Advertising anticipations on where 2010 will take us

Looking back at 2009 makes you think “Thank God, this year is over”. It was not an easy year for the advertising industry; nevertheless online advertising suffered the least!

Whereas the main focus of 2009 for online marketers was instant-ROI-driven, 2010 is promising to have more meaningful and creative campaigns based on better pre-campaign consumer analysis.

Successful marketing campaigns are not only measured by how many people saw your ad, but how many people you turned into advocates for your brand as they spread the word about your campaign. This is something online knows best about, as we enter the viral era. 2010 should see digital marketers having more authority for marketing strategy decisions, as the marketing board will come crying: “Help! We need to go digital!”

The internet has blessed marketers with a platform where people are willingly expressing and sharing, as they connect to others of similar interests. People from all ages, interests and genders are segmented into thousands of groups and millions of sites, waiting to be connected with someone who leads them.

These online customers are smart, sophisticated, selective, brand-oriented and know an ad when they see one. In 2010, they will be going for meaningful and engaging advertising that has a purpose that they would connect to.

Anticipations are higher as we expect brands nowadays to be our trendy friends who improve our lives through their products. This brand-relationship is created by marketing, mainly through repetitive messages on traditional media. The anticipation from consumers is an opportunity for brands to fulfill it with a wide range of online ideas that connect marketing with creativity and technology. Marketers have got everything at their hands to make things come true.

Sophisticated technology is opening all kinds of doors for marketers to make engaging advertising that creates experiences, not just one way messages. We are moving towards advertising with a meaning, which is trendy, simple, and easy to share. It’s a 3C advertising model that makes campaigns successful by having:

1. Content that the audience can relate to — what the campaign is about
2. Context in which they can participate through — the media for the campaign
3. Continuity of a campaign that gives them reason to spend more time participating and engaging with the brand.

Besides measuring bliss, technology now allows marketers not only to trace customers’ demands and behavior but also respond to them straight away. Advertising is moving towards a so-called “nowism”, where everything is about what is happening now and the immediate response to it.

Overall, 2010 is promising to be a refreshing year for the online advertising industry. With the quickening pace of change, technology is getting more sophisticated, giving us more features to create interactive and engaging ads. 2010 campaigns will give users more positive experiences of interacting with the brand.