabled search solutions, such as Google AI Overviews. These solutions, working separately or integrated into standard search, generate responses from a variety of sources.
As more users opt for these AI-powered solutions instead of traditional searches, this could have big implications for publishers. The easily readable summaries that AI creates mean that users have little incentive to click through to publishers’ sites, depriving them of traffic and, ultimately, advertising revenue. This problem will be further exacerbated by services such as Google AI Overviews y Perplexity AIwhich now allow ads within AI searches. With many publishers already facing financial difficulties, this could pose a serious threat to their survival.
It will be crucial to find a balance to prevent AI from drastically impacting publishers. Agreements like that of Dotdash Meredith with OpenAI or campaigns like Keep it Real de Raptive will become more important in the coming year as all parties look for a system that works.
Video spending accelerates further
The shift of linear TV budgets to CTV channels will continue to accelerate in 2025. With the growing success of ad-supported tiers on services like Amazon Prime and Disney+, more brands will begin to view digital video not as an emerging novelty, but as the main place for video budgets. However, advertisers investing heavily in these new channels should keep in mind that they could become the new walled gardens.
As more money flows into creating videos for these platforms, advertisers will look to extend the reach of their campaigns through openweb players. In this ecosystem, publishers who develop video capabilities will also benefit.
Advertisers will need to take sustainability seriously
The scandal of sitios Made-For-Advertising that shook the industry this year highlighted not only the unnecessary spending, but also the carbon emissions generated. Impressions in these environments have little impact on consumers and generate more emissions than high-quality advertising placements.
The need to decarbonize advertising is evident, and reducing Made-For-Advertising sites will be key. In 2025, scrutiny will increase on segmentation solutions that fail to achieve accurate results, not only because of wasted spend, but also because of the associated emissions.
Although 2025 will bring challenges, it will also be a year of innovation. Collaboration, technological advances and respect for privacy will be essential to overcome these challenges and ensure long-term success.
Written by Daniel Gozlan, Country Director Spain en Ogury
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