CMOs on the biggest challenges they anticipate in 2025

Marketing might be fun, but no one said it would be easy.

In the new year, marketers are facing new technology, new consumer habits and preferences, and a constantly shifting landscape (like the fate of a TikTok ban that’s now in the hands of the Supreme Court).

We asked marketers about the biggest challenges they anticipate facing in 2025 to find out straight from the source what they think will be their biggest hurdles—and find out what opportunities could be waiting on the other side.

Staying agile

Manu Orssaud, CMO, Duolingo: Our marketing and brand-building strategy has always prioritized being culturally relevant and connecting our brand to the fandoms and topics that are top of mind for our audience, while inserting our humor and authenticity into those conversations. The challenge remains the same for us: it’s about filtering through the noise to identify the most impactful opportunities through cultural moments and topics of interest. In that sense, to be relevant, you need to have a constant pulse on culture and what people care about. You can’t plan quarters ahead; you need to stay agile. You have to constantly evolve your plans and react with urgency to what people care about in the here and now, and execute fast.

Suzanne Kounkel, global and US CMO, Deloitte: If asked, “How would you do the work if all the constraints were removed?” The answer lies in using technology to be more efficient, helping unlock our potential to make a bigger impact by freeing up time needed to use our creative superpowers and amp up personalization efforts.

Scaling strategy

Andy Judd, CMO, Poppi: Evolving our current marketing model is an exciting challenge. Moving at the speed of culture is at the heart of what we do, and we take pride in it. As we continue to grow rapidly, our focus is on scaling this approach—ensuring we show up at the right events, truly connect with new audiences, and continue [to] delight our core customers in unexpected ways.

Adapting to changing culture and consumers

Cathy Oh, marketing officer, TV and mobile service business and Samsung ads, Samsung Electronics: Looking ahead to 2025, the biggest challenge—and opportunity—I see is adapting to the rapidly changing ways consumers interact with ads, especially as interactivity becomes standard across TV and streaming platforms. This evolution creates exciting possibilities for deeper engagement through tools like QR codes, gamified experiences, and real-time interactions. At the same time, it challenges us to continuously innovate and refine our strategies to meet consumers where they are, delivering seamless, personalized experiences.

Today’s viewers move seamlessly across devices—switching between their TV, mobile phone, desktop, and even smart speakers. This cross-platform behavior presents a unique opportunity for advertisers to create cohesive, meaningful connections. Our focus is on staying ahead of these changes to ensure we maximize the potential of every screen to engage audiences in smarter, more impactful ways.

Wanda Gierhart Fearing, chief marketing and content officer, Cinemark: Customer preferences are rapidly changing, and we expect that to continue in 2025. Although it can present challenges, we see it as an opportunity to meaningfully evolve how we communicate with our customers, and continually flex and adapt to come up with new ideas and strategies that speak directly to their feedback.

Selby Drummond, CMO, Bumble: Women have always been at the center of Bumble’s experiences, and each new year brings a new set of societal challenges to daters, but also to women in particular. As cultural and social landscapes shift globally, and equality continues to be challenged, our work becomes even more critical, not only on the policy and advocacy fronts, but also in how we support our members as they navigate changing norms around relationships, dating, and intimacy. The rules of dating, relationships, and intimacy are changing all the time, and we know we have an important job to do in providing our community with resources and support as they navigate the shifting ground in real time.

Staying abreast of new platforms

Catherine Ferdon, CMO, Cash App: It’s no secret that technology is being developed quickly, whether it’s AI or new platforms for community, and digital content and trends are evolving at an incredibly fast pace. At Cash App, we strive to move at the speed of culture and jump into relevant conversations and trends as they’re happening, which can be tricky to navigate. We also are constantly trying to stay abreast of new platforms and unconventional places to meet our customers where they are, like through our 2024 partnerships with Depop and Strava.