UPDATE (7/29/25): Six months in, we're assessing how well our predictions from the beginning of the year have held up. This post now includes insights and verdicts based on recent data and industry developments.

As we step into 2025, the marketing, technology, and design sectors continue to evolve at an astonishing pace, driven by advancements in AI, shifting consumer behaviors, and the growing demand for seamless digital experiences. To help businesses and innovators stay ahead, the Gate 39 team is sharing our top predictions for 2025. Here are the transformative trends and strategies that we believe will define the year ahead.

Predictions for 2025 Marketing Trends

Allison Bischoff, Director of Marketing:

Building a brand whose voice and imagery differentiates from the pack will be critical. There are so many copycat companies that have the same product and underlying technology that brands are going to have to find a way to cut through the noise and connect with consumers on an emotional level.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. Brands leaning into authentic storytelling show this strategy working well. Emotional resonance is a key today.

Wendy Rodgers, Marketing Manager:

As we look ahead to the marketing landscape of 2025, my prediction is that data will steer the ship more than ever. Gone are the days of guesswork and gut feelings; instead, analytics will be at the forefront, guiding every decision we make. This shift will not only sharpen our strategies but will also bring a new level of accountability through meticulous reporting, ensuring every move is measurable and meaningful.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. Marketers are increasingly using real-time dashboards like HubSpot’s reporting suite to track performance, optimize channels, and prove ROI—eliminating guesswork with data-driven precision.

Deandra Henahan, Marketing Manager: I have so many predictions.

First, I expect AI to become even more prominent, which feels crazy to think that it’s going to be even more than it already is. Every marketing tool will end up having some sort of AI component to it, especially as chatbots and AI assistants become more powerful and understand customer needs much better.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. AI is increasingly embedded in every marketing tool, with major players like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic all investing heavily in AI agents.

I also predict that more marketing companies are going to merge or buy each other out this year. I think some SEO tools and companies will be bought out due to AI, especially those who can’t keep up with the new technology.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ⚠️ Partially true. According to PwC, M&A volume is down 9% but values are up 15%, meaning fewer deals are happening, but they’re larger in size. AI and emerging tech are driving this shift, prompting businesses to rethink their strategies and seek transformative partnerships.

This has been seen in 2024, but there will be even more content. However, I predict what will separate good marketers is how content creation will be used to be more personalized and predict what the customer will want. Content is king, but I think we can also take it a step further and say that video content will be king in 2025.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. According to HubSpot's 2025 Marketing Trends Report, social media marketers said that short-form video has the highest ROI of all content types, and more marketers are investing in it this year than they did in 2024.

Finally, while voice search has always been on the radar, I think this will become more of a focus for marketers in 2025.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ Mostly on track. Voice search optimization is growing, though still building, according to Digital Marketing Institute.

Predictions for 2025 Tech Trends

Eduardo Estevez Nunez, DevOps Specialist: We will see a rise in cybersecurity threats in 2025. Cybercriminals won’t stop, they are more sophisticated every day using artificial intelligence and machine learning. They want to ransom and scam organizations.

They also target third-party vendors to get access to organizations’ data, and target employees through Social engineering to access sensitive data.

Organizations will need to invest more in cybersecurity to monitor and safeguard their assets. They will also need to invest in training employees and senior leaders about cybersecurity threats.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. Alarmingly, AI-driven fraud now accounts for 42.5% of fraud attempts detected in the financial sector, according to Signicat.

John Martello, Senior Developer: I think hardware prices are going up and we’re probably going to have another chip shortage. Mostly due to the rise of AI and renewed interest in Bitcoin.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ⚠️ Partially true. While prices for GPUs and chips remain elevated and occasional shortages remain, this is starting to stabilize.

Walter Loburak, Senior Developer: I have several predictions.

AI regulation and ethics: As generative AI becomes more prevalent, governments and organizations will increasingly focus on creating regulations to have some control over AI-generated content.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ⚠️ Partially true. While the US government has not passed any new laws regulating AI, the EU is pushing forward ules for AI regulation.

Integrating blockchain outside the cryptocurrency: Blockchain technology will see broader application in supply chain transparency, identity verification, and smart contracts, moving beyond its association with cryptocurrencies.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. While broad adoption remains slow, some organizations are starting to leverage blockchain technology for use with supply chans and smart contracts.

Self driving cars and drone deliveries: After the regulatory breakthrough, more and more cities will adopt it for rideshare and delivery. Logistics and retail companies will start offering drone and self-driving cars deliveries.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. Among other examples, Uber Eats has partnered with Waymo for robotaxi deliveries and is working with six other companies to make autonomous sidewalk delivery robots.

Feiying Hu, Senior Developer: I agree with all of Walter’s predictions, especially around AI. I think we will have more and more human AI collaboration in the workplace in all different industries, not just IT.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. AI assistants and agents are everywhere, with companies embracing AI to elevate human-centric work.

Predictions for 2025 Design Trends

Nick Landsberger, Lead Designer: You came to the right place for predictions.

For professionals: I predict that more web designs will move towards an illustrated approach to imagery rather than stock images. I also anticipate more extreme glass-morphism or brutalist trends as web design software improves creativity.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. We're seeing many website designs this year that are adopting more custom illustrations, brutalist UIs, and minimalist layouts.

Amateurs, influencers, or low-cost ads: More use of AI generated visuals, automatic voice-overs, and auto-generated captions. There will likely be trends towards colorful and thumbnail designs for cover images that bleed into use as social ads, and more ads will masquerade as “product reviews” from others recommending on social.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. Many AI tools are widely available and regularly used to create visuals, audio narrations, and auto-generated captions. 

Artificial intelligence: Auto image generation will be used to replicate legitimate designs or create fake images. Unfortunately, I also foresee an increase in misinformation as more brand standards become publicly accessible and replicated with image-generators.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. Brand image theft and deepfake visuals continue to fuel policy conversations.

App development: Standardization towards minimalist design for eCommerce apps, as well as the ubiquitous and synonymous adoption of Android and Apple practices within an app’s UI/UX structure and navigation.

Mid-Year Checkpoint: ✅ On track. Similarly to the website trends, we're seeing most new retail apps using simplified layouts and design patterns similar to native OS best practices.

It’s clear that marketing, technology, and design are poised for groundbreaking advancements and challenges this year. By embracing these predictions and preparing for the trends ahead, organizations can position themselves to adapt and lead in 2025 and beyond.

At Gate 39, we’re committed to staying at the forefront of these changes, helping businesses thrive in an ever-shifting environment. Let’s discuss how we can help your business prepare for the year ahead.

You might also be interested in:

• The Global Impact of Artificial Intelligence
• Embracing AI in Marketing & Content Strategies
• AI Innovation in Finance and Agriculture