How to navigate a stormy start

What a start to the new year?! Normally, you would be settling into March Momentum around this time—building on your February Foundation and looking forward to some April Acceleration around the corner.

But with big waves and aggressive winds defining today’s global reality, we understand if you are counting lifeboats rather than looking to the horizon to find calmer waters.

Cards on the table: 2025 has started like a tornado. But relax! To keep your brand shipshape, you need to work out where you want to go.

To help, we have asked our partners at Pravda to peek into their little crystal ball and identify what will define branding anno 2025. The kind of insight that puts wind in your sails.

What are you waiting for?

Say it loud, say it proud 📣

Mette Hejl, CEO & Owner 

2025 will be the beginning of the end for ‘wallflower’ B2B brands. As Gen Z becomes ever more influential—both as employees and business partners—brands wanting to play at the top tier must speak boldly and with integrity. 

Defining and communicating your brand’s purpose will continue to be vital. Not just in employer branding or ESG communication. It will become a bottom-line factor.  

Research by global communications firm Edelman shows that 92% of Gen Z need to share values with a brand to buy from it. So, it’s time to ditch the ‘strong, silent type’ routine. 

This year will be ripe for B2B influencers and CXO role models to harvest attention. A study by Demand Gen Report has found that 87% of B2B buyers give more credence to industry influencer content. Meanwhile, 43% of B2B marketeers surveyed by TopRank Marketing reported outstanding results from influencer programs in 2024—an increase of almost 10 points from the previous year.  

Letting the world know what you believe in and
stand for is good for business. Because we all want to be educated and inspired by real people.  

Who can you trust? 🤔

Sune Busk, Strategic Director & Partner

Could this be the year that the old-school virtue of trust makes a comeback? For too long, society’s faith in leaders, institutions, the media—you name it—has been plummeting. In this environment, gaining someone’s trust could be the greatest accolade a brand can achieve.

Saying that is one thing. Making it happen? Well, that’s something else entirely! But as Carol Howley, CMO of Exclaimer writes on Forbes.com: “Trust isn’t just a component of brand strategy; it’s the very essence of it.”

A study by global communications firm Edelman has found that 81% of people say they need to trust a brand before making a purchase. So, truly gaining your customers’ trust will be a USP like no other in 2025.

Unlike that worn-out word ‘authentic’, trust isn’t a label. It’s something your customers choose to do. Or not. That demands consistent, honest action from your brand.

But with research by Label Insight showing 94% of people are loyal to brands that prioritize transparency, it’s action that pays off.

Avoid AI wind tunnel syndrome 🌬️ 

Karim Frølund Jarrar, Brand Director & Partner

As AI transitions from disruptive influence to daily inspiration in marketing and branding, brands face a growing challenge: how to escape the ‘wind-tunnel’ effect of AI-generated sameness. You see, strong brands have soul. AI doesn’t. 

Now more than ever, relying solely on generative AI to stand out in a sea of automated content is illogical. Already almost 70% of B2B marketeers have integrated AI into their operations, according to Influencer Marketing Hub.  

The risk of homogenization grows by the day. As Jen Iliff, Founder and CEO of 3X Marketing argues: “This is the direct opposite of the purpose of branding, which requires differentiation and authenticity as a core component.”  

In 2025, it’s time to double down on authentic brand storytelling and true distinctiveness to achieve meaningful differentiation.  

This year, cohesive, emotionally compelling narratives that align with your brand’s core values will be like a breath of fresh air. Providing a competitive edge today and tomorrow. 

The slow-mover advantage 🐢

Michael Eg, Executive Creative Director & Partner 

Look at any review of B2B communication over the past decade and chances are business brands are being criticized for lagging behind the world of B2C. But what if this traditional conservatism could be a strength? 

As the AI explosion continues in 2025, many business brands will be looking to quickly incorporate the latest B2C trends into their communication strategy. Our advice? Don’t be afraid to take it slow.  

Branding and marketing professionals can use B2B’s classically slow uptake of new technology and tools to avoid the worst mistakes of this trailblazing era. 

Why? Market researchers Attest have found 71% of consumers worry about being able to trust what they see and hear because of AI, while IT analysts Gartner predict AI saturation will see 50% of consumers significantly limit social media interactions in 2025. 

So, forget recklessly racing after the B2C hare. Embrace your inner tortoise instead and give yourself time to make wiser decisions. After all, we all know who ends up winning.