Sophisticated algorithms are driving today’s media evolution. As media permeates our lives, it is fast becoming 100% addressable, 100% shoppable, and 100% accountable.
At dentsu, we call this the algorithmic era of media.
This article is extracted from The Year of Impact | 2025 Media Trends, dentsu’s 15th annual trends report. Storytelling is fast becoming the best strategy for brands looking to burst the algorithmic bubble and expand their stories to new spheres. With their stories, brands can leverage the increasing authority of creators, influencers and fandoms to build on word of mouth and seize new growth opportunities in 2025.
Digital media has historically depended on user-generated content such as blogs, video, and forum posts. Today, creators and fandoms of all shapes and sizes who produce high-quality content for platforms ranging from YouTube to Substack have become incredibly valuable for brands as they provide authentic connection to audiences that may be hard to reach through channels like television.
It is no surprise 85% of CMOs now intend to maintain or increase their investment in short-form content (e.g., Instagram reels), 82% in influencer marketing, and 81% in livestream content in the next 12 months, as they look to surf the creator economy wave and increase consumer attention to their brands.
Deep interest, broad impact
Have you heard of Xianyu literature, named after the lengthy and confessional product listings on Xianyu, a Chinese resale application that caters to youth subcultures? The 500 million monthly active users of the app probably have. Or did you know that r/Costco and r/Silverado are respectively in the top 1% and top 3% Reddit communities by size, while not being affiliated with the brands?
It is now possible to find sizable and engaged communities of passions for almost any topic, no matter how specialized. There is considerable volume in niche interests and deep fandoms, with content creators across the spectrum valued for their opinions on all sorts of products and areas of life. The quality of content in these communities, their independence, and the time spent in building a following give them a purchase influence that can rival or surpass brands’ own advertising and content.
The value of these communities has not gone unnoticed by platforms. Google secured a partnership with Reddit to bring threads (i.e., conversations) into its services. Reddit itself has recently introduced Reddit Pro, a suite of tools aiming to improve brands’ organic presence on the platform by enabling marketers to better understand communities before connecting with their most engaged members.
Creator fame moves business metrics
Many content creators have seen their fame skyrocket lately. Some like MrBeast have achieved stardom among Gen Z audiences, who in the US are more than twice as likely to shop from influencers than older generations. This influence on purchases, combined with a solid understanding of algorithm rankings and most performing messages, make star creators sought-after partners for brands looking to reach large audiences.
Yet, creator fame is not reserved to broad interest categories. B2B brands are investing in the space, and even factories are successfully turning towards influencers to generate onsite visits and orders through TikTok, WeChat and Instagram.
What’s next?
Brands will use creators, influencers, and communities in more ways. New business models will appear to help reflect their true value, with greater understanding and measurement of long-term impact. More personality-led brands will emerge and grow, à la influencer restaurants and foods.
Dentsu’s The Year of Impact | 2025 Media Trends report lays out ten trends to watch in 2025.
Get your copy of The Year of Impact | 2025 Media Trends report here to see all ten trends.
