Year of the Consumer: Top 5 Marketing Trends This Year

The beginning of the year is a great time to reflect on things we’ve learned and look forward to everything this year has in store. This is especially true in the fast-paced world of marketing, so as we dive into 2025, let’s take a brief look at what worked and what didn’t last year. Then, we’ll highlight current marketing trends for 2025 and learn what they mean for your businesses.

2024 at a Glance

From automation to augmented reality, new trends in marketing made their way through 2024 with a technological tour de force. It was a don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it year for new ideas driven by consumer preferences, like the need for faster data processing and the shift toward even more AI usage, along with immersive brand experiences like virtual try-ons and virtual showrooms.

Hyper-personalization kept brands at the forefront of consumer minds in an increasingly competitive marketplace with more targeted and customized marketing campaigns, and influencer marketing continued to expand, reaching even broader audiences than ever with social media endorsements for products and services. And finally, video continued its surge, with more forms of short-form video taking the spotlight.

Consumers continued to remind us how savvy they are. They remain hungry for purpose-driven marketing that speaks to their goals and beliefs because it gives them a way to interact with the brands they love while still doing their part to positively impact the world around them. Brands that give back find it easier to connect with consumers when they share common thoughts and goals. For example, the company Patagonia is very committed to its conservation and climate activism, and this narrative is woven consistently throughout all its customer touchpoints.

Hello, 2025! Brand-New Year, Brand-New Trends

Paying attention to the changing marketplace and consumer sentiment is one of the ways you can stay sharp and stay on top of the latest marketing trends. Marketing trends tell us about the changing wants and needs of consumers, so it makes sense that when you are up to date, you will be able to make more genuine and lasting connections with your clients and customers. While you may be surprised by some brand-new ideas and concepts, you’ll find that a few of the trends we know and love will stick around and expand into new and improved versions this year.

Here are 5 Key Trends in Marketing for 2025. By implementing some, or all, of these strategies into your marketing objectives, consumers will recognize your efforts and reward you with their attention and loyalty.

Expansion of Social Commerce

If you’re on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, or any other social media platform, you’ve probably seen the many irresistible ads for products that are oh-so-clickable. They pop up in your feed, and it’s like they know you! (Don’t worry, if you purchased an “I woke up like this” T-shirt or a cat-shaped stress ball on Instagram in 2024, we understand. We probably did the same thing.)

Social commerce, or social shopping, presents an opportunity for brands to sell products and services as they connect with customers via online social media platforms. According to Forbes, the social commerce market is projected to hit $1.2 trillion in 2025, leaving plenty of room for growth for savvy businesses.

Look for an expansion in social commerce features, like more shoppable posts, increased use of augmented reality for things like online try-ons, in-app checkouts, increased gamification with favorite brands, even more nuanced and personalized product recommendations, and more.

How Your Business Can Win at Social Commerce

Earn customer trust by ensuring the professionals on your team are sharp social media marketers who are relationship-building experts. Build your online presence and consistently reinforce your brand message by delivering a smooth experience, excellent service and superior products. Positive customer feedback is golden because it will be seen and read by other potential customers, and it will spread quickly with your time and attention.

AI Marketing Automation

(AI) Artificial Intelligence is here to stay, and every year, its capabilities are more impressive. This year, look for even more advanced technology to deliver things like quicker data processing, even more in-depth consumer information and increased usage of behavior analytics. That means more businesses are going to have even more customer information, so your company needs to deliver an even greater level of consumer-focused marketing to woo customers.

Keep your eyes open for dynamic content that changes and updates based on consumer behavior. This smart content is beneficial for businesses because it aligns with customer preferences and creates micro moments in real time while the customer is online. Plus, look for smart virtual influencers that engage with consumers online and imbue brand values as individuals browse and shop.

How Your Business Can Win at AI Marketing Automation

Work to integrate humans and AI so that there is collaboration between the two. When humans analyze predictive and analytic AI feedback, they can deliver a more tailored consumer experience, ultimately building trust between your company and consumers.

As AI continues to get smarter, its possibilities for marketers become even more limitless. Leverage customer data points to help you communicate consistently on special days throughout the year, maintain inventory levels, respond to requests or complaints, direct product development and so much more. Any data insights you receive allow you to act and react in the most effective and positive way for your business.

Unhinged and Disruptive Digital Marketing

Generation Z and Generation Alpha are growing up, and their dollars are making an impact on the economy. Unhinged marketing is known for its shock value and the way it disrupts and incorporates current trends, as well as popular slang and fun language, into brand marketing moments. Another way to stand apart in a crowded space, unhinged marketing is a winning strategy for brands like Chipotle and Duolingo that are boldly marching onto the scene with “very demure” messaging and outrageous ads that speak to today’s audiences.

How Your Business Can Win at Creating Cultural Content

Know your brand and know your audience. Do your research…and then be responsibly creative. Lots of brands have pulled this off successfully, but there have been mistakes, too, so be sure to deliver nuanced messages that are in the appropriate context and directed to the appropriate audience. Set rules ahead of time for your team to be fair and respectful in their creativity and then be open to creative ideas!

At Hallmark Business Connections, we stay on top of current trends, and we make sure to get to know your brand, too, so when you shop our greeting cards and corporate gifts, you’ll be sure to find business-appropriate items. Even when you’re feeling funny, we’ll make sure your message stays on point and is one your customers will love!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Gets More Personal

Artificial intelligence isn’t a new concept to marketers; however, this year things get even more personal. With brands everywhere fighting for their time in the spotlight, bots want their fair share of attention, too. The key to success will be consumer personalization and diving even deeper into understanding preferences and then personalizing their responses and consumer interactions even further.

Voice and visual search technologies are continually being improved upon, and as these are enhanced, AI capabilities to create real-time, individualized content improve as well.

How Your Business Can Win at AI

Use all the customer data you have at your fingertips to let them know you’re paying attention throughout the year. As you get to know your customers better, stock up on greeting cards from Hallmark Business Connections and send birthday cards or anniversary cards; or surprise customers with a Valentine’s Day card letting them know that your business loves and appreciates its customers.

At Hallmark Business Connections, you’ll find bulk business greeting cards for every occasion, so get creative and send greetings for anything from Graduation to Retirement, and you can even personalize your cards with your own brand message or logo to make it more impactful. When you have a unique sending situation and need to send a single card, be sure to check out our Mail to One service for an elevated, one-of-a-kind personalized experience. We’ll even mail your card for you!

For really special occasions, like weddings, the arrival of a new baby or a retirement, don’t forget memorable gifts like a bouquet of fresh cut flowers or a box of gourmet chocolates by Christopher Elbow. When special clients receive gifts from you on meaningful days, you’ll make a lasting impact that is likely to turn into customer loyalty.

Video Is Here to Stay

Encompassing everything from live action to screen recorded to animated, video is by far the type of online content that people enjoy sharing the most. The global average for video consumption is approximately 17 hours per week, a great indicator to marketers to lean into video for consumer messaging.

While we aren’t new to video, in 2025 video will have a few surprises in store for us. We’ll still see plenty of short-form video, as it holds shopper interest from beginning to end (a dream for marketers!), and AI-powered videos will deliver optimized content that can be personalized and easily updated for marketing purposes. Additionally, look for more interactive videos encouraging consumers to interact with products and businesses, a drive toward authenticity and more creative storytelling that captivates shoppers with its narrative.

We’ll continue to see AI integrating with video to deliver hybrid experiences, shoppable video that includes linked shopping opportunities and UGC (user-generated content) videos that feature real products being highlighted by real customers. Additionally, VR (Virtual Reality) continues to grow in popularity, along with educational and interactive videos.

How Your Business Can Win at Video

Try your hand at short-form video by adding behind-the-scenes peeks to your online social feeds, adding tutorials to your website, adding customer testimonials, tips, tricks and more. Your imagination is your limit, but remember, authenticity rules still apply. Consumers want to align with businesses that “get” them, so do your research, know your clients and then give them the content they’re looking for.

Remember, it’s important to build a brand your consumers love now so that they’ll want to do business with you later. It’s worth spending time and marketing dollars to make sure you are aligned with current trends in marketing and know what customers are looking for. Consumers are more connected than ever and more in tune with the brands and companies they love. The more you interact, build relationships and boost confidence, the more likely they will be to feel loyalty toward your company.

The virtual world expands more every year, and it’s more important than ever to find ways to maintain the human touch when marketing to customers. By contributing human insight, feeling and creativity to the powerful online tools available to you, you’ll be able to deliver the authentic, personalized experience customers are looking for.

To learn more about creating authentic relationships and building brand trust with consumers, read Moving Beyond the Tagline: The Role of Authenticity in Customer Retention.