All through December 2024, Manifest is running its year-ender series in which advertising, marketing and media leaders will be sharing their thoughts on the biggest development of the year along with a manifestation for 2025.

We continue our series with Ashit Kukian, chief executive officer, Radio City.

The biggest development in the advertising, media and marketing space according to you in 2024 was... 

As the year draws to a close, consumer behavior has indeed gone into transformation, mainly attributed to digital thinking. The rapid growth of smartphone usage, increased internet access, and the expansion of e-commerce have made digital media the top industry for advertising spending. Brands can harness marketing driven through AI and ML; such strategies help tailor and ensure a hyper-personalised form of content that gives what consumers demand based on preference and behaviour at impressive speed. 

This digital marketing game changer is generative AI, able to autonomously produce content in which the audience strongly connects, yielding unmatched engagement and efficiency in operational activity. Additionally, it's emerging as one of the key pillars of business growth: influencer marketing. In radio, innovations from digital evolve alongside traditional formats that remain one of the more trusted mediums through which audiences are reached.

What is one thing you're manifesting for yourself and the industry in 2025?

Looking ahead to 2025, the focus of this industry will be innovation, led by AI-powered real-time insights and immersive media experiences to create even deeper consumer relationships. Individually, adaptability and a growth mindset will be keys to navigating this rapidly shifting landscape. And for us as leaders, the challenge and the opportunity lie in shaping a future that balances technological advancement with genuine, human-centred strategy.