Put away the champagne and the confetti. 2013 was a year of significant developments in the marketing world that reflected larger changes in society. From simple things, such as micro-video and Snapchats, to larger ideas like Amazon Drones, it seems like every month has innovations that change the game.
That’s what makes it almost impossible to predict 2014. We do know that there will be some wearable technology this year from Google Glass that raises even more questions of privacy and how deep we want technology in our lives. This year ended with the no marketing campaign of Beyoncé and drones. Who knows what the next six months, much less the next twelve months, will bring. Nonetheless, Nao looks fearlessly into the crystal ball to see what the marketing future holds for 2014:
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More “No Marketing” campaigns – Beyoncé ended the year with a bang through her surprise release of Beyoncé. The album was released on iTunes with no warning – just one Instagram video post. It set all kinds of records – #1 in most tweets per minute, and #1 in first week downloads, even though it was only three days. Yes, you’d have to be a star of her caliber to release something without warning that moves the meter. But the surprise factor resonates. Look for companies to release product without any warnings in the coming year.
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Marketing moves away from Facebook – Facebook ended on a low note for two reasons. First, teens moved away from Facebook, preferring Snapchat and mini-image services. Second, and more important to this blog, marketers moved away from posting on Facebook pages as only about 3% of your fans ever see your posts. Until the Facebook team reworks their algorithm, there’s just better and more effective ways to use your reach.
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Snapchat step into the marketing mainstream – we should have seen Snapchat’s rise coming. After all, this is a generation built on viral, and nothing is more viral than 8 seconds of a picture that disappears forever. Whereas Snapchat is previously a conversation between two friends, marketers will be inspired by the platform in 2014.
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Drake’s brand increases Toronto’s sports brands – We previously covered the Toronto Raptor’s rebranding efforts last summer. One of the main points was making Drake their brand ambassador, similar to Shaq in Sacramento. Now, the Raptors are rumored to take this one step further by changing their purple uniform scheme into a black and gold scheme associated with the rapper. And Toronto FC have also gotten into the mix, with Drake helping recruit foreign talent to their team. If the Raptors and the MLS club reach success, then Drake may become the strongest brand in music.
- Soccer in America hits a tipping point post World Cup 2014 – We covered how NBC went all in on the English Premier League. This summer, it’s ESPN’s turn to go all in on the World Cup in Brazil. With the biggest names in the field, from Messi to Neymar, at a U.S. friendly time, World Cup 2014 might be THE turning point in soccer in America.
