2025 won’t be business as usual, so we must change with the times
Opinion
As Isba turns 125 this year, it will step up efforts in its mission to create a transparent, responsible and accountable advertising environment.
Life is always what happens to you while you’re making other plans — and when there’s so much happening in and around our industry, it can be tough to keep your focus on delivery.
2024 saw a revolution in AI, controversy over brand safety and drama in politics on both sides of the ocean (and across the Channel). Anyone waiting for a return to “business as usual” will be cooling their heels for a long while.
The last 12 months brought us their share of surprises and 2025 will no doubt do the same. In such a fast-moving environment, Isba has sought to navigate change by holding on to our North Star: our purpose.
In short, that’s to advocate for a transparent, responsible and accountable advertising environment. That’s a place that can be trusted by the public who consumes ads, the advertisers that make them and the people who decide the regulations and laws.
Cross-measurement demand
This is the time of year when we hold ourselves to account by surveying our membership on their views of our progress. You can see a timeline of our efforts here.
Of course, a huge part of our work in 2024 centred around Origin, the project that answers advertisers’ consistent demand for effective and accountable cross-media measurement. Demand for this is only increasing — and we continue to work towards a full launch this year.
Origin is now in beta trials, with actual campaign data being surfaced for 35 advertisers that are getting to see what the platform can do first hand. There are more building blocks to be put in place and more cross-industry discussions to be had, but we are more confident than ever of the need for Origin and in its transformative potential for marketers.
Brand-safety debate is here to stay
Change is, of course, often controversial — and we saw that in 2024 with the debate over the measures our industry has sought to take on brand safety.
The issue may have become part of the debates around the US presidential election, but we can be sure that it will be here to stay.
Advertisers want to operate in an environment that is safe for brands and users, and to have a clear understanding of the terms and conditions that the big tech platforms apply to content — and of the effectiveness of their enforcement.
The violent disorder in the UK last summer, and the potential for children and young people to be exposed to harmful content, means that this isn’t a subject that is going away.
It’s possible that approaches across different countries will now fragment. How will brands navigate what could become a fractured international brand-safety environment?
Leadership roles
Coming from a political background, I’m certain that policymakers — especially in this still-new Labour government — will be watching closely.
They are looking to all sectors to be good corporate citizens and to act in a way that helps the country tackle what often seem to be intractable social and economic problems. Advertising is no exception.
Holding ourselves to high standards, and demonstrating progress, is ever more important. That’s why we’ve sought to take a leadership role in a range of areas, from a convening role in the Ad Accessibility Alliance (working towards the goal of all advertising being accessible to all — notably the vision and hearing impaired) to addressing age-assurance standards as part of the government’s Online Advertising Taskforce.
Isba has also launched an updated Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct alongside the Influencer Marketing Trade Body.
Navigating the AI revolution
It’s also why we took the principles we worked on with the IPA on the use of generative AI in advertising and provided our members with new gen-AI guidance and agency contract terms.
As we’ve spoken with our members about their priorities for 2025, it’s clear that navigating the AI revolution is at the front of their minds.
We’ll absolutely stay focused on this — helping our members understand and navigate what’s coming and realising the possibilities of a phenomenon that is absolutely transformative, as well as guarding against its risks.
We know that the government is interested in this area, too, and ministers will be thinking about how the use of AI should be regulated across the economy and society.
Engaging in legislative change
In fact, there are a huge range of issues where government has an interest.
From the lengthy drama over “less healthy” food and drink to possible new gambling rules, from the UK’s data regime to how fresh online safety legislation might take shape, the regulatory and legislative environment is only going to become more critical in the coming years.
How we engage in that change is going to be fundamental to our licence to operate as a sector. It will impact directly on trust — that of the people making the law, that of the public we serve and that of the people who work for brand owners.
They will all want advertising to do good and to be seen to be doing good.
Priorities remain
Our members believe that Isba provides a valuable network for the sharing of perspectives, a point of reference for best practice and support, and a strong voice for reform.
The challenge for us is to continue to focus on marketers’ priorities: delivering effective strategies on tighter budgets; measuring the return on their investment; and ensuring that they are equipped with the right skills and expertise.
We have to do this while also engaging with a changed political environment and working together to understand the forces that are coming down the track and will transform our industry.
Isba is 125 years old in 2025. As the oldest advertising trade body in the world, we know what it’s like to adapt and change with the times.
Our goal is to provide the leadership we need to meet oncoming challenges — and, with confidence, to face the future.
Rob Newman is director of public affairs at Isba