7 Marketing Trends to Ignore at Your Peril

Marketing is constantly evolving, but 2016 seems to have brought with it a particular glut of game-changing technology and marketing innovation. So which trends do you need to follow to ensure your marketing isn’t lagging behind?

VR

2016 is turning into the year of virtual reality – along with augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). What’s the difference? VR  immerses you in a digital reality, allowing you to explore and interact with an alternative world. AR superimposes a new layer onto the real world, supplementing reality with sound, video, graphics or GPS data. MR – also known as hybrid reality – merges a virtual world with the real world to create a new world where physical and digital objects are both present, and the two worlds can interact in real time: for example, a surgeon overlaying a patient’s body with data that helps with an operation. This two-way interaction between virtual and real-world content is the essential component of MR.

Google Glass was Google’s first attempt to bring AR to a mainstream audience. Google-backed Magic Leap is the name to watch in MR. Pokemon Go is the obvious example of successful AR – and is one of the reasons that VR has become such a hot topic recently.

Even though Pokemon Go is AR, the term VR  can, helpfully, also be used as an umbrella term for all forms of altered realities, in which real world and computer-generated content interact.  Even more helpfully, Microsoft has created its own term for Hololens, ‘holographic computing’.

Whether all these terms will become conflated under ‘VR’ is yet to be seen but whatever you call it, virtual reality is becoming part of the  marketing mix. Facebook, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Sony and Samsung have all got groups dedicated to the new realities, so it’s likely to cut across many aspects of marketing – and only looks set to grow in importance, with new VR companies springing up every day.

Video

As you’re probably well aware, visuals are where it’s at right now. Instagram, Snapchat and a host of other apps have shown that a picture tells a thousand words (particularly if it’s got something amusing scribbled across it) and Millennials are sharing visuals galore.  Engagement across the age ranges jumps if you include an image. If pictures are good, videos are better. From short and sweet viral Vines to feature length demonstrations of storytelling prowess, if you want to market your product, you need to think visually. And don’t forget 360 degree footage – not least because 360° videos are one of the easiest ways to dip a toe into the virtual world, even if they’re not technically VR. With 360° videos, you can record  a real-world scene in all directions, so the viewer can look around as they wish, thus feeling immersed in the environment. We predict that  branded VR viewers teamed with 360° apps will be popular this year…

Drones

As a partner to video, drones are becoming increasingly important in marketing. From virtual house tours to nature reserve flyovers, drone footage is cropping up more and more. Drones are being used by brands in more innovative ways too – and if you get creative with a drone, you’re likely to generate coverage as people are currently fascinated by the new technology available. Which leads nicely into….

Robots

The future is robotic. From AI chatbots to moving robots that teach and learn simultaneously, you’d be surprised by how much robots are already here. Machine learning is something to familiarise yourself with now: it’s revolutionising customer service and there are more and more B2B bot services springing up. Automation is becoming increasingly important to marketers – as you’ll already know if you use Hootsuite, Klout or any other social media scheduling software. Stay up to speed with automation and you could save yourself hours, freeing up time for more creative pursuits (or work/life balance: another current trend).

Emotion

While robots may be a hot topic, if you want to sell to Millennials, you need to get emotional. From using emoticons (yes, even in business communication) to connecting with complementary charitable causes, emotion-led marketing is about a lot more than sharing a kitten picture. Fear can sell but research shows that positive sentiments such as  love sell more,  so share your passions and communicate your enthusiasm if you want to connect with customers.

Storytelling

Everything is a story. Marketers are increasingly realising that it’s not what you sell but the story behind it, and it’s essential that you understand storytelling techniques if you want to sell. Buy a copy of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers by Christopher Vogler (or The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell if you can cope with a more academic read). Read it to understand story structure, then find the stories that will help you sell your product.

Integrity

When creating your stories, do make sure that they’re true stories. Integrity is key to modern communications. Social media allows two-way interaction between brand and audience – and if you fake it, the modern consumer is more likely to call you on it than convert to your brand. However, if you ensure your brand shows its human side, you are likely to win over today’s consumer.

Onyx is passionate about entrepreneurialism, technology, the environment, and generally making the world a better place. We work for companies and organisations that we believe are doing something worth talking about. If you’d like us to hear your story – and help you share it with the world – tweet us, mail us or call us on 020 7048 2700.