From AI to ROI: lessons from 2024 that will set marketers up for success in 2025

Looking ahead to 2025, privacy-first measurement strategies, new media effectiveness solutions and AI adoption are likely to reshape the digital advertising landscape further. From mastering metrics for the boardroom to cutting-edge AI campaigns, The Responsible Marketing Hub with Google supports marketers in mastering end to end measurement, effectiveness and growth strategies to help them deliver ROI for their business.

Here, we’ve curated the soundbites and learnings that drove the industry narrative on measurement across the year and the key takeaways for marketers to take forward in 2025.

The year of AI acceleration

2024 was the year AI truly arrived in marketing. We shifted from “wow” to “how”, with marketers eager to understand how to leverage this transformative technology in their daily work. Kicking off at The Drum’s Predictions Festival 2024, Biren Kalaria, managing director, data, measurement & analytics, Google UK, set the tone for the year and reminded marketers that, while disruptive, these shifts echo previous industry evolutions like mobile and digital.

He predicted that those who could adapt quickly would reap long-term rewards: “We’ve been through these transformational moments before, together as an industry… each time we saw that often those who got ahead, stayed ahead.”

Key takeaway: To unlock AI’s potential, start with strong, consented first-party data. Robust measurement frameworks, like Kingfisher’s trifecta of econometrics, attribution, and incrementality testing, offer the foundation to balance short-term gains with long-term success.

Full article: How can marketing leaders seize AI at scale to ‘get the edge’?

Related article: The marketer’s guide to advertising measurement in 2024

Mastering metrics for boardroom buy-in

CMOs today are under immense pressure to prove marketing's value to the board – yet, according to The Drum research, linking marketing directly to business growth has been a top challenge for them this year. With mounting pressure to articulate marketing’s value to the C-suite, Tom Greenhalgh, a data & measurement lead at Google, emphasized the importance of using AI-powered measurement tools not just to measure, but to anticipate business needs.

Speaking at The Drum Live, he said: “To quote Jack Welch, the only true form of competitive advantage is understanding your customers and then being able to act on those insights faster than your competitors. AI, when fed with high-quality first-party data, can help us understand customer behaviors faster than ever before.”

At Google’s annual Measurement Effectiveness Summit in London in the first half of the year, the message was loud and clear: marketing has the power to be the ‘unifier’ within organizations, with the gateway to the tools and strategies helping to drive immediate marketing wins, as well as long-term business success.

With strong data and measurement foundations, the power combination of people + AI working together will be the driver that proves marketing impact to secure buy-in and funding from the boardroom. Integrating AI into the marketer’s skillset is “a once in a generation opportunity,” said Eileen Mannion, UK vice-president of marketing at Google. “It’s still early days, but by approaching it with optimism you have a chance to change the future of your company.”

Key takeaway: Speak the board’s language. Metrics like revenue and customer acquisition resonate more than clicks or impressions, helping secure buy-in for greater marketing investment. “The digital marketing industry will never cease to change. We need to be proactive and break down the silos between teams to [be able to] act before a change is happening.”

Full article: How CMOs can master marketing metrics in the language of the C-suite

Related article: Google’s UK VP of marketing: ‘It’s not too late to be early’ with AI

Related article: 11 things we heard at Google’s Measurement & Effectiveness Summit

The privacy-first imperative

Privacy will remain a critical concern for marketers as we head into 2025. As one of Google’s UK data & privacy leads Adam Taylor said at Google’s UK Privacy Forum: “You care about being in compliance. It’s what you need and frankly what you expect. It’s our goal to ensure you never have to worry about it. It should be table stakes and it will be.”

Tools like Google’s Enhanced Conversions and consent mode are helping to bridge the gap between compliance and performance, with brands like Car Finance 247 seeing significant gains, including a 15.2% increase in conversions through consent-led strategies.

By focusing on building a solid foundation now, adopting proactive measures next, and staying flexible for the long term, brands can thrive in a privacy-first, data-driven world – creating meaningful connections with consumers while respecting their privacy choices.

Key takeaway: Privacy isn’t a blocker, it’s a competitive advantage. Focus on transparency and compliance to build trust and long-term resilience in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

Full article: Progress on online privacy: now, next & long-term priorities

AI-powered campaigns that deliver

If the past 25 years have taught us anything, it’s that the next 25 years will change everything. “With new AI-powered tools, marketers can reach customers and measure the success of their campaigns – while respecting user privacy. The payoff is improved experiences for your customers, and stronger bottom-line results,” said Sophie Neary, managing director for retail and consumer goods at Google.

Cadbury’s YouTube campaign, powered by Google’s AI, exemplified how automation can supercharge results. By tailoring messaging to specific audiences and formats, Cadbury achieved a 200% YoY reach increase and a 40% lower CPM compared to benchmarks.

“I like to think of this type of AI technology as playing a similar role to a conductor in an orchestra, helping all the different parts of the campaign come together in the right place at the right time to deliver a memorable experience for the audience,” said Erica Probst, head of YouTube sales UK & Ireland at Google.

Key takeaway: For brands seeking to stay ahead of the curve, automation and AI are essential tools for increasing reach and optimizing performance across platforms. Partner early and use AI to optimize creative and media to unlock unprecedented scale and efficiency.

Full article: How Cadbury, Odeon and Vodafone are putting AI to work for creative, media & measurement

Related article: ‘This is a rocket ship, and it’s not slowing down’ – things we heard at YouTube Festival

Building durable measurement foundations

For today’s marketing leaders, achieving success is a constant balancing act. The foundation of marketing success in 2025 lies in durable solutions. Measurement is what makes digital marketing so powerful - but you cannot manage what you do not measure.

Google’s Tom Kelleher highlighted four non-negotiables for resilience: durable tagging, consent signal tracking, Enhanced Conversions, and upgrading offline conversion strategies. Brands who adopt these pillars now will be better positioned to thrive amid ongoing disruption.

Key takeaway: Future-proof your strategy by investing in infrastructure that balances privacy compliance with performance optimization to bridge the gap between necessary compliance and ambitious growth targets.

Full article: 4 ‘non-negotiables’ for advertisers to end 2024 with the foundations for growth

The Responsible Marketing Hub with Google will continue to be updated in 2025 with essential tips, insights and perspectives for marketing leaders to help their business drive ROI while adapting to new regulatory, media and competitive realities shaped by AI.