As the calendar flips and a fresh, new year begins, we face a time of reflection, a time to set intentions for personal growth. Think vision boards and manifestations. Similar to those personal aspirations of losing ten pounds, or landing that new executive position, brand leaders should be identifying brand resolutions for the new year. Below are five resolutions brand leaders should be making in 2025 to optimize their brand’s health and standing in the marketplace for the year ahead.
- Explore AI Solutions to Real Problems – AI has been the buzzword for a few years now. Still, fueled by unfulfilled and unrealistic expectations, many marketers are skeptical of the practicality of AI and its impact on their business. According to a 2024 Basis Study, 53.2% of marketers and advertisers believe AI is overhyped, while 88.7% feel generative AI poses a moderate-to-significant brand safety and misinformation risk. Despite skepticism, in just two short years, AI technology has seen significant advancements and widespread adoption across many verticals and the technology isn’t going anywhere. AI can deliver efficiencies, streamline operations in various ways, help analyze data, and provide key insights for advertising campaigns. However, brands and agencies alike need to align AI technology and tools with well-defined business problems to see true value and return on investment. AI tools need to be customized for organizational use.
- Be Authentic – Brand authenticity is vital for success, especially in today’s competitive marketplace. It is fundamental to establishing trust with consumers. When brands consistently demonstrate their authenticity by aligning their actions and values with those of their target audience, customers and potential customers alike take notice, creating deeper connections and brand loyalty. According to a recent Forbes article, 70% of people across 25 countries say they buy from brands that share their values or personal beliefs.
- Create Meaningful Partnerships – With influencer marketing becoming a billion-dollar industry, brands are recognizing the value of long-term partnerships in building customer trust and loyalty. As the industry continues to grow, it is predicted that the focus will shift from follower counts and likes to meaningful engagement and measurable ROI. Brands should be more strategic about their partnerships, ensuring the influencer resonates with the target audience in an authentic way. They should also consider how to leverage partnership content in their owned and paid properties.
- Budget for a Brand Awareness Campaign – With the measurability of digital campaigns, brands often focus on immediate marketing goals only, leaving long-term brand development by the wayside. But for many advertisers, especially those whose products or services are more of a considered purchase, awareness marketing is crucial to future success. When people are familiar with your brand, they are more likely to choose your product over your competition. Be sure to allocate dollars to a long-term awareness campaign to keep your brand top of mind when customer need arises.
- Diversify Search Budgets – Search behaviors are continuing to evolve as answer engines, retail media networks and social media sites steal search volumes, indicating a fundamental shift in search behavior is happening, especially among younger users. In fact, almost 40% of Gen Z is using TikTok and Instagram for search instead of Google, according to Google’s own data. While brands should not pull out of Google Search entirely, they can be early adapters to this trend and shift budget to test Amazon or Walmart ads, or TikTok’s new search feature, as long as it aligns with the behaviors of their target audience.
These are just a few of the resolutions brands should be making in 2025. If you’d like help optimizing your brand health and standing in the marketplace in the year ahead, Jigsaw is ready to help you secure your brand’s share of the future.