The pace of change in today’s world is dizzying. You buy the newest technology, only to have an improved model launch a year later. The way people hail cabs, order takeout, plan trips and seek entertainment have all changed phenomenally in the last decade.
As such, it can be difficult to keep up professionally. Many of the established rules for branding and marketing risk becoming irrelevant – if they haven’t done so already. So what are the new rules to follow, what trends are making the biggest change and who is the consumer of the future?
360-degree design
Consumers are engaged in multiple media throughout the day; they may wake up listening to their digital radio, use a podcast on their commute, walk past several billboards, receive sales emails – and that’s all before they sit down in their office space to start a day’s work.
Your audience will connect with your brand through various channels, so you need a design approach that is seamless and consistent: you need 360-degree design. If not, you risk communicating a disjointed message to consumers, thus losing them as advocates and purchasers.
Your website and digital presence should be a pivotal part of your design, not an afterthought. Hire an agency who can support you in the best possible online design, like eventige.com.
Relevance, not omnipresence
A few years back, the word on everyone’s lips was ‘omnipresence’; that is, ensuring your brand can be seen everywhere. This trend led brand owners to see it as a duty to invest in all digital media. However, industry leaders attest that omnipresence is out, being replaced by a strategy that’s relevant to your product and target audience.
As a retailer, you may decide that having Facebook is important to communicate store details and promote open dialogue with shoppers, while Pinterest and Twitter may offer little commercial value. You can use your media budget more efficiently by discarding omnipresence for relevance.
Reactive marketing
Another sign of the times is the rise of reactive marketing — advertising campaigns that appear in response to cultural talking points. Now, brands are spending less in big, annual marketing campaigns, and hiring teams to be on the lookout for topical conversations the brand can chime in on.
The Future Consumer
Gen Z is the consumer demographic of the moment, having stepped into the spotlight following Gen Y, aka Millennials. Gen Z represents a different set of needs and desires from Millennials. Indeed, Gen Z’s demands from brands will become even more apparent as they increase their spending power.
It’s key to understand the consumer you’re serving, so you can tailor your offer and marketing approach to best appeal to them. The demographic following Gen Z is yet to be seen, but if it follows suit, there will be a whole new set of motivations to cater for.
Futureproofing your brand
While there’s no marketing crystal ball to look into the future, ensuring your marketing and brand strategy is fit for purpose in the current day is the best way to avoid starting on the back foot when the next big trend comes around.
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