Special Coverage: Marketing trends that defined Q1 and Q2 2025
 

Marketing at 2025's halfway point

 
July​ 8,​ 2025
 

 
 
 
The recent Fourth of July holiday gave marketers a rare moment to unwind and reflect on a year that so far has been anything but short on incident. Tariffs and global conflict kept decision-makers on their toes for the first six months of 2025 while the continued push for innovation and agility, including around generative artificial intelligence, dominated gatherings like Cannes Lions. A need to keep pace with bleeding-edge tech and fast-shifting consumer habits comes as many CMOs are contending with stagnant budgets, analysts say.

Despite the familiar morass of uncertainty, brands found ways to break through. In this newsletter, Marketing Dive has curated a list of stories that examine the highs and lows of H1 2025, including a breakdown of the best campaigns and marketing activations, a look inside the minds of top marketers navigating the turbulence and data-driven analysis of the biggest industry trends. Understanding what worked in H1 could be key to unlocking the right strategy as H2 planning and execution get underway.

As always, thanks for reading.

Peter Adams
Senior Reporter, Marketing Dive
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H1 NEWS AND TRENDS


 

7 successful marketing campaigns that met 2025’s chaos with determination

 

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