The communications industry is undergoing dynamic changes as consumer behavior and related media consumption evolve. We can say that 2024 was an exciting year for everyone in the business, and 2025 surely holds new surprises.
According to data from HURA and IAB, investments in Croatia are predominantly directed towards television and digital channels, with social media standing out among them. Social media is dominated by influencers (and Meta). Some sources indicate that the global value of investments in influencer marketing has reached $24 billion and shows no signs of slowing down.
Our internal data reveals that half of brand investments in media channels outside television are allocated to influencer marketing. In the first six months of the outgoing year alone, we carried out over 30 influencer campaigns.
How Do You Sleep?
What should concern communication managers and advisors is that while influencers represent a communication potential, they can also pose a potential threat to brand reputation.
Cancel culture has infiltrated every corner of the online world. However, according to the DialogVoxPopuli survey, the majority of respondents (88%) believe that brands can make a comeback even after being “canceled.” To achieve this, having crisis scenarios ready is essential—something I strongly recommend as one of the main investments for 2025.
The Region as a Growth Opportunity
Another trend and strategy we observe among advertisers, and actively implement through the Central Point Adria hub, is regional communication integration. This strategy brought us a 60% revenue increase in the first six months of this year. However, there are pitfalls to watch out for here as well.
First, social, media, and political differences still exist in the region, meaning that a “one-size-fits-all” approach doesn’t work. Second, service prices in neighboring Southeast European markets are no longer negligible compared to Croatia. Third, without clear priorities and structure, there is no optimal system. Incorporate this into your 2025 plans if you’re thinking regionally.
Greener Than Green
The third trend is corporate social responsibility, which is returning in full force after several years of crises and ad-hoc tactics. Although research shows that most (especially younger) consumers are highly sensitive to environmental issues, companies are increasingly turning to supporting local communities (while employees remain high on the list of priorities).
The risk here is a potential lack of focus, but a clear strategy that can cover multiple territories will undoubtedly yield desired results. This was demonstrated by a company for which we conducted a highly successful campaign focused on reforesting areas around Vukovar, involving internal publics.
Our expertise in environmental initiatives last year, compared to the previous one, brought a 45% revenue increase through our platform, The Green Hub. For 2025, we anticipate further double-digit growth.
