It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Rob Shaw, CEO at HUB.
As CEO of an integrated marketing agency, I liaise with clients across various sectors
utilising diverse advertising channels. Looking towards 2025, my focus is on the implications of the recent budget which remains to be fully realised.
One key element involves rising employment costs, including increases in employer NI
contributions and changes to employment rights – both of which I believe will slow the rate of new jobs in 2025.
Subsequently, I believe retailers will double down on e-commerce advertising which does not have such a direct impact on headcount as high-street retail. Retailers have significantly pushed their online activities and sales campaigns in Q4, and I expect this to continue into 2025.
Another area we monitor closely is the evolution of TV advertising, and HUB has long
collaborated with ITV, Channel 4, Sky and others to secure advertising space that delivers
results for our clients. With the growth of streaming platforms, and the evolution of ITVX and programmatic advertising from Sky, TV advertising is becoming more accessible to brands with smaller budgets thanks to the ability to target tightly defined audiences.
We are seeing more companies take their first steps into TV advertising on these platforms
as part of a wider marketing campaign to great effect, and I expect this to continue for years to come.
While 2024 presented commercial challenges for many businesses, we remain optimistic for
2025. Companies with the right products or services leveraging the most suitable marketing channels will always find themselves well-positioned to succeed.
