August 2025 Insights

A recurring theme is a pervasive sense of burnout and a struggle for work/life balance. While the industry is evolving with new technologies like AI integration for ads optimization, campaign management, CRM maintenance, account management, and even sales, employees feel this is increasing pressure for productivity. Discussions highlight the "always-on" culture, emotional and physical exhaustion, and the challenge of separating work from personal life, especially with the prevalence of remote work.

Managers are overtly training LLMs to observe and record employee key strokes and routines to replace them and impress higher-ups with cost-saving and operation cost reduction. Employees struggle to make ends meet and prove their value against automated apps, programs, and scripts that can do grunt work more efficiently, accurately, and less costly.

The sentiment suggests a desire for more support from employers, including better systems to prevent burnout and a more transparent dialogue about employee well-being and expend-ability. Managers struggle with their identity within digital advertising and marketing, knowing that AI can very easily negate their experience and contributions after their teams are gone.

The most significant trend in the last month has been the surprising rebound in employment. After a period of stagnation and job losses, the sector added 2,800 jobs in July 2025, which is the strongest growth in over a year. This positive shift is happening even as the broader U.S. labor market is cooling, suggesting a unique resilience within the industry. This employment growth is attributed to renewed investment in "brand and performance marketing."

However, this number will likely decline and result in job loss within the next 2 years. Many in advertising and marketing, especially among those under the age of 30, have begin exploring consulting roles and even beginning their own niche agencies, full-service ad operations shops, online marketing agencies, and consultancies. Flash employment may be the trend of the future for digital advertising and marketing.