Why brands will embrace connected insights to win with consumers in 2025

Enter the power of AI and connected insights: the integration of market research with performance data to create a unified view of the consumer, leveraging AI agents in the process. By centralizing data streams and making them accessible across teams, brands can turn AI into a business gamechanger, using it to predict trends, anticipate consumer needs and wants, and drive meaningful growth.

But turning AI into a strategic powerhouse requires more than just adopting the technology – it requires marketers to take their data seriously. By creating a data asset, brands can obtain connected insights to unlock their full potential, and that’s exactly where marketers need to focus in 2025.

Why marketers need to close the consumer data gap in 2025

Whether brands win or lose is determined largely by the products they offer. But most brands still aren’t keeping the consumer in the loop while they develop products or learning from their data. Getting the most out of AI tools is especially important, as innovation is at risk of stalling because brands aren’t properly plugged into what consumers want. Especially when their competitors are using connected consumer data and connected insights to their advantage.

Seventy-five percent of new products fail in the CPG sector because they’re disconnected from consumer needs. Many companies talk a big game about focusing on the customer at quarterly shareholder meetings, but far fewer fit this billing. In a recent survey from Zappi and the American Marketing Association (AMA), nearly 70% of marketers and market researchers believe consumer insights are influential in decision-making in their companies. But only 56% of brands connect their data in a centralized, strategic way.

Behind the scenes, consumer data sits ignored, lost in silos or is only used to validate decisions that have already been made. That’s not customer-centricity; that’s a missed opportunity. As consumers prioritize affordability and sustainability, marketers need AI systems equipped with connected insights to identify and act on macro and micro trends.

Punching through AI’s glass ceiling

Innovation on Generative AI adoption has hit its glass ceiling. New models are being released less as developers run into challenges. But for brands, this could be a positive for AI adoption. While we all realize the tremendous potential of AI, constant changes in the players and tools means that it’s been difficult to create processes around generative AI.

The next step is using AI for action, powered by connected data. Marketers will increasingly connect their siloed data – consumer insights, sales trends, and cultural attitudes – to create a feedback loop where AI generates, tests, and refines ideas based on real-time consumer feedback.

Marketers everywhere are reluctant to share sensitive data with public tools like ChatGPT. In fact, two-in-four technology professionals note data privacy as their foremost concern in AI adoption. But a way around this is to partner with platforms that ensure secure data usage means that they can maintain control over their proprietary information while leveraging AI effectively.

Take Zappi’s Innovation System, for instance — it helps brands test creative concepts, refine products, anticipate trends, and tailor campaigns to different markets. With tools like Zappi’s AI Concept Optimizer, brands can constantly improve their ideas using real-time consumer feedback, leading to AI-optimized concepts that boost key performance metrics by 65%. Brands including McDonald’s, Heineken, Mars, Reckitt and PepsiCo are working with the system to bring AI into their product innovation processes, leveraging past data from product concept testing to home in on what consumers want.

This “consumer-in-the-loop” approach helps brands address key challenges such as:

• Speed: AI accelerates iteration cycles by augmenting each phase of the innovation process
• Effectiveness: AI-powered insights are created in moments, so teams can quickly share insights and put them into action.
• Localization: AI identifies regional and demographic nuances to optimize campaigns globally.

How can marketers harness AI to unlock consumer insights?

1. Invest in connected data: Make connected insights a strategic and budgetary priority. Without connected data and insights, CMOs are missing a huge opportunity to become better data storytellers. Leverage partners to centralize insights, ensuring AI tools can draw from a rich, connected dataset. Assess where you are on your data connectivity journey, and how to move from one phase to another, via Zappi’s Connected Insights Framework.

2. Leverage AI agents: AI agents generate ideas based on historical performance and consumer feedback, offering marketers a strategic head start on innovation. For example, Zappi is working with customers to create automated reporting as well as the ability to create new products from scratch using AI agents. These agents make products that are ready for consumer testing so brands can prioritize the most promising ideas.

3. Commit to real-time optimization: Consumer behavior and their preferred brand touchpoints are rapidly evolving. Incorporate consumer feedback into product development in real time.

4. Educate and empower teams: Train teams to integrate AI workflows, shifting their focus from manual tasks to strategy and creativity. Help and empower people across the organization to use meaningful consumer insights where and when they need them, so they make the best, consumer-oriented decisions. In addition, view the insights team as a strategic partner to marketing: insights teams are leaning into technology and connected data and are more likely to be driving the AI agenda.

As marketers head into 2025, the future of marketing lies in transforming AI from a promising tool into a business gamechanger. In a rapidly evolving marketplace, the key isn’t just adopting AI – it’s adopting AI thoughtfully, leveraging connected data to unlock speed, precision, and relevance.

For more advice on using connected insights to unlock business growth, visit Zappi.