What’s Trending in Marketing – Week of Dec 22, 2025
As we close out 2025, marketers are navigating a landscape shaped by AI acceleration, social commerce breakthroughs, and new screens for content consumption. In just a few weeks, platform innovations — like short‑form video on TV and evolving TikTok Shop dynamics — are rewriting how audiences discover, engage with, and buy from brands.
This week’s trends reflect tangible platform shifts and shifts in consumer behavior that are already influencing campaign performance and content planning for 2026. Whether you’re tightening your Q4 strategy or laying groundwork for next year, these developments will help you stay ahead of the curve.
What You'll Learn from This Week’s Trends:
How major platforms are expanding short‑form content beyond phones into the living room.
Why AI proficiency is no longer optional — it’s foundational to effective marketing.
How social commerce continues to convert engagement into revenue during the holidays.
Why data visualizations and infographics drive backlinks, engagement, and SEO value.
How culturally relevant creator collaborations influence brand perception and virality.
Let’s dig in!
Short‑Form Social Video Comes to TV Screens
Source - Instagram Reels on Fire TV – Axios / The Verge
Instagram is rolling out a dedicated Reels app for Amazon Fire TV, extending short‑form video consumption to living rooms across the U.S. This isn’t just a UI update — it reflects the convergence of social and TV ecosystems, where audiences now expect bite‑sized content beyond their phones. Reels on TV let viewers scroll through curated channels, browse trending categories, and interact with content on a big screen, mirroring the phone experience.
💡 What This Means for Marketers:
Expand your content formats to include horizontal or adaptable creatives that feel at home on larger screens.
Think beyond mobile attention spans; design shared viewing experiences aimed at groups or households.
Use this new surface for brand storytelling moments that feel cinematic yet authentic.
AI is Now Operational Core — Not Just a Trend
Source - Social Media Trends & AI Mainstream Adoption
AI tools — from content generation to campaign optimization — are now deeply woven into modern marketing workflows. Platforms are integrating AI across ad creative generation, performance insights, and automated personalization. Marketers who master AI tools see improvements in speed, relevance, and efficiency. Real‑time reports suggest AI adoption isn’t experimental; it’s becoming a baseline requirement for competitive strategies.
💡 What This Means for Marketers:
Use AI to accelerate iterative testing across headlines, visuals, and calls to action.
Automate repetitive tasks — like reporting, audience segmentation, and personalization — to free up strategic headspace.
Focus human efforts on strategy, narrative direction, and brand voice, where AI can’t replace creativity.
Social Commerce Rises — TikTok Shop Still Leading
Source - TikTok Shop E‑Commerce Restructuring & Holiday Surge
TikTok has restructured its global e‑commerce and data teams, reinforcing its commitment to social commerce and AI‑driven product experiences. This move comes after a massive holiday sales period, including a reported $500M in U.S. Black Friday sales alone. TikTok Shop’s blend of creator content, AI product recommendations, and in‑app checkout is reshaping how consumers shop and brands sell online.
💡 What This Means for Marketers:
Integrate shoppable videos and livestreams directly into your TikTok strategies.
Partner with creators to build authentic product showcases rather than standard ads.
Leverage TikTok’s AI to optimize discovery signals and product placements in feeds.
Infographics & Visual Storytelling Drive Engagement & SEO
Source - DemandSage Infographic Engagement Trends
Infographics aren’t just pretty graphics — they are high‑value SEO assets. Data shows that blogs with infographics generate significantly more backlinks and engagement than text alone. In 2026, audience demand for digestible insights and visual breakdowns will continue to grow, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and industry blogs.
💡 What This Means for Marketers:
Embed data visuals into cornerstone content to increase time on page and shareability.
Use visuals across LinkedIn carousels and newsletters to boost readership and trend authority.
Combine infographics with short‑form video snippets to amplify reach across platforms.
Creator & Cultural Relevance Drives Brand Virality
Source - Vogue Coverage of Viral Beauty Marketing
Brands that strategically align with culturally relevant narratives and authentic creator collaborations are outperforming competitors in engagement and loyalty. These efforts go beyond traditional influencer campaigns; they tap into trends, user‑generated content, and real audience conversations — making content feel of the moment rather than just promotional.
💡 What This Means for Marketers:
Collaborate with diverse creators who bring real audiences and voices, not just follower counts.
Align campaigns with broader cultural movements and trends, not just product showcases.
Frame messaging around community participation — make your audience feel like co‑creators.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Are these trends just for big brands or enterprise marketers?
A: No — although larger brands may generate headlines, these trends are accessible to small teams and solo marketers too. Social commerce platforms, AI content tools, and visual storytelling templates are widely available with affordable plans or free tiers. The differentiator is less budget, more creative execution and consistency in experimentation.
Q2. Is TikTok still important for holiday marketing and planning into 2026?
A: Yes — TikTok continues to influence purchase behavior, cultural relevance, and discovery, especially with TikTok Shop’s enhanced product infrastructure and AI retooling of e‑commerce teams. Brands that integrate TikTok content into their holiday promotions not only see more direct conversions but also build audiences for Q1 and beyond.
Q3. How can marketers balance using AI with preserving originality?
A: Use AI for efficiency — like generating drafts, testing headlines, automating reporting, and optimizing performance — but retain human control over brand voice, strategy, and storytelling arcs. AI helps eliminate operational friction, but truly resonant campaigns still come from humans understanding audience emotion, culture, and creative nuance.
Q4. Does expanding Reels to TVs mean mobile is less relevant?
A: No — mobile remains the primary screen for discovery and engagement. The expansion to TV adds a new layer of reach and prolonged viewing behaviors. Marketers should think of these screens as complementary: mobile for quick, personal interactions; TV for shared, immersive experiences that enhance brand recall.
Q5. Are infographics and visuals still worth investing in 2026?
A: Absolutely. Visual content improves engagement, understanding, and backlink potential. Search engines and social platforms reward content that keeps users engaged longer, and visuals — especially with data and storytelling — are key to both SEO visibility and audience retention.
B2The7 Final
In a year marked by platform innovation and evolving consumer behaviors, this week’s trends highlight the importance of:
Adapting content for new screens and consumption contexts.
Integrating AI thoughtfully into operations, not just experimentation.
Driving sales through social commerce ecosystems like TikTok Shop.
Elevating content with high‑impact visuals that support SEO and shareability.
Collaborating authentically with creators to amplify cultural relevance.
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