The “new normal” promised for 2022 after a few harried pandemic years has proven to be anything but as marketers have contended with global turmoil, soaring inflation and a rout for digital platforms they once relied on to reach the online masses. Meanwhile, the pace of transformation has continued to accelerate. That’s benefited the bottom line of once-struggling categories like agencies while adding additional complexities to the industry in a broad sense. Few people’s jobs are getting easier. 

In order to stay relevant, marketers have not only had to keep up with rapidly evolving consumer needs, including tighter budgets in a downturn, but also nuances related to emerging channels like Web3, retail media, connected TV and more. At the same time, mainstay tactics related to performance marketing and cookies have been upended by privacy shifts that are rewriting the digital playbook.  

Throughout the year, Marketing Dive has dived deep into some of the biggest and most important topics shaking up the industry, whether related to mastering new technology or striking the right tone amid a period of high anxiety. Below are nine in-depth features on developments with enduring relevance for marketers as they contemplate strategy for 2023.