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2023 Digital Tea Leaves
As we close out December, it’s always fun to prognosticate on what the new year will bring. As we gaze into our egg-nog-clouded crystal balls, here’s a peak at what we’re keeping our eyes open for in 2023.
Re-evaluation of Big Social
Massive layoffs at Meta and a new disruptor-in-chief at Twitter have driven their users to consider alternate, “new-to-them” platforms for their content and entertainment needs. This may lead to a Balkanization of these once-monolithic audiences that would require advertisers to recalculate their channel mixes to stay relevant and visible.
A.I. Goes (More) Mainstream
The continued investment and innovation around AI-based marketing tools and platforms will continue to bear interesting fruit. From content creation to campaign optimization, organizations are rushing to develop the next “Big Thing” in the MarTech space in hopes of gaining both market and mindshare. Expect to see some tools like ChatGPT break through the noise, moving beyond novelty to utility, and perhaps even toward necessity.
Continued Skepticism of the Metaverse
How detached is Meta’s new virtual focus from the actual reality of their core offering? The billions burned chasing this “solution in search of a problem” seem to point toward “maybe more than a little.” This strategic pivot with little to show has advertisers questioning the organization’s ability to innovate and deliver continued value to users and advertisers.
Back to Brand Basics
The fear of a possible recession looming on many marketer’s minds, coupled with a need to justify inflation-related product price hikes, has resulted in organizations pulling back from performance marketing strategies to focus more on brand campaigns. Brands like AirBnB and PepsiCo were early to this party and are reaping the benefits of this investment in their core messaging.
Content Remains King
Whether executed in-house, through agency partners or in collaboration with influencers, brands will continue to invest in content that’s designed to slip seamlessly into user’s feeds. “Borrowed Interest” tactics will continue to proliferate, waiting to capitalize on the next “It’s Corn!” sensation in attempts to tap into the cultural milieu in hopes of driving brand awareness, however tenuous the connection may be.
About the Author
As director of Bader Rutter’s Digital Experience group, Dan Herwig oversees and collaborates with a group of Digital Strategists and User Experience practitioners that are focused on creating engaging and compelling digital experiences for our clients. With over 25 years of experience blending strategy,
creativity, his work ranges from huge enterprise-wide brand and web design systems, to intimate tactile experiences and everything in-between.