Marketing O'Clock crowns industry leaders in 2025 Clockscars ceremony

Marketing O'Clock announced winners across 25 categories on December 29, 2025, in its annual Clockscars awards ceremony honoring the digital marketing community's most influential voices, memorable moments, and significant industry developments. The year-end recognition program, delivered through the podcast's standard five-host format, acknowledged professionals who shaped conversations around search engine optimization, paid advertising, and social media marketing throughout a period marked by unprecedented platform changes and artificial intelligence integration.

The ceremony featured Christine Zirnheld, Julia Meteer, Greg Finn, Grace Miller, and Jess Budde presenting awards determined through community engagement and host deliberation. The broadcast included live phone calls with winners, blooper reels, and retrospective analysis of major industry storylines from January through December 2025.

Anthony Higman secured three separate awards during the ceremony, establishing him as the most recognized individual across categories. He claimed victories for Best LSA Follow, Rant of the Year, and Most Pro Google Marketer—the latter representing his second consecutive win in that category. Higman demonstrated consistent engagement with Google Ads developments throughout 2025, particularly regarding Local Service Ads functionality and platform policy changes.

The Rant of the Year award recognized Higman's sustained criticism of Google advertising features during a particularly volatile week. His responses to new ad extensions including read reviews functionality, blue verification check marks on paid advertisements, and social media tags on search results generated significant community discussion. His commentary included direct appeals to Google, with phrases like "Google, are you serious, bro?" becoming representative of advertiser frustration with rapid platform modifications.

Higman received recognition despite expressing persistent challenges with advertising systems. When contacted during the ceremony for his LSA award, he stated he "still hate[s] LSA, but I'll continue investigating them and giving everybody all the hot tips." The acknowledgment reflects his position as primary information source for Local Service Ads updates within the marketing community.

Glenn Gabe secured the Best Organic Follow award ahead of nominees including Barry Schwartz, Marie Haynes, Lily Ray, Nate Hake, and Gagan Gotra. The hosts noted that Gabe maintains comprehensive coverage of organic search developments across multiple platforms. The distinction recognizes his consistent reporting on algorithm updates, search feature modifications, and platform policy changes throughout 2025.

Barry Schwartz won Best SEO Follow from an identical nominee pool, with hosts distinguishing the category as specifically focused on search engine developments rather than broader organic marketing channels. Schwartz operates the Search Engine Roundtable and maintains dedicated focus on search engine news without venturing into adjacent marketing disciplines.

Schwartz also received the Title of the Year award—a category named specifically for his headline writing approach. The winning headline, Report: Open AI Chat GPT Sending 52% Less Referral Traffic (Do You See That?), exemplified his distinctive punctuation and phrasing style. The hosts noted this category could feature Schwartz as the sole winner across multiple years based on his consistent headline patterns.

Thomas Eccel claimed Best PPC or Paid Search Follow ahead of nominees including Hana Kobzová, Anthony Higman, Jyll Saskin Gales, and Joey Bidner. The hosts emphasized that Eccel provides consistently informed updates on paid search developments, particularly through LinkedIn content. His selection reflects recognition for comprehensive platform coverage during a year dominated by artificial intelligence feature launches and campaign type consolidation.

Kirk Williams, identified as PPC Kirk, won Best Shopping Follow over nominees Mike Ryan, Andrew Lolk, and Boris Beceric. This represented Williams' first Clockscar despite previous nominations. The category recognizes expertise in e-commerce advertising, product feed optimization, and shopping campaign management across platforms.

Bram Van der Hallen secured Best Social Ads Follow ahead of nominees David Herrmann, Akvile DeFazio, Andrea Cruz, and AJ Wilcox. The hosts noted that Bram Van der Hallen maintains his own dedicated segment on the show, often referred to as "Bram Vander Corner," distinguishing him from other social advertising experts. The recognition acknowledges his consistent coverage of Meta, LinkedIn, and social platform advertising developments throughout 2025.

Jyll Saskin Gales secured BFF of the Show recognition over nominees Glenn Gabe, Barry Schwartz, and Menachem Ani. The hosts explained that the award acknowledges consistent support for Marketing O'Clock through content sharing, guest appearances, and community engagement. Gales maintains Google Ads coaching operations and previously worked at Google selling advertising products to clients.

Take of the Year went to Nate Hake for his systematic documentation of how AI Overviews violate Google's own spam policies. Hake assembled screenshots of Google's terms of service alongside his analysis demonstrating that AI-generated search summaries contained "no firsthand experiences, uses extensive automation, no expertise, and primarily summarizes what others have written." The recognition highlights ongoing tensions between Google's AI features and its stated quality guidelines for web content.

Recipe bloggers won Most Difficult Year of the Year Award over Local Service Ads advertisers. The hosts noted that recipe content creators faced catastrophic traffic declines during 2025 due to Google's implementation of AI-generated recipe summaries and what industry professionals termed "Frankenstein recipes." The category acknowledged Adam Gallagher from Inspired Taste, who appeared on Marketing O'Clock discussing the impact of AI features on food content publishers.

Best Change of the Year Award recognized the most significant platform improvements advertisers received during 2025. Performance Max search terms won from a field including Performance Max negatives, Performance Max negative lists, citations in AI Overviews, channel controls for Demand Gen campaigns, channel reporting for Performance Max, AI Max search term reports, and cost data additions to Performance Max channel reporting. The hosts explained that the category represented an acknowledgment that platforms delivered meaningful transparency improvements despite persistent advertiser frustrations.

Navah Hopkins secured recognition through her role as Microsoft Advertising's ads liaison, appearing as a nominee in Best Change of the Year. Microsoft appointed Hopkins to communicate platform developments and engage with the advertising community, following Google's model Ginny Marvin as Google Ads liaison.

The ceremony included an In Memoriam segment acknowledging discontinued features and tools from 2025. Departed items included Tag Assistant Companion, Google Publisher Center, Skype, the TikTok Notes app, TikTok's brief one-day suspension, brand controls for non-Performance Max campaigns, Google support for structured data types, Microsoft Ads mobile app, individual sponsored labels in Google search results, fact checkers on Facebook, the name SearchMax (replaced by AI Max), third-party search ranking tools, Smart Shopping campaigns in Microsoft Advertising, Advantage Plus Shopping campaigns (rebranded as Advantage Plus Sales), the legacy Salesforce integration in Google Ads, Marketing O'Clock's Friday news shows, Meta political ads in Europe, Google Customer Match lists exceeding 540 days duration, linkless AI Overviews, the limit of one ad per advertiser per Google search page, discussions of third-party cookie phase-out in Chrome, and Danny Sullivan's role as Google's search liaison.

Jess Budde received the Worst Rhyme Award for her weekly "Cool Tool" segment introductions, which attempted to incorporate rhyming phrases connecting featured applications with marketing challenges. Selected examples included "rid you of the abominations that are recommendations," "makes legal less of a big deagle," and "this week's cool tool is all a buzz with marketing bras and ladies." The "buzz with marketing bras" entry won the category vote among hosts.

The ceremony featured sponsor recognition for Ads Visor, Wix, Signup, User Centrics (makers of Cookie Bot), and Adthena. These partnerships enabled Marketing O'Clock's production throughout 2025. The broadcast also acknowledged contributors including Lane, Dana, and Tables (identified as the show's producer), plus Zirnheld's role coordinating the Clockscars ceremony annually.

Platform changes dominated discussion throughout winner selections. Google's AI Max launch created confusion when the company renamed Search Max just months after introducing it. The rebranding generated memes and industry commentary about Google's campaign type naming conventions and the proliferation of automated advertising options with similar functionality.

Performance Max received sustained attention during the ceremony through multiple award categories. Google added search term visibility, negative keyword capabilities, negative list functionality, channel-specific reporting, and cost data throughout 2025 in response to years of advertiser requests. These additions represented the platform's maturation from a black-box automated system toward greater transparency and control options.

Local Service Ads emerged as a consistent pain point for advertisers based on Anthony Higman's recognition across categories. Google shifted LSA review management to Business Profiles in July 2025, complicating processes for service businesses relying on the advertising format. Higman's documentation of LSA challenges throughout the year established him as the primary information source for businesses navigating the platform's frequent policy modifications.

The ceremony acknowledged search algorithm updates that devastated publishers during 2025. The In Memoriam segment and community discussion highlighted Google's December core update that generated severe ranking volatilitywhile recipe bloggers faced traffic collapses from AI-generated content replacing traditional search results. These developments contributed to the Most Difficult Year of the Year category and influenced multiple rant nominations.

The broadcast included live call attempts with winners throughout the ceremony. Anthony Higman answered three separate calls during the show while running errands, providing brief acceptance comments for his awards. The spontaneous nature of these interactions generated additional entertainment value alongside the formal recognition program.

Grace Miller won Best New Co-Host of the Year in her first eligible year. Miller joined Marketing O'Clock during 2025 and contributed to weekly broadcasts alongside the established presenting team. The category represented internal recognition rather than community voting, acknowledging contributions to show production and content delivery.

Marketing O'Clock maintains distribution across YouTube, podcast platforms, and social media channels. Episodes publish every Monday covering search, paid advertising, and social media developments. The show emphasizes accessibility for marketing professionals seeking current industry information without requiring deep technical expertise.

The ceremony format combined awards presentation with retrospective clips from throughout 2025. Segments included playback of previous episodes featuring nominated rants, memorable moments, and industry discussions that shaped the year's narrative. This structure provided context for recognition decisions while highlighting specific incidents that resonated with the marketing community.

Sponsor integration occurred throughout the broadcast, with hosts acknowledging advertiser support enabling weekly production. Marketing O'Clock accepts sponsorships through standard and native formats available via major demand-side platforms and advertising networks including Google Ads. The publication maintains auction-based pricing reaching industry professionals through programmatic channels.

The Clockscars ceremony represents Marketing O'Clock's annual tradition of recognizing digital marketing community contributions beyond platform announcements and product launches. The awards acknowledge individuals maintaining consistent information flow, generating community engagement, and providing critical analysis of platform decisions throughout periods of rapid technological change.

Industry recognition through peer-selected awards serves multiple functions within specialized professional communities. Marketing measurement research shows that brand awareness delivers benefits across multiple timeframes with 1% increases in awareness typically driving 0.6% lifts in long-term sales. Within niche industries, recognition programs build awareness for specialized expertise while reinforcing community standards for information quality and professional conduct.

The 2025 Clockscars occurred during a period of exceptional platform volatility. Contemporaneous reporting documented Google expanding AI Overview advertising to 11 countries in December 2025, launching comprehensive Display & Video 360 updates, implementing audience targeting threshold reductions to 100 users, and rolling out Gemini-powered Ads Advisor tools across all English-language accounts. These developments created sustained demand for expert interpretation and practical implementation guidance.

Recognition categories reflected priorities within paid search and SEO communities. Professionals value consistent information delivery, critical platform analysis, accessible technical explanations, and humor addressing industry frustrations. The inclusion of meme and rant categories alongside technical expertise awards demonstrates how community communication extends beyond formal knowledge transfer into cultural expression reflecting shared experiences with platform challenges.

The ceremony's emphasis on specific individuals rather than companies or platforms distinguishes it from corporate recognition programs. Marketing O'Clock prioritizes practitioners maintaining independent voices over representatives of advertising platforms or agencies. This approach positions the Clockscars as community-driven acknowledgment rather than industry-sponsored marketing.

Digital marketing professionals face sustained challenges documenting rapid platform changes while maintaining perspective on longer-term strategic implications. Industry research shows that 86% of in-house marketers struggle determining channel impact despite unprecedented data availability, while 72% report having mountains of data without meaningful intelligence. Recognized experts like those acknowledged in the Clockscars provide filtering and interpretation services helping practitioners navigate information overload.

The awards ceremony concluded with acknowledgment of Marketing O'Clock's production team and sponsors. The annual tradition requires substantial coordination assembling clips, coordinating categories, and producing the extended broadcast format. The show maintains accessibility through multiple distribution channels enabling practitioners to consume content through preferred platforms during commutes or work periods.

Marketing O'Clock's Clockscars ceremony serves as informal recognition within a professional community lacking centralized credentialing or licensing requirements. Peer acknowledgment replaces traditional professional certification as validation of expertise and contribution quality. This structure reflects digital marketing's status as an emerging discipline still establishing norms for professional development and knowledge transfer.

Timeline

• May 2025: Google Marketing Live announces Ads Advisor and Analytics Advisor with Gemini-powered campaign optimization capabilities
• July 2025: Google shifts Local Service Ads review management from LSA accounts to Business Profile systems on July 11
• August 2025: Google enables full placement reporting for Search Partner Network, addressing decades of advertiser requests for transparency
• August 2025: Anthony Higman expresses concerns about platform changes with comment "Google, are you serious, bro?" becoming representative phrase
• August 2025: Google announces comprehensive DV360 changes affecting metrics and impression counting for September implementation
• August 2025: Google Ads launches podcast series "Google Ads Decoded" discussing AI Max and Performance Max channel reporting on August 29
• September 2025: Google rebrands Search Max to AI Max, generating community confusion and meme production
• November 2025: Google launches four new Demand Gen features targeting holiday shopping season on November 17
• November 2025: Google announces Ads Advisor and Analytics Advisor will reach all English-language accounts in December on November 12
• December 2025: Google releases third core algorithm update on December 11, creating severe ranking volatility during peak holiday season
• December 2025: Google expands AI Overview advertising to 11 countries beyond United States on December 19
• December 2025: Google reduces audience targeting thresholds to 100 users across all networks
• December 2025: Google updates alcohol advertising policy documentation on December 17 without changing enforcement requirements
• December 29, 2025: Marketing O'Clock announces 2025 Clockscars winners across 25 categories recognizing industry contributions

Summary

Who: Marketing O'Clock podcast hosts Christine Zernhouse, Julia Matir, Greg Finn, Grace Miller, and Jess Bud presented awards to digital marketing professionals including Anthony Higman (three awards), Glenn Gabe, Barry Schwartz, Thomas Echel, Kirk Williams, Jill Saskin Gales, Nate Hake, and Ashwin. Sponsors Ads Visor, Wix, Signup, User Centrics, and Adthena supported the production. Nominees included industry practitioners recognized for search optimization, paid advertising, and social media expertise across multiple categories.

What: The 2025 Clockscars ceremony recognized 25 categories including Best SEO Follow, Best PPC Follow, Meme of the Year, Rant of the Year, Take of the Year, Best Change of the Year, Most Difficult Year of the Year, and Most Pro Google Marketer. Awards acknowledged consistent information delivery, critical platform analysis, memorable community moments, and significant industry contributions. The ceremony included live winner phone calls, blooper reels, retrospective clips from 2025 episodes, and In Memoriam acknowledgment of discontinued features. Recognition focused on individual practitioners rather than corporate entities.

When: Marketing O'Clock announced winners on December 29, 2025, through its standard weekly podcast format. The ceremony reflected developments throughout calendar year 2025, including platform changes from January through December. Specific referenced events included Google's AI Max launch in September, Local Service Ads review management changes in July, Search Partner Network reporting additions in August, and algorithm updates in June and December. The broadcast occurred during the final week of 2025 as the annual tradition for year-end industry recognition.

Where: Marketing O'Clock distributed the ceremony through YouTube, podcast platforms, and social media channels reaching digital marketing professionals globally. Awards recognized practitioners operating primarily within United States-based marketing communities while acknowledging international platform changes. Referenced developments affected advertisers across Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, Meta platforms, and search engines serving global audiences. The podcast maintains offices and production facilities supporting weekly broadcasts year-round.

Why: The Clockscars ceremony addresses digital marketing's lack of centralized credentialing by providing peer recognition for expertise and community contribution. According to hosts, awards acknowledge individuals maintaining information quality during periods of rapid platform change when practitioners struggle with data overload and measurement challenges. The recognition serves multiple functions including building awareness for specialized expertise, reinforcing community standards, providing entertainment value, and documenting significant annual developments. The ceremony reflects how specialized professional communities establish informal recognition systems when formal certification structures don't exist or adequately serve practitioner needs.