Looking ahead
The power of AND into 2025
Slipstream Issue 7
Will Ridley (Senior Account Manager), Becky Gwynne (Senior Search Executive), Becky Gemmell (AV Manager) & Eric Berfela (Paid Social Manager)
The power of AND into 2025
The bigger the divisions, the worse the work. This is the mantra behind our power of AND proposition at Bicycle. It is with this belief that we continue to integrate across disciplines for our clients, from brand strategy to tactical performance.
As we look ahead to 2025, we predict that the power of AND will manifest in new opportunities, across touchpoints and the communications planning landscape. Providing advertisers with ever more integrated and effective campaigns.
Broadcast; IP extension AND extension
Media giants will continue to capitalise on the craft of storytelling to unlock new and more integrated solutions for brands. The industry will continue to identify and then license the best IPs to enable brands to become part of big cultural events.
Much like how Netflix has continued to leverage the strength of Stranger Things, which beyond the show has been developed into LEGO sets and even a west-end show.
Performance; Search is social AND social is search
The lines where customers find information are already blurred with a significant number of searches now taking place on social platforms; i.e. YouTube and TikTok. 2025 will see greater channel integration between search disciplines and social media to drive further efficiencies when answering demand from customers.
There will be increased competition in Paid Search as AI answers for customers directly, resulting in zero-click searches. The monetisation of which will follow.
Communities; Customer AND collaborator
Improved integration between social and e-commerce will continue to redefine the digital ‘storefront’. Creators will be trusted to creatively sell products with their unique style but will find greater restrictions as the HFSS ruling comes into play. There will be a continued push for greater transparency of data use.
Online ‘fandoms’ led by creators or businesses will utilise their communities to develop their stories and products. Providing immediate payback with specific products designed for instant sale.
Planning; man AND machine
AI will continue to evolve and expand its use as people become more familiar with its applications. Beyond the promise of analytics and optimisations, AI will continue to help teams go further and faster with their planning.
Companies will gravitate to more advanced and custom AI solutions. Including custom copilots and AI agents. In the future, the difference for businesses will be that those who truly take advantage of AI embrace it vs. those who don’t.