It’s the New Year––the perfect time for ad agency bloggers to make bold predictions and forecast technology and marketing trends. So here goes.
1. What’s in Your Digital Wallet?
Technology and apps continue to reshape our lives. I predict that by the end of 2015 a quarter of smartphone users will be using a digital wallet app to scan their credit cards and make their transactions. Many of you have already made this switch. Kiss those bulky analog wallets goodbye!
2. Internal Communication Shift
Watch as corporations conduct more and more of their internal communication with mobile devices. I predict that by the conclusion of 2015 half of the devices on your business network will be mobile.
3. Augmented Reality Apps
Seeing is believing, but experiencing is where it’s at. That’s the theory behind augmented reality apps like Google Ingress, Yelp Monocle and Sunseeker. By the end of 2015, I predict a billion or more of these apps will be downloaded to mobile devices.
4. Real-Time Marketing Opportunities
Real-time marketing is the practice of engaging your brand’s following via content, advertising and product placement. The DiGiorno’s Pizza non-stop Twitterfest during last year’s Super Bowl is a great example of this. This is an effective means of raising your brand’s profile. I anticipate this trend to spread to product customization, availability, delivery and customer service. It’s a brave new world out there.
5. 3-D Printing
This technology has seen a spectacular adoption rate already. I foresee that a growing number of retailers will leverage 3-D printing to create personalized product offerings in 2015. Keep your eyes peeled.
6. High-Impact Branded Content
Branded content was the most popular content marketing tactic of 2014. Some standouts include Australia’s Dumb Ways to Die campaign and the Honda Other Side interactive video. Look for this trend to continue in 2015.
7. Improved Distribution of Content
These days, most companies are doing a great job of content creation. The challenge is content distribution. Watch out in 2015 as more and more companies adopt distribution and archiving platforms like Uberflip and Showpad.
8. Facebook to become a bigger part of ad budgets
In 2014, our industry saw an enormous uptick in Facebook spending as the platform has made it less and less possible to reach prospects for free. This will either increase Facebook spends or cause brands to abandon this vehicle. I’m betting on marketing budgets increasing Facebook’s slice of the pie. Today, 94% of marketers acknowledge that social media is a significant part of their marketing effort.
9. Strategic Product Placement
Just as big brands have already embraced product placement in Hollywood movies, in 2015 I predict that advertisers pay more attention to placing ads strategically within quality content. Context is everything.
10. Measure. Measure. Measure.
I predict that marketing professionals will pay even more attention to analytics and results. The digital realm has ceased to be about what is cool. If it doesn’t perform, marketing funds need to be diverted to what does. Test it. Then best it.
Hope 2015 proves to be a big year for your brand. If you have a question about how to achieve greater marketing results in 2015, contact our agency toll-free at 866.642.7559.
We are a Dallas Advertising Agency with expertise in Integrated Marketing.
