We’ve already seen some of 2013’s trends in marketing here, but shouldn’t we also take a look at the other side of marketing, i.e. the consumer? 24Notion thinks so! This week, we bring you our top five consumer trends for this year and beyond. We see these changes as important drivers of influence for the future of marketing so keep reading to get tips for getting ahead.
5. Connectedness & Globalization
With the rise of technologies that allow us to communicate in real time—even when we’re on opposite sides of the world—staying connected has never been so important. The movement for further globalization will only continue, so companies must be prepared to make their global business strategy their primary strategy. This means that being conscious of cross-cultural content and messaging will be vital, as will be constant customization. Trend reports are also saying that national/cultural pride will become more marketable in the near future, so be on the lookout for hot brands rising from emerging markets.
4. Being “in tune” with consumers
We all know how huge mobile use has become, and it’s not going away. But, what’s the next step above simply marketing on mobile devices? Try marketing for mobile users, which will become more popular as customization demands soar. Some of the best examples of innovations that have allowed for customized user experiences are the highly “in tune” wearable technology with apps, such as the Nike Fuelband and the Jambox Up band. Innovative ideas like these will be all the rage, allowing consumers to better understand their own selves while also priming them for expecting companies to understand them just as well. This calls for a new approach by marketers, one that focuses on what consumers are doing when they interact with messages just as much as what the message is.
3. Visuals: better when reusable
The huge popularity of visual-based social media like Instagram and Pinterest make it clear that pictures are the way to go. With everyone sharing and repining visuals, how will original content cut through that clutter in the future? Color systems company Pantone is on to something marketers should consider: standardized trends. Pantone 17-5641 (Emerald) has become the “color of the year” and is being used in everything from nail polish to household décor. Why? An element of virality is the ability for something to be continually reused in different situations (think about Internet memes), which is the thought behind hashtags. Standardizing some piece of visuals as Pantone has done with color will be a way for marketers to create highly sharable and viral content.
2. Brands must be Human
One trend that has been present and going strong is the accountability of all companies, including corporate businesses. Consumers are getting smarter with the availability of information at our fingertips. Due to this ease of access to information, consumers are demanding greater transparency and corporate social responsibility (CSR) of companies. 24Notion has been recognized as a leader in CSR, so we know the importance of giving back—not only for company reputation but more for the sustainability of your own community. Companies should make significant effort to be transparent, but also go beyond that and find creative ways to show authenticity and personality. Consumers are seeing right through mediocre attempts by companies to display human elements, so authenticity (and creativity) is key!
1. Marketers, Prosumers, and Presumers…oh my!
At 24Notion, we’re amazed and inspired by innovative technologies and platforms like YouTube have been real game changers. Self-broadcasting has led to the rise of the prosumer (producer-consumer), which has created a huge market for independent entertainers. Marketers can utilize this trend in different ways: become prosumers by having company vlogs or find new ways to team up with the hottest prosumers of YouTube. Along the same line, crowdfunding has gotten very popular over platforms like Kickstarter, leading to the trend of presumers (consumers co-funding products they want). What this means for marketing is that the rise of independent entrepreneurs and content creators will start to become fully realized in the near future and companies must be ready to look at business differently. Not only are we entering a time when the lines between PR, marketing, and advertising are blurred, but also a future where categories of consuming, producing, and owning may not exist.
What do you think? Did we miss some important trends? Let us know in the comments below! And for more information, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest.
written by 24Notion Editor- Jillian Toda
