Ad Age has crowned the year’s marketing winners again. It spotlights campaigns, redesigns, AI stunts, and buzzy collabs. I enjoy the show. But we need a better scorecard.
Awards culture molds the work we make next year. When we cheer what is loud, we get louder. When we honor what helps people, we get better. The choice matters.
“Ad Age’s 2025 Year in Review highlights the year’s best campaigns, brand redesigns, AI activations, collabs and other marketing moments.”
What We Celebrate Shapes What We Build
I see two currents running through this year’s highlights. First, AI “activations” that grab attention in a flash. Second, mash‑ups between brands that trend for a day. Both can be fun. Both can also be empty calories.
Hype is not the same as value. If a clever demo drives zero lasting behavior, it is theater. If a partnership spikes mentions and then fades, it is noise. We should be honest about that.
Redesigns tell a similar story. A clean logo or calmer palette can win praise. I care more about whether a redesign helps people find what they need faster, read more clearly, or trust the source.
The Scorecard We Actually Need
I’m not against highlight reels. I am for judging them by outcomes that matter to people, not only to award juries.
- Effect on real behavior: Did the work change choices, not just chatter?
- Clarity and access: Did the redesign improve readability, speed, and inclusion?
- AI with consent: Was data gathered ethically, with clear user permission?
- Lasting value: Did the activation build a product, feature, or service that sticks?
- Cultural care: Did the collab respect the communities it borrowed from?
- Footprint and fairness: Did it reduce waste and avoid harmful targeting?
If we used this yardstick, the list of “best” might look very different. Some viral hits would drop. Quiet fixes that made life better would rise.
The Case for Raising the Bar
Marketing can solve real problems, not just win attention. A smart loyalty flow that cuts food waste beats a flashy chatbot with no follow‑through. An honest pricing page beats a witty prank any day.
I want to see proof baked into praise. Show completion rates, not just views. Share NPS lift for users with disabilities after a redesign. Report carbon savings from production choices. If that data is missing, the work is not finished.
Some will say awards already weigh results. They try. But press buzz and jury taste still tilt the table. The easiest stories to retell are the ones with a stunt and a headline.
Others argue that spectacle inspires teams. I get it. Inspiration matters. But we can inspire with craft and care, not just stunts. The work that respects people is the work that endures.
AI Activations Need Adult Supervision
This was the year of AI in everything. I like useful automation. I worry about empty AI branding. If a tool saves time, show the hours saved and error rates. If it mixes user content, show clear consent and opt‑outs. AI without proof is a magic trick, not progress.
Collabs deserve the same check. A sneaker drop can fuel joy and resale clicks. It can also squeeze fans and burn trust. The line is the line: does the work give more than it takes?
What I Want to See Next Year
I want highlight reels that teach. Not just sizzle, but recipes. Not only polish, but the parts that were hard and how teams solved them.
- Publish the metric that mattered most and why.
- Share one mistake and how it was fixed.
- Open‑source a small tool or template from the project.
That would raise the craft for everyone.
A Better Way to Win
Let’s reward work that helps people and proves it. Celebrate redesigns that improve access. Cheer AI that serves consent and clarity. Praise collabs that lift culture, not just clout.
Readers can push this shift. Ask brands for results, not just reels. Favor products that explain how they use your data. Support teams that publish methods, not only mood boards.
My take is simple: if we change what we cheer, we change what gets made. The industry will follow the incentives. Let’s set them with care.
