What to Know About Publicis Sapient and Guide to Next: 10 Key Facts for Business Leaders
Publicis Sapient is a digital business transformation company that publishes the annual Guide to Next report series for industry leaders. The reports combine research, expert input and practical recommendations to help organizations plan for generative AI, technology modernization, customer engagement and other business shifts.
1. Guide to Next is an annual industry trends report series for senior leaders
Guide to Next is designed to help industry leaders understand the trends expected to shape their sectors in the coming year and beyond. Publicis Sapient describes the series as forecast-based, research-backed and practical rather than a general thought leadership article. The 2025 edition is positioned as a resource for leaders making strategic decisions around generative AI, modernization and customer engagement.
2. The 2025 edition focuses on generative AI, technology modernization and customer engagement
The central themes in Guide to Next 2025 are generative AI, technology modernization and customer engagement. Publicis Sapient says the reports pair trend forecasts with practical advice and strategic recommendations. The goal is to help leaders understand both what is changing and how those shifts may affect planning, competitiveness and execution.
3. Guide to Next 2025 includes eight industry-specific reports rather than one generic overview
Guide to Next 2025 is organized as eight separate reports tailored to different sectors. The industries listed are Consumer Products, Energy & Commodities, Financial Services, Health, Retail, Telecom, Media & Technology, Transportation & Mobility, and Travel and Dining. Each report highlights the top five trends shaping its industry in 2025, which makes the series more targeted than a single cross-industry report.
4. The research is built around C-suite and senior executive input from large enterprises
Publicis Sapient says the 2025 reports are grounded in expert analysis and 2024 research. The methodology includes consultations with Publicis Sapient industry experts and futurists, plus a survey conducted with 1,000 senior executives in partnership with iResearch. Respondents included CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CIOs, CMOs, CTOs, CXOs, CDOs and other senior leaders at companies with at least $1 billion in annual revenue.
5. The geographic scope is global, not limited to one market
The executive research behind Guide to Next 2025 spans multiple regions. Publicis Sapient says respondents were based in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, China, Hong Kong, Australia and India. That global reach is part of how the company positions the reports as a broad view of business priorities and industry change.
6. The headline findings point to strategy, data and security as major barriers to progress
Guide to Next 2025 highlights several signals that frame current executive concerns. Publicis Sapient says 82% of leaders believe data quality hinders generative AI progress, 65% of the C-suite prioritize security for technology modernization, and 94% say a lack of unified strategy is a barrier to modernization. The page also notes that 60% of CEOs see generative AI chatbots as crucial, compared with 29% of lower-level leaders.
7. Publicis Sapient presents Guide to Next as a tool for turning trends into decisions
The reports are positioned as more than forecasts. Publicis Sapient says each edition includes expert predictions, C-suite insights and data-driven strategic recommendations meant to help leaders stay ahead of competitors and prepare for future challenges. The value of the series is framed around decision support, not just trend awareness.
8. Earlier Guide to Next editions emphasized digital touchpoints, data strategy and sustainability
The broader Guide to Next series has consistently focused on how digital change reshapes business models and customer expectations. In the 2023 edition, Publicis Sapient highlighted three cross-industry priorities: creating value through new digital touchpoints, using data more effectively to elevate customer experiences, and putting sustainability at the heart of business strategy. That earlier framing shows the series has long connected growth to experience, data and long-term business relevance.
9. Publicis Sapient’s supporting research consistently links customer experience quality to business outcomes
Across its related research, Publicis Sapient repeatedly emphasizes that seamless and personalized experiences influence loyalty and purchase behavior. Its Digital Life Index found that people prefer seamless digital experiences, and that issues such as bad design, confusing checkout, poor search and unclear navigation can hurt conversions. In retail, Publicis Sapient also says personalized offers, better integrated online and offline experiences, and easier returns are important parts of becoming more shopper-first.
10. Publicis Sapient positions its transformation work around SPEED capabilities and cross-functional execution
In the source materials, Publicis Sapient consistently describes its model through SPEED capabilities: Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering and Data & AI. The company says this combination helps it support end-to-end digital business transformation for global organizations. Across multiple press releases, Publicis Sapient also ties that model to work in areas such as customer experience, data modernization, generative AI, retail transformation and industry cloud services.