Happy New Year 2025!
As is now tradition, I’m sharing my vision for the coming year in the realm of marketing and communications.
The year hasn’t even begun, and we’re already in the second round of elections. By now, it’s clear to everyone that the two candidates in the runoff are vying for the presidency of Croatia, not Zagreb. These elections will conclude as they will, and without a day’s pause, we’ll dive into the battle for local elections. By May, this marathon of super-election years will finally wrap up, allowing us to shift into a lazy summer free from the stresses of football, the Olympics, or “Toči, Joško, toči” commercials.
Media
Unfortunately, there’s little good news in the world of media. Outlets are bracing for impact, whether due to the new gambling advertising regulations or the decisions by distributors of print dailies and weeklies. No one knows how things will look after January 1, 2025, but I predict a familiar scenario: a plea for government intervention. Meanwhile, online publishers are rubbing their hands with glee, observing a new generation that has never bought a print newspaper for news—only for coupons, discounts, and non-journalistic content.
In this space, I expect significant shifts in ownership stakes at some of the major media outlets. The same could happen with certain TV stations whose financial models have become questionable.
The TikTokification of social media
TikTok is taking the advertising world by storm. It’s now unthinkable to execute a campaign without a presence on this platform. Brands, however, are rushing in blindly, unaware that authenticity is key. I predict many will face mild bans for trying to repurpose traditional TV commercials for TikTok, failing to adapt their message to the audience. Add to that increasing regulation, and even negative campaigns might quiet down under Big Brother’s watchful eye.
Based on what I’ve seen at industry events, creative teams are gearing up for some very interesting formats, making it easier to target international markets.
Google, Meta and the regulatory landscape
On the Google front, the industry has adapted to GA4—begrudgingly, as most loathe it for disrupting analytics and producing skewed data. Media outlets aren’t fans either, as the new results don’t always paint them in the best light. The cookie debate continues, but with no official announcements, the “end is near” rhetoric remains speculative.
At Meta, it’s business as usual. Facebook has introduced minor tweaks, such as advertising with reduced targeting options, while Instagram continues to perform well, albeit slowly losing ground to TikTok. Meta has all but severed ties with media organizations, doubling down on its claim: “We’re not a media company, just an intermediary.” This longstanding tug-of-war with Brussels over digital regulations persists, shaping the narrative around the healthy regulation of the online space. Regulation will dominate conversations in communication circles. It can be both a blessing and a curse—try explaining to a bot why your perfectly benign ad got flagged.
Industry associations are working tirelessly, particularly in digital. There’s an initiative to unify measurement tools across all digital publishers, which would simplify metrics for everyone involved. Other associations are strengthening the profession’s foundations, and I believe 2025 will be their year, with robust groundwork already in place.New players have entered the domestic media monitoring market, and I expect further shakeups in this area as well.
AI remains a buzzword but is steadily making life easier across all aspects of marketing and beyond. A personal example: my go-to app, Strava, now uses AI to analyze my training sessions. It tells me I rode my bike at a moderate pace—something I apparently couldn’t figure out while riding!
What a time to be alive. Wishing you all the best for 2025. Cheers!
