New research from Shutterstock quantifies a critical and widening disconnect between marketing investment and its actual business impact. The 2025 Creative Impact Report reveals that while marketing spend has surged, its effectiveness in driving consumer purchase intent has significantly lagged, creating a substantial "impact gap" that has deepened to a cumulative 20% decline since 2023. This trend underscores a pivotal shift where creative quality and strategic intelligence are now more valuable than budget size alone.
Quick Intel
A 20% cumulative "impact gap" has emerged as marketing spend growth outpaces purchase intent.
Volume-based marketing is failing; success now hinges on creative quality over budget size.
Lead with emotion: Campaigns evoking Pride and Belonging achieve over 61% believability.
Focus on fewer, high-impact messages; multi-format campaigns deliver 40% more ROI.
Use AI to amplify creativity; 56% of creatives say AI makes work more emotionally relevant.
Brands must prioritize cultural relevance to avoid backlash in a volatile social landscape.
The Data Behind the Decline
The study is based on 44 months of econometrics modeling, AI-powered content analysis, and proprietary data. It tracked key performance indicators like return on ad spend (ROAS), purchase intent, and trust. The data conclusively shows that the era of volume-based marketing is over, failing in the face of widespread content fatigue and cultural volatility. The key drivers of marketing success have been redefined, with creative quality, emotional connection, cultural relevance, and AI-driven precision now outweighing the sheer size of a marketing budget.
Three Proven Strategies for Top Performers
The report identifies three core strategies that define the most successful marketing campaigns. First, leading with emotion is critical. Campaigns that evoke Pride and Belonging achieve believability scores above 61%, while Nostalgia is emerging as a powerful driver of credibility. Second, focusing on fewer, high-impact messages is essential, as believability drops after just three campaign messages. Multi-format campaigns built around a single, clear idea deliver 40% more ROI. Third, pushing AI to amplify creativity is a major differentiator. Over half of creatives note that AI enables them to make their work more emotionally relevant, acting as a functional building block for customization at scale and predictive trend analysis.
Navigating the Future Media Landscape
The implications for 2026 are clear as brands face an increasingly complex environment. The report finds that 66% of businesses have faced boycotts tied to social movements, with nearly half admitting their creative processes lag behind cultural shifts. This gap leaves brands vulnerable. This challenge will be amplified by the unprecedented competition for attention during the 2026 Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, and U.S. midterm elections.
"The next era of marketing won't be won by volume, but by emotional and cultural intelligence," added Allison Sitzman, VP of Brand Strategy at Shutterstock. "As we enter what will be the most crowded ad environment in history, the brands that break through won't be the ones shouting the loudest—they'll be the ones communicating with intent."
The 2025 Creative Impact Report delivers a clear bottom line: creative quality is the primary driver of ROI. Brands that successfully align emotional resonance with culturally relevant content and leverage AI for real-time adaptation can close the 20% effectiveness gap, fueling trust, business growth, and a long-term competitive advantage.
Shutterstock is in the business of turning ideas into impact. Powered by a global network of millions of creators and our cutting-edge technology, we provide businesses, creatives and brand leaders with the essential, universal ingredients to make their work more effective. Shutterstock is home to the world's largest and most diverse collection of high-quality licensable assets, data and AI solutions, advertising and distribution solutions, exclusive editorial content, and full-service studio production—delivering unparalleled resources to fuel great work.
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