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2025 marked another strategic inflection point for many of our clients. Ongoing policy shifts continued to elevate open science and open access, while rapid advances in AI, growing focus on research integrity, and wider political uncertainty reshaped priorities across the sector. For marketing and communications teams, this meant an even sharper focus on customer-centric journeys, evidence-led decision-making, and clear, confident brand communications.
Across the year, the TBI team supported more than 20 organisations across the scholarly communications ecosystem. Our work spanned one-off strategic projects as well as ongoing multi-year partnerships. In this round up, we look back on some highlights from 2025, as well as our thoughts on what lies ahead.
Shaping direction for the future
A defining theme of 2025 was strategic clarity. As organisations grappled with fast-moving change, many stepped back to reassess their purpose, priorities, and positioning.
“This year I’ve enjoyed working alongside clients as they think hard about what comes next,” said Lynne. “One highlight was leading a strategic visioning workshop with a society client, helping them step back, ask some difficult questions, and begin shaping a clearer, shared direction for the future.”
This kind of work to facilitate alignment, surface assumptions, and translate insight into action has been central to how we’ve supported leadership teams through uncertainty.
Open access and open science progress
Clear, credible communication around open access remained a major priority in 2025. Lynne led a wide-ranging communications programme for a major scholarly organisation, supporting open access initiatives at a strategic level. “The focus was on shaping how complex messages are brought together across author and institution communications,” she explains.
Kelly worked with a large publisher to review and refine their open access positioning and narrative. “We conducted external interviews to understand current perceptions and any pain points, and how their OA journey was being understood, alongside competitor analysis. Those insights fed directly into an evidence-based positioning and tailored messaging for key stakeholder groups,” she explains.
Kelly and Rowan also supported the development of a corporate-level open access report, with a strong focus on data-driven storytelling. “A key part of the work involved analysing metrics and proof points, benchmarking performance against competitors, and highlighting trends,” said Kelly. “Those insights were then used to create a clear, evidence-based narrative that strengthened the organisation’s positioning and credibility.”
Across the team, we also delivered messaging frameworks and content assets, from blogs and web copy to video, designed to make complex ideas accessible, engaging, and shareable.
New market strategies
As Gen AI continues to reshape scholarly publishing, Mithu and Rowan led two research-led projects exploring its potential impact, one focused on new publishing opportunities and another on the institutional market.
“With change moving so quickly, understanding community perceptions is critical,” explains Mithu. “These projects helped clients ground strategic decisions in evidence, rather than assumptions.”
We also supported a range of journal launches throughout the year. “Messaging is at the heart of these projects,” says Kelly. “Our work included developing strategies from scratch or refining existing plans, building audience personas, translating positioning into clear communications, and working closely with editorial teams to ensure consistency across touchpoints.”
Alongside messaging, we also supported visual identity and positioning, helping new journals stand out and resonate in a crowded, competitive landscape.
New ways to connect and engage
“The highlight of my year has been supporting clients as they launched exciting new initiatives,” says Freya. “From journals to podcasts, 2025 saw teams experimenting with new ways to connect with their audiences. It’s been rewarding to help build momentum for those ventures.”
Storytelling remained central to much of this work. Mithu supported several thought leadership projects in 2025, spanning AI, India, editor diversity, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Authentic storytelling aligned to business goals is increasingly recognised as essential,” she says. “At TBI, we particularly enjoy projects where we’re hands-on in the research itself, but we also work closely with in-house and communications teams where time and capacity can limit the ability to turn data into compelling narratives. One of my highlights for 2025 has been developing a multi-stakeholder engagement strategy for an open science research project, helping the team consider authentic, transparent feedback from multiple strands of R&D work.” says Mithu.
Connecting in the community, and the team
The team remained active across the industry throughout 2025. “One of my highlights was spending more time out in the industry and talking with colleagues at conferences and events,” says Kelly. “A standout was being able to share thoughts on the changing social media landscape for scholarly publishing – first through a poster session at SSP, and then by chairing a panel on the same topic at ALPSP. Both were great opportunities for open discussion and for hearing different perspectives from across the community, as well as working with some excellent panellists.”
We’ve also enjoyed connecting and learning from each other as a team. With the team based remotely across the UK, we’ve complemented regular virtual catch-ups with lively in-person gatherings in Oxfordshire. “Our time together never fails to give me new insights and ideas to take away,” said Mithu.
An environment where we learn and grow
Continual learning remains core to life at TBI. “Since starting at TBI in 2024, my skill set has grown significantly,” says Poppy. Working in such a dynamic and diverse environment, alongside a highly knowledgeable team, creates the perfect conditions for continual professional growth. I’m proud of how far I’ve come!”
Martha echoes this sentiment. “Since joining TBI in June 2025, my highlight has been learning from an incredibly thoughtful team while building confidence across strategy, campaigns, and content,” she adds. “From multi-channel implementation and market research, to case studies and blogs, it’s been a year of growing and adapting my skills to the world of scholarly communications.”
So, what’s on the horizon for 2026?
It won’t surprise you to hear that we’re expecting more of the same this year, as further technology, policy, and marketing shifts present new challenges and opportunities for our clients, and us.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how publishers continue to adapt as technology and policy evolve, and how innovation continues to shape the scholarly publishing landscape,” says Poppy. “Just as exciting is the opportunity to keep building professional relationships – not only with clients but colleagues as well!”
As marketers, our environment is constantly changing. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what updates are rolled out across paid ad channels this year, adds Freya. “Platforms are evolving quickly, particularly in the age of AI, and I’m excited to test new features that help streamline campaign optimisation.”
Lynne adds: “I’m looking forward to continuing to develop work that brings communities together through content, videos and conversations that feel genuinely useful. I’m also keen to explore how new channels and tools can support clearer, more joined-up communications, and help our clients tell their stories with confidence.”
“Looking ahead to 2026, I don’t have one specific thing in mind so much as a sense of what’s coming,” says Kelly. “There are some really interesting projects starting to take shape, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into those – working with organisations to help them think through challenges, problem-solve, and better position themselves for what’s ahead.”
