What’s hot and what’s not: 12 marketing trends and predictions for 2024

It’s that time of year when the marketing trend predictions for the next year — 2024 — start rolling in.

My last round of trend predictions with SmartCompany was pretty spot on, so the team was happy to have me back.

While we marketers don’t have a crystal ball, one thing we know for sure is that trends constantly evolve and don’t start on January 1. 

The name of the game is keeping your finger on the pulse to predict which existing trends will fizzle out and which ones have staying power based on customer behaviour, sentiment and the cultural zeitgeist (I’ve always wanted to use this word in an article). 

Marketing Trends to look out for in 2024

1. TikTok’s rising influence

TikTok continues to drive creative marketing campaigns by leveraging cultural moments. A great example is the recent question that was on everyone’s lips — “How often do you think about the Roman empire” as part of the latest Movember campaign.  

But, are brands chasing culture too hard? In Accenture’s insight report, it suggests we’re in a period of creative stagnation.  

“Creativity was once about the audience but has become dependent on playing the tech system. Is this what creative stagnation feels like?”

We hear about pop culture and the algorithm again (and again … and again) and it undoubtedly influences the content people choose to produce. Are we playing a dangerous game of following the leader to get found? I think yes and stand by my point — powerful creative marketing campaigns reap the results of your efforts.

2. Product placement

As brands seek attention from customers who skip ads or avoid ads altogether on streaming platforms, we’re seeing an integration of product placement to help communicate a brand’s positioning and identity.

Think Coors and Yellowstone — with Western cowboy culture already part of the Coors brand DNA, this match makes sense.

Source: X/ Coors

3. Promotion in place of emotion

There’s been a shift from emotional tug-on-the-heartstrings messaging during and post-pandemic towards what’s in it for me promotional activity instead.

We can see this as we head into the shopping season, kicking off with BFCM, with messaging created to appeal to price-sensitive customers, focusing on savings, deals and budget-friendly promotions for the discretionary consumer. This is predicted to remain well into 2024.

4. Diversifying marketing channels

Meta is no longer the be-all and end-all of marketing. Brands are branching out from just Meta and Google to tap into platforms like TikTok, Spotify, and podcasts to leverage their efforts and get noticed.

5. Ethical marketing practices

Like animals smell fear, humans smell bullshit  — and we’re becoming more confident to call it out. 

“62% of people say a company’s ethical values influence their purchases,” Accenture found in its report. 

Customers can spot a brand that tries to use purpose and sustainability as a marketing campaign and are becoming more savvy when it comes to expectations of brands to make behind-the-scenes progress.

Naming and shaming of brands that greenwash is causing brands to pull back from publicising their sustainability progress and do more behind-the-scenes work that makes a difference. This is a fine line that needs to be walked so they aren’t being called out for deceptive marketing. 

For instance, Apple’s Human Mother campaign with Octavia Spencer — interestingly, comments were turned off on YouTube.

Brands could use owned and borrowed channels to share their progress and wait for big strides before investing in paid channels. Customers are distrusting of traditional advertising.

6. A move away from Instagram and its identity crisis 

What exactly is Instagram these days? Who is it for? It’s anyone’s guess and at this point and feels like a cesspool of drunk texts. The changing features (Threads, I’m looking at you), mimicking of other platforms, and uncertain direction raise questions about its relevance. Brands are reassessing their reliance on Instagram as their primary marketing channel. 

Mia Klitses, the co-founder of Moxi, recently shared on LinkedIn that the brand decided to shift focus away from Instagram and towards TikTok. In 10 months it has grown to 898,000 organic followers, and videos with over 61 million views. 

7. Category stretching 

This is where a brand extends its reach from its usual product or service to appeal to a wider audience. Archie Rose, originally known for its distillery gin, expanded into hand sanitiser production during the pandemic and now offers cocktails, tailored spirits, and scented candle-making classes. It leveraged its existing brand reputation and used innovation to move from a gin distillery to a beverage and lifestyle brand.

8. Advertainment

It’s advertising meets entertainment — think creative marketing like short films, episodic videos, and real-world activations that engage audiences and stop the dreaded scroll. Audiences are willing to spend time with good advertainment. Period underwear brand Modi Bodi released a five-part period drama exploring period problems and taboo topics that clocked millions of views on TikTok.

Forty Winks’ The Unslept campaign embraced advertainment with a clever combination of categories of poor sleepers, Australian sleep stats, and of course, their mattress match solution. 

9. Inhousing creative agencies

If you’ve worked with an agency before you know that they have several brands on the go. We’ve seen brands like Liquid Death, AirBnb, and Pepsi create in-house agency-style teams to prioritise creativity at the core of their business and take them from concept to execution with less back and forth, less spending, and a more streamlined process.

10. Artificial intelligence and special effects 

ChatGPT is here to stay and there are hundreds of AI and SFX programs in its wake. This trend is changing how companies approach marketing with image and content generation, virtual reality, and deep data and insights. 

We’re even seeing collaborations launching and wondering if they’re actually real, so it’s important to note the discussion about ethics and transparency in these areas is ramping up. 

If you’re sceptical about AI and SFX you can always go old school with visual effects like Maybelline’s lash train; simple and effective.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mia Fileman | Marketing training for founders & teams (@campaign_del_mar)

11. Influencers/Creators

The CreatorIQ Influencer Marketing Trends Report states:

• 43% prefer to be called Creators vs Influencers reflecting a shift in how they view their role and contribution. 
• The majority of creators (66%) engage in content creation part-time.
• Only a small percentage (23%) earn more than $2,000 per month, challenging the popular perception of a glamorous influencer lifestyle.

Sponsored digital ads featuring creators have proven to be the most effective marketing strategy for brands and agencies edging out other creator-led strategies like affiliate marketing and user-generated content (UGC), the CreatorIQ Influencer Marketing Trends report found.

About 42% of creators are using AI for content creation and platforms like TikTok and YouTube are becoming increasingly popular, along with affiliate marketing. 

I’m not the only one who groans when I see #AD. Customers no longer find paid influencers authentic and are looking for authentic organic posts instead of mismatched collabs that feel like a lie.

Organisations can woo creators with superior product quality, adequate compensation, and initiatives that focus on issues like inclusivity, sustainability, and other social causes. 

The stereotypical influencer (think conventionally attractive female, 20-30 years of age) is declining and we’re seeing diversification from the emergence of Dadfluencers and Granfluencers which is arguably the most ageist name ever.  

The president of media buying agency Ocean Media said brands are looking to diversify their media mix by additional channels that work for them, putting money towards other social campaigns, other video-based campaigns, and audio and podcast recordings with their appropriate creator group.

12. Sonic branding

Otherwise known as audio branding, this is a distinct jingle or tone you recognise as belonging to a specific brand. 

Think Netflix ‘ta-dum’ or McDonald’s ‘I’m lovin’ it’.

These examples show how sonic branding can be a powerful tool in creating a memorable brand identity that resonates with consumers on an auditory level, complementing visual branding efforts.

So which of these marketing strategies best fits your brand now, and into 2024? 

Mia Fileman is a marketing strategist and the founder of Campaign Del Mar, which offers strategic marketing training to founders and teams.