What can marketers expect in 2022?

We expect to get more comfortable with our new normal in 2022, with many returning to pre-pandemic activities, despite Omicron’s spread. It’s to be determined what this will mean in future months, but marketing trends, at least, are optimistic. 

eMarketer projects total media ad spend in the US will be up 12% in 2022, with particular growth for Travel and Media/Entertainment industries. We’ve seen growth in digital ad spend, coming from ecommerce, programmatic channels, video, and connected TV.

The year of video is coming.  

It’s predicted that upper funnel video will drive digital spending, across platforms, including social. Short form content dominates. 

Programmatic makes up the vast majority of display ads, expected to exceed 91% in 2023, driven by Google, Facebook, and Amazon, which are all programmatic by nature.

While linear TV stagnates, addressable TV will grow and CTV will improve measurement and targeting. Check out more on the future of TV here.

Love it or hate it, influencer marketing will keep gaining momentum and is now thought of as a common marketing channel, vs. just a trend. Gen Z in particular is more receptive to influencers who are not perfect and are open about their struggles, paving the way for a more diverse set of influencers to gain traction. 

TikTok is expected to continue growing in 2022 as it hit one billion users in September. The industry anticipates improved ad products over the coming year. 

Analytics: Time to Shine 

Privacy and consumer data rights will expand with Google disabling cookies in 2023 and we expect more updates in 2022. With less data, marketers will rely more on regression analyses and incrementality testing to prove media mix effectiveness. We’ll see an increased need for brands to invest in their analytics department. 

What can marketers learn from 2021? 

If companies are having trouble hiring or retaining talent, blame employees’ post-pandemic “pursuit of purpose.” Brands can keep this psychology in mind with marketing messages focused on possibility, novelty, adventure, and empowerment. 

For more information on navigating and succeeding in the 2022 marketing landscape, contact us today. 

 

Sources:

https://content-na1.emarketer.com/insider-intelligence-digital-advertising-trends-watch-2022

https://www.gwi.com/connecting-the-dots/pursuit-of-purpose

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-trends

https://techcrunch.com/2021/12/09/3-disruptive-trends-that-will-shape-marketing-in-2022/