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- The Defining Marketing Moments of 2024
The Defining Marketing Moments of 2024
PLUS: Primark's $90M US gamble & holiday AI campaigns surge
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Hi there!
This will be our final ClickZ newsletter of 2024, so on behalf of the entire team, we wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas. The team will be back in early January to bring you more marketing insights.
But before we head off on holiday, we also wanted to thank you for your patience and support this year. ClickZ had a bit of a makeover and also took the daunting decision of moving from one CMS to another, abandoning its old website. It has not been an easy transition and we wanted to thank every audience member who has stuck with us. We couldn’t do what we do without you.
In our special Christmas edition we wanted to bring you some of the latest industry news as well as a little bit of a wrap up of some of the biggest stories this year. We hope you enjoy!
Highlights from today's newsletter:
Q1-Q4 breakdown: From cookie death to AI holiday campaigns#
Primark bets big on brick-and-mortar against digital trend
Social media costs spike as platforms evolve
EDITOR’S PICK
As the Irish value retailer pours $90 million into its U.S. expansion and plans a flagship store near Penn Station, it's taking an unconventional approach that's raising eyebrows in the retail world. In a digital-first era where competitors race to perfect their e-commerce experience, Primark is doubling down on brick-and-mortar—and it's working.
Since opening its first U.S. store in Boston in 2015, Primark has methodically built its American presence to 29 stores, with ambitions to reach 60 by 2026. But what's most intriguing is how this European retail powerhouse (the third-largest apparel retailer in the UK) is breaking the traditional expansion playbook. Instead of rushing to launch digital sales channels, they're investing in traditional billboards, subway ads, and yes, TikTok campaigns—all designed to drive customers into physical stores where they say the real magic happens.
We do know that once people experience our brand or shop our stores, they can’t help but love what we have to offer. They find that in different ways, whether it’s through the quality of the products that we have or the wide range of assortments… or honestly, affordability, as well.
With a new Manhattan flagship store on the horizon and a fresh brand campaign launching this spring, Primark is betting big that in retail, sometimes the old rules still apply to new markets.
How did one sales team unlock a 47% performance boost without adding a single new resource?
When a team of 900 sales reps started sharing their frontline insights through Hive Perform, something unexpected happened. Analysis of 5,000 peer-to-peer conversations revealed 10 core themes that weren't just improving results—they were transforming how knowledge moves through the organization.
From slashing new hire ramp-up time by 36 days to uncovering hidden product strategies, this is a story of how tapping into your team's existing expertise can lead to extraordinary results.
READ INSIGHTS FROM ANNA PEGGRAM 👉
2024 All Wrapped Up
As 2024 winds to a close, marketers across industries are taking stock of the trends, technologies, and societal shifts that have reshaped the profession.
From economic turbulence to the continued dominance of artificial intelligence (AI), this year has been a proving ground for marketers navigating new challenges and opportunities. Let’s delve into the defining stories of 2024, organized by industry and overarching professional themes.
Q1: January–March 🍂☔
The death of third-party cookies:
Marketers began 2024 grappling with Google’s ongoing phase-out of third-party cookies. As Chrome neared its final stages of implementation for its Privacy Sandbox, brands scrambled to establish first-party data strategies and explore alternatives like contextual targeting and data partnerships.
Greenwashing lawsuits set the tone:
Early in the year, several global brands faced legal action for misleading sustainability claims. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) intensified investigations into greenwashing, prompting marketers to focus on verifiable claims and transparent ESG messaging.
Meta’s ad targeting tweaks:
Meta kicked off the year with updates to its ad targeting options, removing several detailed targeting categories deemed sensitive (e.g., around health and social issues). This forced marketers to refine their audience strategies and rely more heavily on lookalike audiences and interest-based targeting.
Q2: April–June🌳🌸
Threads Gains Traction Among Brands:
Following its launch in mid-2023, Threads, Meta’s Twitter competitor, saw gradual adoption by brands exploring its potential. By Q2 2024, marketers were leveraging the platform for conversational engagement, albeit with cautious budgets due to its nascent ad capabilities. Its growth was fueled by ongoing turbulence on Twitter, now known as X.
The UK Strengthens Consumer Protection Legislation:
The UK introduced amendments to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, targeting misleading marketing practices like fake reviews and deceptive pricing. This update demanded marketers revisit their campaigns and ad copy to ensure compliance, particularly for e-commerce.
Generative AI Gains Ground in Campaign Creation:
Q2 saw the widespread adoption of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Jasper for copywriting, ad design, and audience segmentation. However, with AI came legal and ethical concerns, particularly around intellectual property rights for AI-generated content. Some brands implemented internal guidelines for responsible AI usage in marketing.
Greenwashing Backlash Continues:
High-profile lawsuits over greenwashing claims prompted several companies to overhaul their ESG campaigns. The backlash against vague environmental claims intensified as consumers demanded transparency. Marketers leaned into third-party certifications and measurable sustainability efforts to regain trust.
Q3: July–September 😎🌊
Meta’s Ad Transparency Features Expand:
In July 2024, Meta introduced enhanced ad transparency tools, allowing users to view detailed information about ad targeting parameters. This was part of Meta’s broader effort to comply with global regulatory pressures. Marketers had to adapt by ensuring their ad strategies could withstand public scrutiny and align with ethical targeting practices.
Google’s AI-Powered Search Continues to Disrupt SEO:
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) rolled out more broadly in Q3, blending AI-generated summaries with organic and paid results. This fundamentally altered traditional SEO strategies, forcing marketers to optimize content for conversational queries and integrate more dynamic ad formats into search campaigns.
Sustainability Pledge at Cannes Lions Gains Momentum:
Marketers at Cannes Lions in August 2024 faced growing pressure to prioritize authentic sustainability storytelling. The event spotlighted brands that demonstrated measurable ESG progress, raising the bar for sustainability-focused campaigns and signaling a shift away from superficial green messaging.
Social Commerce Gains Ground:
Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram doubled down on social commerce features. TikTok’s Shop Now tools and live-streaming events became go-to strategies for marketers targeting younger audiences. Meanwhile, Instagram added in-app checkout enhancements, making it easier for brands to drive conversions directly within the platform.
Consumer Advocacy Fuels Advertising Accountability:
Global consumer advocacy groups ramped up their campaigns against misleading advertising, resulting in several brands facing fines or public backlash for opaque pricing or exaggerated claims. Marketers increasingly turned to compliance consultants to navigate the growing complexity of international advertising laws.
Q4: October–December 🎃⛄❄️
Google Expands Privacy Sandbox Testing:
By Q4, Google ramped up its Privacy Sandbox testing, transitioning a larger percentage of Chrome users away from third-party cookies. Marketers leaned heavily into first-party data collection strategies, investing in Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) and personalized email marketing to maintain audience engagement amidst reduced tracking capabilities.
FTC Tightens Regulations on Digital Marketing Practices:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released updated guidelines targeting deceptive advertising practices, with a particular focus on dark patterns in e-commerce. Marketers were required to reevaluate their websites and ad copy to ensure clear communication around pricing, auto-renewals, and promotional offers. Brands that failed to comply faced substantial penalties, making transparency an essential part of campaign planning.
Social Media Advertising Costs Surge:
The holiday season saw a significant spike in ad costs across platforms like Meta and TikTok as competition for consumer attention intensified. Marketers began experimenting with owned media strategies such as newsletters and branded content hubs to reduce reliance on increasingly expensive social ads.
Generative AI Optimizes Holiday Campaigns:
Marketers embraced generative AI to scale personalized holiday campaigns. Tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney were used to produce tailored copy and visuals, allowing brands to create hyper-targeted messaging for diverse audience segments. However, concerns about over-reliance on AI persisted, with some campaigns facing backlash for a lack of human creativity and authenticity.
WHAT WE ARE READING
 | This year, brands aligned with major cultural events and viral trends in a bid to compete for consumer attention. |
 | Much progress has been made in traditional media to stamp out everyday sexism in marketing, but social media is fuelling unattainable and idealistic images of women, which are particularly damaging to young girls. |
 | AI video-generated commercials from major brands have quickly become almost mainstream—Coca-Cola and Vodafone each recently released campaigns made using the technology. Meanwhile, there has been a flood of new large language models, which underpin the text-, image- and video-generating AI: Google recently released an update to Veo, its video-generating app, and OpenAI released video tool Sora this month. Plus, there are startup models, such as one from Kling, which studio Secret Level used when it helped Coca-Cola create one of three AI-generated commercials for the holidays. |
Influencer Partnerships Crocs ➡️ Influencer Marketing Manager 📍 Broomfield, CO |
Marketing & Communications Fospha ➡️ Partnerships Executive 📍 Austin, TX, USA |
Affiliate Marketing Macy’s ➡️Director, Affiliate Marketing 📍 New York, USA |
WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO
🎙 MARKETING MADE SIMPLE
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In this episode Dr. J.J. Peterson and co-host April Sunshine Hawkins show you how to step into the role of guide for your customers. You’ll discover practical tips for connecting with your customers' needs while positioning your expertise as the solution they can trust. Even better, you’ll learn how to keep your marketing authentic and focused, all in under 5 minutes.
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