From Apple’s latest iPhone to a fresh shipment of back-to-school supplies at Target, businesses adapt products and services to what customers want. And just as they respond well to a product one day and poorly the next, consumers’ responses to advertising change as well.
In an industry that’s constantly evolving, it is crucial for businesses across sectors to stay informed on the latest advertising trends to reach their audiences. This article will explore tomorrow’s top advertising techniques and how to use them to influence your marketing strategy.
The Shift to Digital Advertising
In response to the shift from print media and in-person shopping to the virtual age, digital advertising has been on the rise and will continue to soar for years to come. Now that most customers are accompanied by a smartphone, businesses look to online advertising to reach their target audiences.
Some of the advantages to digital advertising are its ability to track ad performance, target specific demographics and reach more consumers at a lower cost. Speaking of success, PwC reported that revenue from global internet advertising will hit $723.6 billion in 2026.
Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising, which uses screens and displays in public, allows businesses to market to consumers in high-traffic areas like malls, airports, buses and trains. When businesses display a bold and interactive ad in a subway station, for example, they can capture the attention of a passerby. By 2027, global out-of-home market revenue should reach $35.1 billion, according to LinkedIn.
Personalization and Targeting
Screens and social media easily flood consumers with advertisements and, as a result, can make them more selective when it comes to the content they choose to engage with. So how does an advertisement actually stick in such a highly saturated market? Personalized and targeted ads are one solution, which are the result when businesses tailor ads to specific interests and demographics based on data.
On the business side, personalization and targeting increase ad effectiveness, as well as build stronger relationships and brand loyalty amongst an audience. And on the side of customer experience, ads that consumers are interested in are simply more enjoyable.
AI is a key player in the game of ad personalization and targeting. Since this technology can quickly analyze data and make decisions in real time, AI allows businesses to deliver effective and relevant ads to their target audiences.
Beyond ads, AI can be employed to add personalization to a customer’s website experience. AI-powered chatbots help businesses engage with customers when team members may not be available, answering customer inquiries, recommending products, scheduling appointments and completing transactions. Simultaneously, this technology gathers data for future ad targeting.
Subscribing to Social Media
Like, follow, share, subscribe; any way you spin it, social media has inundated daily life. To use this shift strategically, businesses have started using social platforms for advertising. Just like DOOH advertising, social media allows businesses to reach large and diverse audiences.
According to Statista, the 2017 global social media advertising market was valued at $51.32 billion. By 2026, it is expected to reach $357.92 billion in value, nearly 7x greater. The majority of this growth is due to mobile revenue, rather than desktop revenue. While desktop advertising market value is expected to grow $41.72 billion from 2017 to 2026, the mobile growth expectation is $264.88 billion in the same amount of time.
Case Study: Autobell® Car Wash
The growth of social media advertising makes it hard for businesses to ignore the immense value of using these platforms. At Rivers Agency, we understand the importance of leveraging social media to reach client audiences.
With more than 80 locations across five states, Autobell Car Wash is one client who wanted to enhance its presence on social media to keep customers engaged and reach new audiences. To meet this goal, we created social campaigns, spanning sales, special events, subscription drives and partnerships with nonprofits like Make-a-Wish.
From animated graphics and videos to Spotify playlists and custom illustrations, the social campaign art caught consumer attention, helping Autobell gain followers and surpass its goal for each campaign.
It’s All About Video
TikTok, Instagram and Facebook have increased the prominence of videos as a desired content form for users. These platforms allow businesses to collect data and create engaging and interactive video ads for their audiences.
Beyond posted videos, live streaming has gained popularity on social media platforms and can be used by businesses who want to display their products, answer questions in real time and host virtual events. Since livestreaming reaches a large audience in the present, it has flourished over the past few years.
Case Study: Hampton Farms
Rivers used the power of livestreaming to grow sales for Hampton Farms, the #1 roaster of in-shell peanuts in the United States. A snack affiliated with watching baseball, Hampton Farms has a clear connection to sports. To engage the client’s audience virtually, Rivers partnered with Ader, an agency specializing in Esports marketing.
Alongside Ader, we created a campaign to tie together online gaming, Major League Baseball and Hampton Farms. We recruited two prominent gamers to play Mario Baseball and livestream on Twitch, a social media platform. As they played, the gamers promoted the Hampton Farms “Every Day is Opening Day” giveaway, prompting their audiences to enter for a chance to win products.
The results from this livestream were outstanding. Nearly 17,500 unique users completed at least one entry method for the giveaway. From these unique users, Hampton Farms gained 1,600+ new email subscribers, enabling future targeting.
Advertising for Connected TV
The infamous commercial break: it’s either time to pop some popcorn or spend those few minutes tuning into a random info-merical. But with the rise of connected TV (CTV), commercials during your favorite programing are no longer immune to the changing technological landscape.
CTV devices use an internet connection to access content, allowing streaming platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix to flourish. These platforms enable viewers to watch and re-watch shows at their convenience, unlike cable.
Businesses can reach their target audiences with CTV advertising, through which they can display ads alongside livestreams and TV shows or deploy interactive ads. Interactive ads present opportunities for consumers to control their ad experience, engaging them by allowing a choice between two commercials for the same business. As more consumers cut the cable cord, consider adapting your business’ TV advertising.
The Importance of Brand Purpose
Since 2021, socially conscious consumerism has been on the rise. According to the Conscious Consumer Spending Index, scores of 39 in 2019 and 2020, which were all time lows since the tracking began in 2013, jumped up to 51 in 2021 and 48 in 2022. With 51 being the highest ever recorded score on the Index, it is clear that consumers are evaluating the way companies interact with the world before buying.
As customers look to your business to evaluate its values, it is important to establish your brand and its purpose, defined by LinkedIn as “the underlying reason why a brand exists.” Leave out money and service, your brand purpose should inspire customers to choose you.
Cause marketing is another way to tap into customer values with advertising. In it, businesses can partner with nonprofit organizations to support a common cause. It allows businesses to share their social responsibility and brand purpose, as well as reach the nonprofit’s audience through this type of marketing.
Next Steps for Success
As customer wants continue to change, businesses must adapt their advertising strategies to effectively reach their target audiences. From the shift to digital advertising to the importance of brand purpose, these emerging trends will shape the future of the industry, and should shape your business’ next steps.
Tap into the above trends to make meaningful connections with your audience, tailoring ads to specific desires or displaying your commitment to social responsibility. And don’t forget to use the latest technology to help you along the way.
But, if keeping up with ever-changing trends seems overwhelming, never fear! Rivers would love to help your business stay up to date with the marketing landscape, so fill out our contact form to get started.