7 Shifts Redefining Marketing in 2025
What are the biggest marketing trends for purpose-led businesses in 2025?
Marketing in 2025 looks nothing like marketing five years ago. AI isn’t just a tool it’s now the middleman between consumers and brands. From Reddit’s new real-time insights tool to Google’s democratised measurement updates, from zero-click journeys to the rise of accessible luxury, the way we connect, measure, and engage has been rewritten.
For purpose-led businesses, social enterprises, impact leaders, this creates both challenge and opportunity. The challenge: staying discoverable and trusted in an AI-first world. The opportunity: harnessing these tools to create more human, more relevant, and more ethical marketing.
This week on Coaching With Purpose, we’ve broken down the 7 biggest shifts you need to know and what they mean for purpose-led businesses that want to stay visible and thrive.
1. Reddit’s AI Insights: Mining Real Conversations at Scale
At Cannes Lions 2025, Reddit announced an AI-powered insights tool designed to analyse the 22+ billion posts and comments on its platform.
This update goes beyond keyword search it surfaces sentiment, intent, and trending topics in real time. For marketers, this is gold: instead of relying on surveys or focus groups, you can now understand what people are really saying and thinking in their own words.
Why it matters:
Identify niche communities before they trend.
Move from one-size-fits-all to community-first advertising.
Gain qualitative insights that numbers alone can’t reveal.
For purpose-driven brands, Reddit’s AI tool is more than data—it’s a way to listen at scale. If you want to meet your audience where they are, you need to hear their unfiltered conversations.
2. Google’s AI Measurement Upgrade: ROI Without Big Budgets
Another big shift comes from Google. Traditionally, advanced incrementality testing was reserved for large advertisers with big spend thresholds. In 2025, Google has lowered the barrier.
Now, businesses of any size can run tests that show campaign impact in human terms, like “6.2x return on ad spend.” This is paired with cross-channel visibility across Google Search, YouTube, and Display.
Why it matters:
ROI tracking is the number one pain point for marketers.
Smaller brands can now access insights once reserved for enterprise players.
With cookies disappearing, first-party data strategies become essential.
For Humans of Purpose clients—often small, purpose-led businesses this is a breakthrough. You don’t need a six-figure budget to prove your campaigns are working.
3. The Acceleration of AI Creative & Hyper-Personalisation
AI isn’t just analysing data it’s creating at scale. Brands are already experimenting with:
Fully AI-generated ads, video, and imagery.
Hyper-personalisation: tailoring copy and creative to micro-audiences in real time.
Imagine a brand with three core audiences—busy parents, shift workers, and students. AI allows you to serve each group distinct messaging and creative at the same time, with speed and scale never possible before.
Why it matters:
Campaign cycles are shorter.
Content volumes are exploding.
Personalisation expectations are rising.
For brands, this means not just producing more content but producing smarter content designed for smaller segments, with messaging that resonates deeply.
4. AI as the New Middleman: Zero-Click Journeys
Perhaps the most disruptive change is the rise of AI agents. Consumers are no longer relying on traditional search, they’re using tools like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Amazon’s shopping assistants to filter and summarise results.
The hierarchy now looks like this:
AI-generated answers
Sponsored content
Organic links
This creates zero-click journeys, where people get what they need without ever visiting a website.
Why it matters:
Traditional SEO visibility is shrinking.
Brands must optimise for AI discoverability, not just Google rankings.
Authority, structure, and clarity in your content now matter more than keywords alone.
For purpose-led businesses, this means your blog or resource library isn’t just for readers—it’s also for AI agents deciding whether to recommend you.
5. The Risk of Bias: Why AI Needs Human Review
A recent study tested AI-generated slogans across demographics. The results differed significantly:
Younger audiences received slang-heavy messaging.
Older groups received conservative language.
This highlights a hidden risk: AI amplifies bias and keeps users in bubbles.
Why it matters:
Campaigns risk alienating audiences or reinforcing stereotypes.
Over-reliance on AI reduces original thought and inclusivity.
The solution? AI auditing with diverse human review. Different perspectives are essential to spot assumptions and keep campaigns inclusive.
For Humans of Purpose, this isn’t just a safeguard, it’s part of the values we bring to clients: ensuring marketing uplifts rather than excludes.
6. The Rise of Accessible Luxury
While AI reshapes tools, consumer behaviour is shifting too. In a cost-of-living crisis, people still want small indulgences. Enter accessible luxury—affordable products that feel premium.
Examples:
Gem Beauty: Sold out in Coles before official launch.
Marks & Spencer: Expanding into David Jones with affordable premium wear.
Daisy/Days Skincare: Gen Alpha skincare with AI-powered branding, launched in Woolworths.
Why it matters:
Consumers crave “luxury-for-less.”
Packaging, storytelling, and brand experience matter as much as price.
Even in hard times, people want to feel good.
For purpose-driven brands and social enterprises, accessible luxury offers a lesson: it’s not just about affordability, it’s about emotional value—making people feel seen, special, and included.
7. The Bigger Picture: Faster Cycles, Higher Expectations
All of this points to one truth: marketing cycles are accelerating.
Campaigns that once lasted months now need weekly refreshes.
Consumers expect real-time relevance.
Agencies must adapt not just tools, but business models.
This isn’t about chasing speed for speed’s sake. It’s about staying human in a fast-paced world connecting meaningfully, even as tools evolve.
How to Lead With Purpose in a Shifting Landscape
The good news? These shifts don’t require massive budgets or shiny new tech.
They require clarity, curiosity, and the courage to test new approaches while staying rooted in your mission.
Start by asking yourself:
How discoverable are we in new digital spaces?
Are we telling our story simply, boldly, and with heart?
Do our marketing choices reflect the values of the people we serve?
From Trends to Transformation
Trends come and go. But for purpose-driven leaders, the real opportunity lies in seeing these shifts not as gimmicks, but as signals - guiding you to connect more deeply with your community, amplify your message, and build lasting impact.
That’s exactly what we dive into each week at Coaching With Purpose, equipping leaders with the insights and strategies to thrive in a fast-changing marketing landscape.
Ready to Turn Insights Into Action?
If you want to sharpen your strategy, adapt with confidence, and ensure your mission stays visible in 2025 and beyond - join us inside Coaching With Purpose.
👉 Learn how to stay ahead of the shifts and lead with purpose.
FAQ:
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Structure it clearly with headings, FAQs, and authoritative sources. AI agents pull from well-organised, trusted content.
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Bias. Without human oversight, AI-generated campaigns can reinforce stereotypes and alienate audiences.
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Tools like Google’s new incrementality testing and AI creative platforms make measurement and personalisation accessible without enterprise budgets.