In June 1863, La Presse (a French newspaper) was the first ever to print an advertisement in their newspapers. Since then advertising has come a really long way.
Advertising is one dynamic industry that is ever changing to adapt to the different trends in the society with multiple platforms always battling for recognition. For example, initial mediums for advertising would be restricted to newspapers or magazines, now the world is overloaded with platforms such as TV, Social Media, Search, Voice, Video Ads and what not.
2017-18 was marked by the after effects of demonetisation for the advertising industry in India but change and disruption have been the cornerstones of this industry and 2019 won’t be any different. The next 5 years will see digital technologies increase their influence across the industry leading to a sea change in consumer behaviour across all segments. Government initiatives like Make in India and Digital India are all positive signals of the new transformation, a game-changer for the sector.
Here are some trends everyone should watch out for –
Age of stories
Consumers today are more aware than before, thanks to the World Wide Web. Marketers, in order to engage with their audience, have to find better ways of portraying the brand story across all platforms. Advertisers will need to be smart and invest a more creative and thoughtful approach when it comes to creating an engaging experience for customers and therefore, have to stitch together a story that creates a mark on the audience.
Video in demand
With an increase in mobile users and people having access to the net, videos have emerged as a prime platform for advertisers. Videos and gifs have taken over the nation and you can see almost every other person now either watching a series on Netflix or responding to their messages with gifs. Advertisers will need to use this to their benefit and communicate with their audience using impactful visual content.
Personalised ads is the new black
No longer on only a computer, a television, or a phone, people are consuming content where they want and on whatever device they desire. Wherever the content goes, the advertising must follow. Consumer attention is at a premium, as this fragmentation makes it difficult for marketers to earn it. With more and more ads being displayed to a consumer on a daily basis it becomes absolutely important that your ad leaves an impression on the customer. This is where personalised ads came into the picture, they create a sense of individuality, they make a customer feel understood and important and thus, leave a sense of connect with the advertisement.
Watch out for online advertising
At the moment, advertising revenue comprises of print, digital, online and TV advertisements where print is the major role player. However, Online Advertising is gaining immense traction & giving print head first competition in this arena. India’s digital advertisement market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 33 per cent in which Online Ads play a pivotal role, giving agencies that focus on digital and opportunity to perform better than their expectations.
Let’s not forget creativity and innovation
Try and remember one ad or campaign that always lingers at the back of your mind. Now think why the ad is stuck in your brain. You will have only two outcomes i.e., either the ad was very creative or it had something unique (innovation). These two factors are the prime ingredients for any ad and will continue to play their dominance in the success of any advertisement across the industry. However, since we live in an era of technological advancements and quick information access, consumers have become a little harder to impress and therefore creativity and innovation might pose somewhat of a challenge.
Native Ads also in the league
With your consumer present everywhere, brands are taking advertisements where they are! And in doing so brands are looking for ways to make ads that can be customised to run on various platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, YouTube and etc. Due to its engaging and personalised layout, Native Video Ads will see an increasing trend while also creating a need for creatively using native ad formats.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has proved to be one of the most effective ways of advertising and it looks like it is here to stay. While brands are already investing a ton of money in influencer marketing as influencers bring with them a large fan base and loyal consumers, they are more likely to increase their expenditure and create a larger depository of influencers for ads and marketing strategies in the coming years.
OTT on the rise
With increasing smartphone penetration and inexpensive data plans, there is a rising influence of OTT as a medium. There are currently more than 30 OTT platforms, and this is only the beginning. Over-the-top (OTT) options will continue to proliferate as consumers continue to look for more flexibility and OTT providers continue to experiment with offerings of various sizes and prices. With India slated to be among the Top 10 OTT markets within the next 4 years and with estimations of over 75% content consumption through OTT by 2021 it will be worth observing to see how brands leverage this medium.
Bigger and Better
It is a common fact that agencies have to deliver bigger and better ideas to clients than ever. As the world has become a small place for everyone, ad ideas need to get better for everyone, making creativity and talent the need of the hour for various ad agencies. Agencies will need to recruit better talent, give marketers more control, drive efficiencies in order to stay at the top of their game.
About the Author:
Anita Nayyar is a veteran of the Indian media industry. As CEO, she took on the mandate of expanding the Havas Media Group footprint in the emerging South Asia markets in 2006. She has recently been promoted to be the CEO – Havas Media Group, India & South East Asia.
