OMR 2025 Insights: Marketers Navigate AI Automation, Performance Marketing, and the Podcast Boom
The OMR 2025 conference in Hamburg, Europe’s premier event for marketing and technology innovators, revealed a profound shift in the marketing landscape. Marketers are increasingly skeptical of the AI-driven solutions championed by Big Tech while re-evaluating performance marketing’s predominance. With a growing demand for transparency and an uprising interest in podcasts, the atmosphere at OMR 2025 was marked by a sense of recalibration.
AI’s Black Box Faces Resistance
As discussions unfolded at OMR, a clear demand for transparency emerged. Gone are the days when marketers would passively entrust an opaque "black box" to execute their strategies.
This movement is already taking root. For instance, Google recently announced enhancements to its reporting for marketers using Performance Max (PMax), reflecting this shift towards greater clarity.
“No one considered this likely just one or two years ago,” noted Christian Scharmüller, chief client officer at the Austrian agency smec. He shared that standard shopping campaigns now make up 20% of all campaigns, seeing a recent uptick in usage. This data points to a greater preference for campaigns that offer more visibility and control, diverging from the fully automated corridors of performance marketing.
Big Tech’s latest AI tools—encompassing Google’s Performance Max, Meta’s Advantage+, Amazon’s Performance+, TikTok’s Smart+, and Pinterest’s innovations—aim to simplify advertising. However, this convenience often comes at the cost of control, a trade-off many marketers are hesitant to accept.
For instance, Meta’s push for end-to-end automation has raised eyebrows, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlining a strategy that many perceive as an attempt to diminish the traditional role of agencies. Following backlash, Meta’s leadership made efforts to clarify their position, but the concern echoed loudly among attendees.
The broader macroeconomic atmosphere adds another layer of complexity. As a potential global economic downturn looms, marketers are demanding clear ROI and transparency from their media investments, areas where black box AI systems often falter.
Rethinking Performance Marketing
The skepticism doesn’t stop at AI; many marketers are questioning the very foundation of performance marketing itself.
“We’ve become accustomed to the ‘drug’ of performance marketing,” admitted Geoff Seeley, CMO at PayPal, during a panel. “However, we must engage hearts and minds, which cannot solely be achieved through performance metrics.”
This shift in perspective acknowledges that “conversions” are now occurring at various stages within a reimagined marketing funnel, which resembles a more circular structure than ever before.
Even Google is transitioning beyond the traditional last-click attribution model. Debbie Weinstein, President of Google EMEA, highlighted innovations like Google Lens and Gemini Live, showcasing the future of AI’s role in search. The tech giant is betting that search’s future extends beyond the web browser, widening its horizon.
The Rise of Podcasts
Among the conversations that sparked excitement at OMR 2025, podcasts took center stage.
“The media of 2025 is podcasts,” declared marketing guru Scott Galloway, a professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He emphasized the stark contrast in demographics: “The average age of a cable news viewer is 70; meanwhile, the average podcast listener is just 34. This demographic is worth significantly more to advertisers.”
As consumers increasingly allocate their time to platforms beyond traditional media, podcasts are emerging as a premium, story-driven alternative. Even streaming giant Netflix is on board, eyeing the podcast market as an opportunity. “Future podcasts may lean into more video-centric formats—who knows, maybe we’ll see some making their way to Netflix,” enthused Marian Lee, Netflix CMO, further reinforcing the platform’s evolving strategy.
Conclusion: Charting New Territories
The discussions at OMR 2025 underscore a pivotal moment in marketing, highlighting the urgent need for transparency, the re-evaluation of performance marketing, and the burgeoning influence of podcasts. Marketers are recalibrating their strategies to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving landscape, ensuring they remain relevant and resonant in a world increasingly driven by value and connection.
