European Marketing Agenda 2025 report release!
06 Jan 2025
Approximately 100,000 marketing professionals across Europe, including CMOs, Heads of Marketing, VPs of Marketing, and Online Marketing leaders engaged in identifying the key priorities shaping European marketing in 2025
Over the past year, European Marketing Associations and marketing professionals engaged across Europe, to identify the key priorities shaping European marketing in 2025. A total of 1,698 complete responses from the European Marketing Agenda 2025 survey provided critical insights into the industry's evolving focus areas.
Strategic Focus in 2025: AI Displaces Brand and Digitalisation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as the dominant force in marketing strategy, overshadowing previous focal points such as brand management and the digitalisation of marketing and sales.
Retail media remains a comparatively minor player due to persistent challenges, including unclear business models, limited reach, and inadequate technical integration (e.g., activation based on third-party data) are criticised.
Operational Focus: AI as a Turbo Booster for Data-Driven Customer Engagement
Digital marketing continues to thrive, with AI acting as a "turbo booster" for the advancement of data-driven customer engagement. This shift has reignited progressing interest from Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to comprehensive Customer Experience Management (CX) beyond theoretical concepts. Marketing is increasingly aligning with sustainable business goals, emphasizing environmentally responsible practices and long-term value creation.
Customer expectations are now the driving force behind industry evolution. The outdated philosophy of "quantity drives sales" has given way to heightened competition, with online channels experiencing robust growth.
Operational priorities, however, vary by country, with some emphasizing cost reduction as a primary goal.
Hurdles and Challenges in 2025
Key challenges identified in the report include:
The main challenge is compounded by the lack of “fundamental principles”, above all aggregated data platforms, as well as insufficient know-how to effectively navigate and implement the extensive array of AI applications. To meet these demands, marketers must refine customer journey mapping, align strategies with real-time customer interactions, and return to the basics to gain a true understanding of their customers.
The "House of AI Cards"
AI applications in organizations are evenly distributed across areas such as strategy and ideation (e.g., brainstorming, planning, and analysis) and production functions like Digital Asset Management (DAM).
Trend: AI is expected to become an integral component of these areas. However, this rise brings concerns about data protection, security, and ethical usage.
Insight: Beyond the current AI hype, analysts project an increase in labor productivity by up to 35%.
No Parking on the AI Dancefloor: Agentic AI Ante Portas
Agentic AI represents the next evolutionary development phase of AI, with initial pilot applications already been launched. In addition, Large Language Models (LLMs), like Google's Gemini and OpenAI's GPT-4, serve as the "intelligence" powering numerous AI agents, enabling their functionality across diverse applications and industry sectors.
Organizations as “Permanent Digital Construction Site”
Organizational performance remains a critical priority, particularly in establishing a holistic customer experience and effective channel management. To achieve this, many companies are shifting toward cross-functional teams and self-organisation structures.
While 98% of decision-makers acknowledge the urgent need to enhance and broaden skills & competencies, this issue is seldom treated as a strategic priority. Unfortunately, it is rarely approached systematically or in a structured manner. Despite frequent complaints about a lack of how-how, widespread skill gaps persist. Few organizations implement structured skills and training programmes and competency frameworks to address these challenges systematically, leaving significant deficiencies unaddressed.
Project Management Reloaded
Many projects are hindered by overload—too many simultaneous project initiatives, combined with low project fragmentation, unclear objectives, and a shortage of experienced project managers. Addressing these issues is essential for improving project execution.
The Digital Divide Across Europe
While more than half of companies emerge as "digital-driven innovators," others remain focused on (upper-funnel) brand management or (lower-funnel) sales management.
This era demands honesty and transparency as businesses navigate an AI-driven landscape of rapidly evolving, data-driven customer interactions. Simultaneously, both companies and consumers are embracing greater environmental consciousness, driving the transition toward a more sustainable future for marketing.