Business

As 2024 comes to a close, let’s revisit this year’s top digital advertising trends and themes. To wrap up 2024 and prepare for the new year, we have compiled a list of top marketing trends that dominated this year's digital landscape. 

The Growth of CTV

With more streaming content available to consumers than ever before, connected TV (CTV) is expected to be the fastest-growing major ad channel in the US in 2024. Growing 18.8% in 2024, CTV's ad spend is expected to reach $28.75 billion this year. With 71 million people living in streaming households and 79% of car buyers engaging with ad-supported video content, CTV remains an effective platform for automotive advertisers. While CTV consumption will continue to rise in 2025, CTV platforms will struggle to stand out and capture ad dollars, especially with Amazon Prime Video’s ad tier launch. This increased competition will continue to drive CPMs down in 2025.

Short-Form Video Content Effectiveness

Short-form video content (up to :90 in length) has been an effective marketing format for some time, it has reached new heights this year. Ranking #1 for lead generation and engagement, over 70% of marketers stated that short-form video content delivers the highest ROI over any other video format in 2024. From an automotive perspective, 75% of car buyers watch videos online before visiting a dealership, with 40% discovering new vehicles they had not previously considered through video content. With 30% watched to completion and 60% watched for 41% to 80% of their length, short-form video content has positioned itself as one of the most engaging marketing formats of 2024. 

Privacy and 1st-Party Data Collection

Revisiting the chaos surrounding cookie deprecation and Google’s Privacy Sandbox at the beginning of the year, data privacy continues to be an ongoing topic of conversation. Although Google announced that cookies would stay and instead transition to an opt-in format, after concerns from the CMA, the importance of collecting and accessing first-party data remains. With only one in five people allowing all cookies in their browser, data privacy and transparent marketing are essential for maintaining consumer trust. As we prepare for 2025 across all industries, leveraging first-party data is increasingly more important as more consumers continue to opt out of and distrust the collection and use of their data.

Retail Media Networks

As first-party data collection continues to expand and become more important, the rise of retail media networks (RMNs) has been a great solution and opportunity for businesses in 2024. As one of the fastest-growing sectors in the advertising industry, 64% of retailers state they will implement a retail media network by the end of 2024.  Amazon and Walmart are expected to receive over 84% of retail media ad spending in 2025, leaving a small percentage of ad dollars for all other RMNs to capture next year. 

AI and Automated Marketing

As artificial intelligence rapidly improves and becomes more widely accessible, the growth of AI and automated marketing has significantly impacted digital marketing. From personalization to data analysis, artificial intelligence has enabled us to provide more accurate results for our clients and customers at a faster rate than ever before. To learn more about best practices when using AI in your marketing strategy, take a look at our Maximizing Full-Funnel Conversions with AI blog.

As 2024 comes to a close, many of these digital marketing trends will still be prevalent in 2025 and continue to build momentum. For more insights and updates on top digital marketing trends and the automotive industry, stay tuned for our next blog post and subscribe to our newsletter.

Sources:

1. eMarketer, CTV Guide, 2024 https://www.emarketer.com/insights/guide-ctv/
2. Video Advertising Bureau
3. eMarketer, KI Forecast, Sept 2024 https://content-naf.emarketer.com/amazon-prime-video-ad-tier-launch-leads-cpm-price-plummet 
4. Hubspot, Video Marketing Report, https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-marketing-report
5. Google, Think with Google, Automotive Statistics, https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/video/auto-video-shopping-statistics/
6. Forbes, Rise and Fall of Short-form Video, https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2024/10/16/the-rise-of-short-form-videos-and-how-to-integrate-them-into-your-uxui/
7. eMarketer, Consumers Attitudes Toward Advertising and Privacy, https://content-naf.emarketer.com/over-half-of-gen-z-millennials-often-always-accept-cookies
8. eMarketer, Retail Media Trends to Watch, https://content-naf.emarketer.com/2025-trend-mounting-pressure-squeeze-long-tail-retail-media-networks