20 Things to Know For 2020

Here’s how we see 2020 shaping up:

1. The future is here!

Artificial intelligence is growing. But luckily the robots aren’t here to take over the world…in fact they are going to make our lives easier. Built to crunch huge data sets and make real-time decisions, AI is growing as a solution that maximizes campaign results.

2. Poof…and it’s gone!

Ephemeral content, which is something that is available only for a short duration and disappears afterwards will keep gaining popularity. Instagram and Snapchat Stories are perfect examples of this type of content.  Scarcity breeds demand.

3. Is anyone listening?  Yes!

Podcasts are experiencing explosive growth and are very useful to gain access to niche audiences. Advertisers can not only choose the content, but can target specific audiences from a variety of shows/ programs.

4. Saving the earth, one (impossible) burger at a time

People in U.S. are increasingly aware of their impact on the environment and are changing their eating habits. Evidence of this is the growing popularity of plant-based foods such as the Impossible Burger, Beyond Meat and Awesome Burger. Even chains such as Burger King and Dunkin Donuts are getting into the act.

5. Neuromarketing

Measuring consumer brain waves to determine what kinds of content they find most appealing will allow marketers to figure out how to provide the right content to the right prospects at the right time.

6. Whatever’s Easiest

Convenience is no longer a luxury, it’s a given. Mobile apps allow us to do everything from ordering our morning coffee ahead of time to making sure our dog took his morning walk. Amazon Go has upped the ante with their no-checkout / no cashier stores that are popping up. We can expect to see similar shopping experiences becoming popular as 2020 progresses.

7. “Voice” Is Here To Stay

It looks like Alexa and Siri are on to something! The use of voice commands and functionality will continue to grow in 2020. The clapper was ahead of its time…

8. Blue is the New Black

Pantone announced that its 2020 Color of the Year is Classic Blue, a shade “reminiscent of the sky at dusk.” As we head into an Election Year that’s already clouded with controversy and much uncertainty worldwide, this Classic Blue helps portray a sense of reassurance, confidence and connection that can resonate with people around the globe.

9. Nothing Beats A Good Story

A good story will drive engagement and strengthen consumer ties to your brand. Smart marketers will use a variety of channels (social, video, mobile) to communicate in this format.

10. It’s Not Just About Facebook Anymore

Niche social platforms will perform well. TikTok, for example, is one such platform that started in 2016 and immediately gained popularity among youth. B2B companies prefer LinkedIn for their social media initiatives, while the gaming community flocks to Twitch. There are several such alternative social media platforms that are gaining popularity and will continue doing so.

11. Continued Convergence

As disparate platforms learn to communicate (DOOH, Mobile, Social, Connected TV, etc.), advertisers will be able to employ strategies that allow them to monitor each ad exposure and its impact on a consumer’s road to conversion.

12. Year of the Cauliflower

Consumers continue to seek new alternatives to traditional comfort foods. 2020 has been coined the “Year of the Cauliflower” and we can expect to see foods such as cauliflower, tofu and chickpeas continue to rise in popularity.  Ube, a purple yam, is the new “It” root vegetable, while Okach could be the new kale. 

13. Something old is new again

Out of Home is gaining in popularity as new formats are constantly being introduced.  Consumer mobility is at an all-time high with record miles being driven on US roadways, record levels of airline passenger travel, and near-historic highs of transit ridership. It all adds up to more out of home viewers and more opportunity with this media format than ever before.

14. Show your diversity…and keep it real

In the U.S., 66% of Gen Zers surveyed would like to see more diversity in advertising, but the message has to be authentic.  Your customers come in all shapes and sizes.  So should your marketing. 

15. Tokyo, 2020

All eyes will be on Simone Biles at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Interest in Japanese culture, art and food will be heating up as it’s on display with the world watching in the summer of 2020.  

16. You’re in Control!

CCPA, a landmark consumer privacy law that just passed in California, gives consumers insight into what personal data is out there and allows them to prevent it from being sold. We expect this to pave the way for similar laws, which can affect data collected internally by organizations as well as by third party providers.

17. Me Time

Self-care is on the rise with growing interest in nighttime routines such as soothing music, baths and the importance of sleep, along with the growing enthusiasm for meditation.

18. It Gets Me

Consumer relevance is a service, adapting around the changing needs of the user. For example, Amazon is creating a wearable that will understand and respond to the emotions of the user. The rise of these “virtual companions” is priming consumers to expect branded virtual entities that connect to them on a deeper level.

19.  Chat Bots Don’t Need Coffee Breaks

Today’s consumers expect immediate responses that are both informative and personalized. Chatbots deliver this experience which is why they have grown in popularity over the past few years. We expect every industry to begin offering this service as the first point of contact with their prospective audiences. Messenger Chatbots report 80% open rates, 4x higher than average email open rates.

20.  Suddenly Your Refrigerator Has an Opinion

It is projected that the world will reach 26 billion connected devices by the end of 2020. We can already connect to our security systems, ovens, refrigerators, lights, and speakers – now all we need is for them to join forces and make us dinner!