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As 2024 draws to a close, marketers are reflecting on what’s been a year of high stakes and big shifts.
AI-driven personalization evolved from experimental to essential, reshaping how brands engage with customers at scale. Meanwhile, tightening data privacy regulations—like the Digital Markets Act—made first-party data more essential than ever, driving both compliance and customer trust. On top of that, inflation nudged marketers to shift from flashy discounts to retention strategies. And with social commerce booming, platforms like TikTok and Instagram emerged as the retail playgrounds for younger consumers.
So, what’s in store for 2025? Movable Ink’s strategy experts across verticals are sharing their predictions to help you navigate upcoming challenges and seize the opportunities ahead. From AI advancements to loyalty-building innovations, here’s what to expect.
Quick Service Restaurants (QSR): Gamifying Trust and Broadening Engagement
In 2025, QSRs will continue to navigate shrinking margins and price-sensitive customers. The industry has seen a noticeable dip in order frequency, making competition fierce for consumer share-of-wallet. Brands will need to embrace zero- and first-party data as essential tools for hyper-personalized marketing, ensuring the right message hits at the right time.
Gamified approaches to data collection will help brands build trust and differentiate themselves. At the same time, loyalty programs offering tiered rewards or surprise-and-delight incentives will give customers a reason to keep coming back. For example, Dunkin’s year-in-review campaign sent to rewards members used seven data-infused, customer-centric modules, including a poll to capture zero-party data.
The brands that make customers feel rewarded for sharing their data will lay the groundwork for stronger, more lasting connections.
Alex May
Director, Strategy, QSR
Retail: Adapting to Shifting Expectations
Blending ‘Phygital’ Experiences
In the next year, the line between online and offline shopping will blur further. The rise of "phygital" experiences will allow customers to move fluidly between digital and physical channels during their shopping journey. Retailers must prepare for the growing dominance of social media, which is projected to represent $1 of every $4 in ad spend by 2028. To stay competitive, marketers should explore ways to integrate personalized ads within their ecosystems to drive both discovery and conversion.
Social commerce will continue to thrive, particularly among Gen Alpha, who are turning to platforms like Instagram and TikTok for both discovery and purchases. This shift highlights the importance of meeting audiences where they are, blending social and email channels seamlessly. For example, Thalia’s campaign integrated live social feeds directly into their emails, fostering a sense of community.
Your marketing strategy should mimic the way customers shop—interwoven and seamless across all touchpoints.
Becki Francis
Director, Strategy, Retail
Staying Agile in a Shifting Economy
Inflation has steadily declined throughout 2024, with interest rates starting to fall, offering relief to sectors like housing, home improvement, and large discretionary purchases. Consumer spending has remained strong and is likely to stay resilient in the short term. However, retailers must remain cautious, as potential cost pressures on imported goods could lead to another wave of inflation. To navigate this, focus on transparent pricing and flexibility, and use AI tools to deliver content aligned with customer preferences and price sensitivities.
Retailers are facing an uncertain period ahead. Be mindful of consumers’ desire and expectation for lower prices. Be transparent with pricing and remain flexible in the uncertain environment.
Ron Hay
Associate Director, Strategy, Retail
Financial Services: Redefining Convenience and Value
The financial services industry is evolving rapidly, with digital-first solutions becoming the norm. By 2025, neobanks are expected to expand their market share by offering streamlined, customer-focused services. For example, Synchrony’s CareCredit year-in-review campaign showed cardholders how to maximize their benefits with clear, easy-to-use links to their app.
To thrive, banks must strengthen their non-interest revenue streams and create clear, value-driven bundles of services.
Tracy Meyer
Engagement Manager, Financial Services
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