Green Snake: How a Symbol of Flexibility and Adaptability Can Help Businesses in 2025

Traditionally, the New Year is a time for change and planning both personal and business goals. For centuries, people have drawn inspiration from the symbolism of the Chinese zodiac, where each year is represented by an animal, with the cycle repeating every 12 years. Each symbol has unique characteristics defined by its color and "element" (natural force).

2025 is the year of the Green Wood Snake, which is just around the corner. Businesses still have time to prepare and plan their activities to attract good fortune. We’ll explore what this year's symbol means for marketers, how companies can prepare to stay relevant and succeed, and how the magic of the zodiac can guide us. Whether you believe in the stars or not, today, let the magic feel real!

What the symbol of the Green Wood Snake represents

The snake holds a special place in Chinese culture, as these creatures have long been regarded with deep respect. They symbolize nature and wisdom, appearing in jewelry and even divine imagery. For instance, the goddess Nüwa was depicted with the body of a snake and a human head. Even today, in some regions of China, finding a snake in your yard is considered a good omen.

While real snakes often provoke fear due to their danger and unpredictability, the zodiac’s star symbol is entirely different. The snake’s green hue signifies calmness and wisdom. It embodies flexibility, adaptability, and creation. The Green Snake symbolizes growth, the ability to adjust to new circumstances, a constant upward drive, and honesty toward the world.

The coming year will be favorable for organizations that approach their marketing and processes thoughtfully. The snake dislikes chaos and abrupt moves, favoring those who act with reason and patience.

Flexibility and adaptability — qualities of this year’s symbol — are equally vital for businesses. Success will come to those unafraid of change, open to innovation, and capable of responding effectively to new circumstances. However, there should be no impulsive decisions—only a well-thought-out and clear strategy. With this approach, a company can achieve growth and prosperity.

What challenges will businesses face in 2025?

Here, we’ll shift from horoscopes to existing trends that are set to intensify. However, the recommendations tied to the year of the Green Wood Snake remain highly relevant in the context of these “earthly” challenges.

AI will continue to take over the world

Companies will no longer be able to ignore artificial intelligence in marketing and other areas. According to forecasts, the AI market will continue growing at a rate of 28.46% annually, reaching $826 billion by 2030. For instance, ChatGPT attracts more than 3.66 billion users monthly, highlighting the high demand for AI-powered tools.

The reason is the increasing volume of data businesses collect through various marketing channels. The complexity of manual data processing, the risk of errors, and the workload on specialists will push companies to adopt AI-based services more quickly. This is especially true for digital marketing, where neural networks not only process data but also generate content.

The growing volume of data

The trend toward omnichannel strategies will increase the amount of information businesses receive as they conduct primary marketing communications. The more touchpoints a business has with a customer, the higher the likelihood of successful conversion. Therefore, companies will need to adapt to customer-preferred communication methods, be accessible on all platforms, and handle large-scale data (big data).

To respond promptly to user actions and gather data, businesses will continue implementing marketing automation. Currently, 79% of marketers report automating the customer journey, and this trend is set to grow. By 2030, the marketing automation market is projected to reach nearly $14 billion.

With this growth, it will become crucial not only to automate data storage but also to ensure accurate data collection and processing. Machine learning can assist professionals in achieving this.

The need for personalization

80% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product if the offering is personalized, and 66% expect brands to address their individual needs. Therefore, in 2025, every campaign and communication must be designed to align as closely as possible with individual preferences.

Personalized mailing from Etsy based on individual preferences

Personalization is only possible with sufficient customer data that is effectively processed and analyzed. Specialized platforms make this feasible: Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). These multifunctional systems aggregate information from multiple sources, process, store, and utilize it to tailor offers to individual users. For example, in Altcraft Platform, data is consolidated into a unified dashboard from all available channels. The platform also supports email campaigns, Push notifications, SMS, and messenger communications.

The need for data protection

As the volume of data grows, the number of cyberattacks and data breaches also increases. Global financial losses from such incidents have risen from $3 trillion in 2015 to an estimated $10.5 trillion in 2025. These breaches result in not only economic losses but also reputational risks and legal issues.

In the coming year, businesses will need to strengthen the security of personal data and the systems processing it. Users want assurance that their information won’t be shared with third parties, making automation a compelling argument for consumers. For instance, when an email campaign service operates without direct human access to email databases and other information, data theft becomes impossible.

The shift of commerce to marketplaces

Currently, 2.71 billion people worldwide shop on marketplaces. By 2025, the number of online shoppers is expected to reach 2.77 billion. Next year, e-commerce will continue solidifying its position in product sales, prompting businesses—including offline sectors and digital marketing—to adapt to this channel.

Mobile traffic is also increasing in marketplace shopping. According to data from the third quarter of 2024, smartphones dominate when visiting online store websites. This underscores the importance of optimizing selling resources for mobile devices, including mobile-friendly websites and the development of dedicated apps.

For example, L’Oreal has a virtual try on service within their app

Economic uncertainty

Global instability, geopolitical conflicts, fluctuations in exchange rates, and key interest rates are likely to continue influencing businesses in 2025. This means potential changes in supply chains, rising prices, and the withdrawal of companies and services from local markets. During times of crisis, customers become more selective and demanding regarding their expenditures. Loyalty to a brand and a clear understanding of the value of purchasing a product or service take center stage.

In such a situation, businesses need to build stable and well-thought-out relationships with their customers and increase engagement in communication. This requires the development of a sound marketing strategy.

How marketers can tackle the challenges of 2025

• Create a promotion strategy. Remember, the symbol of the year is the snake (a sign of wisdom), so moving forward without a clear roadmap is unwise. At the same time, it’s essential to account for the surrounding instability and prepare a backup plan.
• Adopt flexible tools that can adapt to new economic conditions and shifts in user preferences. Such services include CDPs, which create proprietary databases and use them for personalized offers.
• Apply a data-driven approach in your work: analyze customer preferences using AI capabilities that process large volumes of data, predict user behavior, and generate personalized offers.
• Automate routine processes to improve efficiency, speed up responses to customer inquiries, and free up time for strategic planning. With Altcraft Platform, you can implement any marketing strategy, including omnichannel campaigns, personalized offers, mailings, testing, and more.
• Ensure transparency across all marketing processes. In times of uncertainty, it’s crucial to avoid internal chaos. Only a well-thought-out system for data collection, storage, and analysis will provide stability and confidence, which will be especially critical in 2025.

Summary

The green snake, the symbol of 2025 in the Chinese calendar, will bring success to those who demonstrate flexibility, wisdom, and conscious planning. Businesses will face new challenges: the growing influence of technology and AI, the increasing volume of data and the need to protect it. The demand for a personalized approach will intensify, and the transition of commerce to marketplaces will accelerate. Meanwhile, companies will need to operate in an environment of economic and technological uncertainty.

To improve business performance, marketers must act strategically, demonstrate flexibility, and implement systems that can quickly adapt to new challenges. It’s crucial to rely on data for planning and personalization while ensuring transparency in the processes of data collection and storage. One solution to tackle these challenges is the use of CDPs. And, of course, don’t underestimate the role of good fortune in the year of the green snake!