Unanswered Questions for 2025

Looking ahead to 2025, the marketing landscape is shaped by a powerful tension between technological efficiency and the irreplaceable value of human connection. While artificial intelligence offers unprecedented tools for scaling efforts and analyzing data, the consensus among leading marketers is that authenticity, community, and genuine relationships will define success. This collection of insights from industry professionals reveals a clear path forward: leverage technology wisely, but never lose sight of the people you aim to serve.

April Sunshine Hawkins prompted reflection by asking, “What warm memory comes to mind when you hear these three words: creative, curious, courageous?”

For Irina Novoselsky, these words capture her year of building meaningful relationships on LinkedIn. She emphasizes that while social media drives business pipeline, its true power lies in forging real-world connections. A digital conversation led to an in-person dinner and a lasting friendship. Her advice is straightforward: “Make the leap into posting. You don’t know what new friendships you may be missing out on.” She then asked others how they approach their personal brand and if social media has opened doors for them.

Preston Rutherford’s approach is simple: be yourself. This authenticity has opened countless opportunities. He posed a fun, personal question: “What is your favorite movie that you’re embarrassed for anyone to know about?”

Anna Engel and Nathaniel Gaynor shared their picks: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga and The Princess Diaries. They then turned the conversation toward strategy, asking which brands are taking bold risks to connect with Gen Z.

Jeff Wirth pointed to Party At Anna’s, a company creating interactive, immersive experiences that resonate with Gen Z’s love for storytelling and social engagement. He followed with a critical inquiry: “What is a blind spot in the marketing world that, if addressed, would make people’s lives better?”

Eric Munn identified a common mistake: assuming people already know your brand. Clarity about how you solve problems is more important than being witty or eye-catching. He then asked about unexplored career paths.

Jennifer Waters happily reported she’s living her dream career. Her question focused on practicality: “What’s one marketing mechanism that will generate the most revenue quickly for a startup?”

Erin Quinn noted the answer depends on the business, but highlighted paid social media as a cost-efficient choice for many, especially when combined with promo codes for conversion. However, she stressed that foundational work on target audience and brand identity is essential for long-term revenue. She asked about memorable advertisements.

Alex Lieberman praised the original Dollar Shave Club commercial for telling a story, creating intrigue, and selling an emotion rather than just a product. He then queried the group about the ongoing debate over marketing attribution.

Jackie Widmann explained that new brands must combine tactical metrics with a connected, 360-degree strategy since historical data is lacking. She wondered how new brands with limited budgets can create experiential moments that cut through the clutter.

Kevin Indig advised focusing a limited budget on a few well-produced assets and investing the rest in authentic, raw moments and influencer marketing to build trust and curiosity. He asked for thoughts on the most underrated marketing channel.

Lisa Lozelle championed direct mail, noting that a well-designed print piece can break through digital clutter and that Gen Z gets excited about physical mail. She turned the discussion to AI’s role in strategy and creativity.

Heike Young views AI as an effective thought partner for strengthening ideas but believes human creativity is more critical than ever. She asked what piece of marketing advice is now outdated.

Sonia Thompson cautioned against spending too much time perfecting a brand upfront, which can lead to analysis paralysis. Today, it’s more important to show up consistently, let your voice be known, and refine based on community feedback. She asked how inclusion has shaped marketing.

Jay Schwedelson observed that inclusion has shifted from a checkbox to a business essential, impacting who develops strategy and creates content. He believes that as AI dominates content creation, the human touch that makes people feel seen will be the ultimate differentiator. He asked what marketing belief has changed in the last five years.

Brian Morrissey admitted he was wrong to think in-person events would become less important. “Humans are social animals and will always congregate,” he stated. He then posed a provocative question: “Will SEO be obsolete in three to five years?”

Shelagh Dolan believes the answer is yes. With AI Overviews and zero-click search, she predicts people will move away from scrolling search results toward personalized AI interactions. She asked what other trends, besides AI, deserve attention.

Katie Parkes is watching data storytelling and creator-led B2B marketing, where credibility is earned through transparency and authentic voices rather than polished narratives. She inquired about a ‘boring’ tactic that’s working surprisingly well.

Jay Schwedelson highlighted weekend email sends, which are seeing a 40% year-over-year increase in click-through rates for director-level contacts. He asked about a piece of content that has been successfully repurposed.

Ross Simmonds pointed to his 2019 tweet, “Create Once, Distribute Forever,” which became a core framework for his agency. The concept of maximizing existing content resonated deeply. He asked what marketing hill people are willing to die on.

Grace Wells firmly believes that audience connection is more important than sheer size, arguing that organic growth and brand storytelling make conversion efforts effective. She asked what lesson from a first job remains core today.

Joy Gendusa learned that giving 110% effort sets you apart. She questioned which marketing strategy will be obsolete in five years.

Maya Grossman predicts that content alone will not be king; distribution strategy, speed, and relevance will matter more as AI generates competent content. She asked about an overhyped trend.

Brenna Loury criticized the trend of adding AI chatbots everywhere without a clear use case, calling it a lazy implementation. She wondered what aspect of marketing can’t be easily measured.

MacKenzie Kassab cherishes the emotional connection marketing can foster, such as inspiring self-acceptance. She asked about the least favorite part of one’s job and how to push through.

Max Miller dislikes the constant pressure for growth and comparing video performance metrics. Motivation comes from remembering he gets to do what he loves. He asked how AI is impacting work at a major media company.

Sheena Hakimian said Condé Nast explores AI for personalization but maintains that storytelling and editorial integrity are its unique edge. AI is a tool to scale their voice, not replace it. She asked how to balance consistency with creativity for Gen Z.

Jayde Powell distinguishes between consistency and cadence, emphasizing that familiarity and feeling build community more than frequent posting. She asked a simple, joyful question: “What sparks joy for you?”

Ryan Atkinson finds joy in professional bets that pay off and personal time with family. He asked what single tool he would invest in for growth.

Al Iverson would invest in email, but questioned an industry best practice: relying solely on last-click attribution for influencer marketing. He asked what habit should be left behind.

Lindsey Gamble argued that measuring creator impact requires looking beyond last-click to include awareness, brand building, and website traffic. She asked about an overlooked strategy with high potential.

Brandon Smithwrick suggested using social media to drive exclusive offers within an existing community, like through Instagram Close Friends or DM-only promotions. He asked a creative hot take.

Alicia Mickes believes creatives are brought in too late; creative execution is the product strategy, not just decoration. Involving them early leads to more powerful campaigns. She asked how the role of Creative is being rethought.

Deesha Laxsav said her company focuses on creative rooted in real-life experiences, using lighter-touch video and authentic expert voices. She asked how to decide on authentic partnerships for an event.

Shareese Bembury-Coakley explained that data informs all partnership decisions at CultureCon, ensuring programming reflects what the community actually wants. She asked for alternatives to overused nostalgia.

Bryetta Calloway advocated for participatory storytelling, inviting communities to co-create narratives about the future rather than reminiscing about the past. She asked how teams stay connected to real people, not just performance metrics.

Katie Miserany stressed the importance of knowing what customers truly value, not just trying to be “cool.” Differentiation comes from maximizing that value. She asked how to justify intangible brand investments with hard numbers.

Ashley Judge explained that in destination marketing, creative storytelling drives visitation, and the economic numbers follow. She asked what her team does purely out of love for the user.

Ashley Faus shared examples like offering a free team playbook and adding whimsical product animations to brighten users’ days. She asked how to make messaging stand out at AI-filled trade shows.

Jihan Donawa Gibson advised being human: having welcoming representatives, clear messaging, and incorporating play or live talks at your booth. Moni Oyolede then asked how to redesign the way creatives and marketers work together.

Cristina Jerome’s non-negotiables include structural support for work/life balance, like flexible blocks, no-meeting windows, and mental health literacy for managers to prevent burnout.

(Source: NewsAPI Content & Growth Marketing)