Growing brands that stand out in our ever-changing world

Growing brands that stand out in our ever-changing world

Kantar is a leading data and analytics consultancy that helps advertisers, publishers and retailers make informed decisions through consumer insights. Its Marketing Trends 2025report provides a comprehensive look at the forces shaping the future of marketing. It reveals that data provenance will be a big theme for 2025 and the importance of trust and transparency with regards to AI. Jane Ostler, EVP, Global Thought Leadership at Kantar, explores the challenges and opportunities of using Generative AI in marketing and discusses sustainability, social media ads and creator communities.

Firstly, tell me more about Kantar and the services it offers.

Kantar is the leading data and analytics consultancy that helps advertisers, publishers and retailers around the world make informed decisions through consumer insights. Our services span the entire marketing spectrum, helping brands to understand their audiences, whether new or old, and build brands that stand out in our ever-changing world.
We can analyse behavioural shopper data, provide accurate brand measurement and conduct creative and media effectiveness testing based on what people do and think every day. We’re in a unique position in that we have billions of historical datapoints that allow us to track consumer attitudes and behaviour over time and search and social analysis tools that can identify trends before they hit the mainstream.
Now all this work is becoming even more nuanced: in recent years we’ve invested heavily in cutting-edge technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning to develop entirely new ways to reach audiences and understand what makes them tick. Our AI-supported solutions are helping brands to optimise campaigns, anticipate consumer needs and maximise their ROI. That’s vital for marketers, who want to insure their brand against market fluctuations and are heavily reliant on economic stability and consumer confidence.

What was the most surprising aspect of the results of the 2025 Marketing Trends report?

One of our most striking insights as we look to next year is the readiness gap in AI adoption among marketers. Over a third (36%) of marketers think they or their teams lack the skills needed to fully leverage AI. This is surprising because AI is increasingly central to marketing innovation, from optimising media buying to creating personalised ads that resonate. Whether I’m speaking to a challenger brand or a long-established household name, wrestling with the inevitable rise of AI is an issue that’s topping the agenda of most boards.
As an industry, we’re known for adapting quickly to change but this gap suggests a significant area for improvement; upskilling and training quickly emerged as areas where many organisations are lagging. In fact, it’s exactly why we have a training programme at Kantar, accredited by MIT Horizon, to empower every one of our colleagues with the essential AI knowledge and skills needed to excel in their roles and to enrich their understanding of how AI impacts the world around us.

Why do you think brands haven’t taken DE&I seriously enough so far?

It’s not just about taking diversity, equity and inclusion seriously. It’s about doing it well and being cognisant of the risks if a brand gets it wrong. We’ve seen various examples of companies being called out for failing to translate diversity, equity and inclusion into meaningful action. Why? Because they see it as a tick-box exercise.
Fundamentally, it’s not what you do but the way that you do it. Focusing on inclusion requires brands to follow principles of authentic diversity and representation, reflecting the reality of people and their world today. While the term representation often suggests a focus on visuals, true inclusivity goes far beyond appearances. It involves realistic – not idealised – portrayals of individuals, ensuring marginalised communities are represented without bias or stereotypes, and an embracing of cultural nuances that drive genuine inclusion.
This approach yields proven short- and long-term gains for marketers in terms of sales and brand perceptions when done right. Shoehorning inclusion into the conversation because you feel you have to is the wrong approach and will only lead to consumers calling you out.

With slow population growth, how can marketers find new spaces to grow?

It’s easier to grow if the population is growing, because fundamentally your target audience is growing. However, when that starts to decline – as it is in many countries – you might want to find ways of making yourself relevant to more people, more often. Brands often find growth through stretching into new categories. Take Nutella, for example, which has evolved from being a pantry staple to becoming a versatile ingredient featured in various food offerings. It’s now used in pastries sold at McDonald’s and is a go-to flavour in ice creams around the world. Some brands would pay for that level of exposure, whereas Nutella has simply found a way to grow its brand organically beyond the shelves and cupboards of our homes.
There’s also success to be found in understanding how your consumers’ needs are changing, so that you’re ahead of changing population or other socio-demographic trends. For instance, men are taking on more responsibilities at home – especially as more live alone – but the ad industry is not keeping pace. As little as 15% of ad testing in the homecare sector seeks the feedback of men. Long gone are the days where all cleaning products could be marketed to women as the sole target audience. It’s about marketers being innovative and thinking of ways to combat some of the headwinds that are facing them – the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crises are evidence enough that it is possible to do.

Two in five consumers don’t trust ads that are AI-generated. Why do you think this is?

We’ve seen lots of recent examples of ads, including Coca Cola’s iconic Christmas ad, that are almost entirely AI-generated. However, distrust doesn’t come from AI being used itself – our testing shows people love the Coca-Cola ad. It comes when there’s a lack of transparency. People like me will look very closely and notice that the animation looks a bit funny or a character model might be morphed – but most people don’t notice, which is why most people are perfectly happy with AI-generated ads.
There’s currently no obligation for anyone to be transparent and say that AI has been used, but that could change. I can see it becoming a requirement for brands to declare when they have used AI – similar to influencers telling their fanbase if their content is owned and a sponsored ad.
The other element that brands need to be concerned about is whether an AI-curated ad is authentic. They need to ask themselves, “Does it match the brand’s identity?”, “Does it look and feel like it comes from their brand?” and “Is it authentic or does it move us away from our brand’s essence?”

Tell me more about livestreaming ads – what are the benefits of using this style of ad?

China has been a pioneer in ad livestreaming, where it has grown in popularity through influencers selling products to mass audiences online. It’s like QVC turned up to 11! It hasn’t taken off so much in other markets yet, but we are starting to see increased investment and activity, with the advent and growth of TikTok LIVE and Instagram Live.
It’s another format that marketers need to wrestle with and understand if it’s an appropriate brand fit – but you’d be surprised how many products can be sold this way. It’s definitely an area to watch in 2025 and beyond.

With social media ads not performing as well as they once were, what can marketers do to innovate on social media?

One of the most important steps marketers can take is to make their social media advertising feels more human. After all, brands that use personal language and tap into our emotions outperform those relying on functional or overly promotional messaging. Ads that connect emotionally tend to lift brand awareness and ad recall significantly.
And while social media has been around for a long time now, adopting a test-and-learn approach isn’t a sign that you don’t know what you’re doing. Platforms like Facebook, TikTok and X are constantly innovating, with new ad formats, features and changes to their algorithms. Experiment with these innovations early and you could also benefit from the ‘novelty effect’ before formats become oversaturated.
By making ads more emotionally engaging, leveraging innovation and maintaining a balanced and well-executed media strategy, marketers will be able to breathe new life into social efforts and create longer-term brand value.

How can companies genuinely show they are considering sustainability?

Eighty-four percent of people globally pay attention to the causes brands support, and 64% believe it is businesses’ responsibility to solve climate and environmental issues. It’s no wonder, then, that sustainability contributes US$193 billion to brand value, with brands that lead in sustainability seeing 20% greater growth over four years compared to their peers.
Authenticity is critical. Sustainability efforts must be transparent and meaningful to avoid greenwashing accusations. Brands that succeed integrate sustainability into their entire business, making it an essential part of what makes them meaningfully different, credible and valuable to consumers.

What is a creator community, and how can they help brands?

A creator community is made up of individuals – often influencers or content creators on platforms like TikTok, Instagram or YouTube – who build highly engaged audiences around shared interests or values. These creators do more than post content; they are able to develop a sense of community that resonates with their followers.
The impact of creator communities is immense: it’s already a US$250 billion industry, projected to grow to US$480 billion by 2027. This reflects the power of creators to connect brands with consumers in authentic and meaningful ways.
Perhaps most importantly, creators connect with younger generations that live and breathe social media. Half of adults under 45 say finding a community that aligns with their interests or beliefs is important to them. This makes creator communities a vital tool for brands looking to stay relevant and build long-term relationships with younger consumers – who before too long will have all the spending power.

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