A new report from WARC highlights growing optimism among marketers for business prospects in 2025, tempered by concerns over economic conditions and restrained budget increases. The study, titled Voice of the Marketer 2025, surveyed 1,000 marketing professionals and sheds light on the evolving priorities and challenges shaping the industry.
Two-thirds of marketers (65%) anticipate improved business conditions next year, marking the most optimistic outlook in three years. However, this confidence is closely tied to economic stability, with 72% of respondents acknowledging its critical role. Meanwhile, only 34% of marketers expect their budgets to increase in 2025, a decline from 41% in last year’s survey. Nearly half (44%) predict their budgets will remain stable.
A Shift Toward Digital and Performance Marketing
The report underscores a continued shift toward digital media, with investments in online video and social platforms poised to dominate. Just 5% of respondents report no current investment in these digital channels, in stark contrast to the 34% who forego spending on TV and cinema. This trend aligns with broader advertising industry data, including WARC’s Global Ad Spend Outlook, which shows that online channels now account for nearly 59% of global ad spending.
Despite the momentum in digital, recent studies from Ebiquity, Lumen, and Thinkbox highlight that traditional media such as TV often outperforms digital in terms of attention and overall effectiveness. These findings suggest that while digital channels are expanding, marketers may need to balance innovation with the proven strengths of legacy platforms.
Experimentation and Measurement Emerge as Priorities
The adoption of experimental approaches in marketing has surged. The share of marketers incorporating experiments into their measurement strategies doubled over the past year, rising from 18% in 2023 to 36% in 2024. This growth signals a shift toward data-driven decision-making, as marketers seek innovative ways to assess campaign effectiveness.
However, the report also reveals significant gaps in the use of advanced analytics. While 67% of respondents track brand health, less than half rely on econometrics or marketing mix modeling (MMM). These findings suggest room for improvement in integrating more sophisticated measurement tools.
Marketing Industry Implications for 2025
For marketing professionals, the insights from the Voice of the Marketer 2025 report offer a snapshot of an industry in transition. While optimism for growth is returning, budgetary caution and economic uncertainty remain pressing concerns. The shift toward digital media and experimental measurement techniques reflects a need to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and the demands for accountability in marketing spend.
Marketers will need to weigh the promises of innovation against the proven results of traditional approaches as they navigate a fragmented media landscape. The findings also hint at an industry increasingly focused on both short-term performance and long-term brand growth, as evidenced by equal interest in performance and brand marketing investments.
As the marketing landscape evolves, these trends may shape not only where marketers allocate their resources but also how they measure success in an increasingly complex environment.