The return of the Trump administration marks a pivotal shift for growth and performance marketing. With the digital marketing market expected to reach a $742 billion valuation by the end of 2025, the real story for performance and growth leaders lies in concrete policy changes that will reshape how we drive measurable business outcomes.
The Trade Policy Reality
President Trump’s proposed 60% tariff policy on imports from countries like China and Mexico is more than just a political talking point – it’s a fundamental reshape of the growth marketing landscape. Chinese marketplace sellers, who have been major drivers of advertising spend on both social and retail media platforms, will face significant headwinds. This shift will ripple through the entire performance marketing ecosystem, particularly affecting platforms that have relied heavily on this revenue stream, in a market where U.S. ad spending is projected to reach $434.05 billion in 2025, a 5% increase versus 2023.
Regulatory Reshaping
The administration’s approach to tech regulation will have direct implications for performance marketers. Under Trump appointee Brendan Carr’s proposed FCC leadership, we’re likely to see significant changes to platform regulation and Section 230. This could open new opportunities for performance teams, particularly in areas of targeting and measurement that were previously constrained.
However, it’s not all deregulation. The administration’s focus on children’s online privacy and potential changes to pharmaceutical marketing regulations (particularly under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s proposed FDA leadership) could significantly impact the $21.3 billion pharmaceutical and OTC advertising sector, representing about 5% of the entire advertising industry.
The AI Wild Card
The Trump administration’s stated intention to repeal current AI regulations in favor of a more market-driven approach will have significant implications for growth marketing. With 97% of marketing executives already using AI in their operations, this could accelerate the adoption of AI tools for personalization and targeting, potentially giving performance marketers more freedom to innovate in their targeting and optimization strategies.
The Growth Marketing Evolution
Growth marketers are finding themselves in uncharted territory. The traditional growth metrics of CAC and LTV need to be reconsidered in light of potential tariff impacts and changing regulatory frameworks. Smart growth teams are already building new models that account for these variables, creating more sophisticated approaches to customer acquisition and retention.
Performance Marketing’s New Reality
Performance marketing is experiencing its own transformation. As retail media networks and Connected TV continue their evolution into performance channels, they’re doing so in an environment where the rules of engagement are rapidly changing. The administration’s approach to antitrust enforcement (or lack thereof) could accelerate consolidation in these spaces, potentially creating more powerful but fewer performance marketing platforms.
The Talent Challenge
This new landscape is creating interesting dynamics in the talent market. Companies are scrambling to find leaders who understand not just growth and performance marketing, but also trade policy implications and regulatory compliance. The most sought-after professionals are those who can navigate both the technical aspects of performance marketing and the broader policy implications of the new administration.
This is particularly true in sectors directly impacted by trade policy changes. Direct-to-consumer brands, for instance, are looking for growth leaders who can build resilient acquisition strategies that account for variable cost structures under different tariff scenarios.
Looking Ahead and The Coming Talent War
Success in this new era will require a different kind of marketing leader. The ability to drive growth and performance while navigating policy implications will be crucial. Smart organizations are already building teams that combine marketing expertise with policy awareness and economic acumen, particularly important as 89% of marketers see positive ROI with personalized campaigns – a capability that requires both technical expertise and regulatory understanding.
The competition for senior talent who can operate in this environment is intensifying. Organizations are willing to pay premiums for leaders who can demonstrate not just marketing excellence, but also an understanding of how policy changes affect growth and performance strategies. This is creating a particularly competitive market for senior talent, with compensation packages reflecting the increased complexity of the role.
As we navigate through the Trump administration’s second term, the success of growth and performance marketing teams will depend on their ability to adapt to new policy realities while maintaining aggressive growth targets. The winners will be those organizations that can build teams capable of turning policy changes into competitive advantages, rather than seeing them as obstacles to overcome.
