Digital Advertising in 2025: Who Made the Naughty or Nice List?

The holidays are here, and while Santa's checking his list, we're checking ours at SilverBack Advertising. With most of 2025 behind us, who made the nice list and who made the naughty list in the world of digital advertising?

AI isn't just hype anymore — it's helping marketers do more with less. Writing ad copy, creating custom videos, and AI-bulilt campaigns are quickly pushing digital advertising to a more personal targeting and messaging tactic.

Big brands like Walmart, Target, and Amazon have turned their shopper data into gold. Advertisers can now reach people right as they're ready to buy. Will more big retail brands follow suit in 2026? The trend is pushing that way.

Live sports, premium programming, and an ever-growing number of subscribers. Connected TV continues to grow and push traditional broadcast to a smaller marketshare. CTV ads are targeted and trackable, adding value traditional broadcast can't offer.

As cookies are fading away, and marketers are learning to do things the right way — using first-party data and relevant audiences. The brands that respect privacy and still deliver great ads? Definitely on the nice list.

Those annoying "You won't believe what happens next" ads? Still around — and still getting the side-eye. Ad blindness is real, and brands that lean into clickbait are asking to be ignored.

AI is powerful, but it's not perfect. There's still no substitute for advertising experts guiding campaigns to make sure they stay on the right track, as unchecked AI can easily wander to lost spend and wasted impressions.

Is your data organized? Is your CRM cleaned up? Even with all the tools out there, too many marketers are flying blind. If your data is scattered and your reporting doesn't make sense, it's time for a cleanup before 2026 rolls around.

Still get emails that say, "Hi [First Name]"? Yeah — not great. Personalization gone wrong (or forgotten altogether) is still way too common. If you're going to use data, use it right.

Big winners this year navigated new privacy rules and AI tools to effectively make strong campaigns, a trend that's sure to roll into 2026. If your brand isn't on the trend, then talk to the experts at SilverBack Advertising and learn more about what our team can do for you!