Different Wins: A Playbook for Owning 2025

The Countdown to 2025: Challenges? Sure. Opportunities? Absolutely.

Welcome to 2025’s obstacle course, where the hurdles are high, the stakes are higher, and the path ahead demands some serious strategy. Luckily, DNA’s playbook isn’t just about navigating these challenges—it’s about turning them into launchpads. Let’s dive into what’s coming for brands (and how we’re here to help you win):

“The market’s too volatile to take risks right now.”

Not so fast. We’ve seen time and again that smart risks pay off in unpredictable markets. When others play it safe, brands that lean into bold, culturally relevant moves stand out—and thrive. Nike (using Colin Kaepernick) and Dove (redefining Real Beauty) didn’t wait for “calm seas” to change the game, and neither should you. It’s not about surviving the storm; it’s about steering it.

“AI is moving too fast for us to keep up.”

We get it. The tech landscape can feel like trying to drink from a firehose. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to ride every wave—just the right ones. By focusing on strategic tech investments that align with your brand’s vision, you can turn chaos into clarity, ensuring the tools work for you, not the other way around. For example, DNA believes cognitive diversity fuels innovation and creativity, so much so that we’ve developed AI-powered qualitative panels that help us gain hyper-local insights at scale.

“How do we stay culturally relevant when everything changes so fast?”

Simple: don’t just chase the zeitgeist—create it. Cultural leadership is about starting conversations, not just joining them. By understanding the nuances of today’s cultural currents, you position your brand as the heartbeat of the moments that matter most. Surprisingly, McDonald’s work over the last few years is a fantastic example of a brand shaping culture. From their Menu Hacks campaign to this year’s The Grimace Effect with the New York Mets, they have become a brand of culture—using modern approaches and sparking conversations along the way.

“Isn’t data killing creativity?”

Not at all. Think of data as the compass, not the destination. It points us in the right direction, but creativity is what gets us there. By blending sharp insights with imaginative thinking, your agency can craft ideas that resonate deeply—balancing the art and science of breakthrough work. At DNA, we see the benefit of training our creative teams in data. Through internal workshops and outside classes, the people making the work are embracing data—seeing it less as a scary thing and more as a weapon in their arsenal of creativity.

“Markets shift too fast for us to stay ahead.”

True—but that’s why agility wins. With an integrated, proactive strategy, brands don’t just adapt; they anticipate. See change as a catalyst, helping you stay nimble and thrive in a landscape where speed is the new norm. Hiring what we call ‘ANDers’ (DNA backward) must be part of your strategy. People willing and able to go outside their swim lane, embrace uncertainty, and stay unstuck in today’s ever-changing business landscape.

At DNA, we believe in different—different thinking, different strategies, and different results. 2025 isn’t a year to blend in. It’s the year to stand out. Ready to take the leap? Let’s make it happen together.

Because in this game, Different Wins.

If you want to hear more, email me a c.witherspoon@dnacreates.com.