PREDICTING TRENDS

By KIKA SAMBLÁS -

Although it is difficult to predict in the current climate, I would like to comment on four trends that we find in our market:

1. Companies’ "to do" lists are saturated. They need to work in many areas related to business transformation, in addition to advertising. Out of all areas, three stand out: the user experience model, the marketing and sales model, and the technology that will operate behind it. They all represent a great challenge for companies, and in 2018 we have already seen great movements in respect to this.

2. The growing importance of a Marketing Director in organisations. Since the economic crisis we have seen budget reductions, as any investment was seen as a cost rather than an income generator. Because of this many CFOs are managing companies with the sole aim of efficiency. We are now in a time when Marketing Directors must return to being part of the highest level Board of Directors. In a world where companies strive to focus on the consumer, one of the most important parts of the organisation is the one that  has always been studying, analysing and connecting with the consumer – and this is the area of Marketing. And even more, in an evolved organisation where the CMO has skills in data, technology, sales, and channels, working as a team.

3. We see that some Brands are losing their focus in Branding. In the current environment, it is key to work in conversion campaigns. You must sell intelligently in order to be as cost-efficient as possible, but you must not forget Brand building. If we don’t do this, in a short space of time (when brands will operate in a digital environment in an integrated way and similarly for each category), the users will have forgotten about them, and recovery will be very costly. On the other hand we find tech companies that, when they achieve good figures in Capture and Conversion Metrics, they need to use TV and other conventional media to reinforce their essence and value. We see this clearly in companies such as Amazon, Netflix, Apple or Wallapop and we will continue to see it more and more.

4. From an advertising point of view, brands need to connect with society and therefore offer a perspective over and above their product or service. The most advanced brands are already doing this. Nike with their Kolin Kaepernick campaign is a good example, as is Campofrío, or Gillette’s widely discussed campaign. This implies that companies are positioning themselves and are brave, knowing that they are going to stop connecting, or even struggle with consumers that don’t think like them. But this is the game of the future and whoever stays in the common place, will lose relevance.

@kikasamblas

Published in NEWSLETTER #1 / 2019