Marketing professionals, hold on to your hats! As we are about to complete 2024, some wild and interesting advertising trends have emerged. If you thought digital marketing in 2023 was cool, prepare to be blown away. We saw brands focusing on customer engagement a lot this year and taking it to the next level. It’s just not about those flashy ads or clickable ads anymore, we are talking about immersive experiences and how AI is transforming the whole landscape.
So, without further ado, let’s look at the trends of 2024 so far to keep you ahead in 2025. We will also talk about how advertising agencies can take full advantage of these trends to stand out.
AI-Driven Advertising
If you are still not aware of this advertising trend which is blowing the minds of even the biggest advertisers on the planet, then you are living under a different sun. AI has become the main character of 2024. It’s not just about giving answers to your questions, AI is designing better ads, optimizing them in a smarter way, making them more relevant and personalized. Furthermore, tailoring the ad to the user’s preference, time of day, or browsing habits is also possible with AI tools at your disposal.
Let’s take the example of one of the biggest brands on the globe – Nike. Now, the brand is already using AI to tweak its ads for different regions, audiences and weather conditions. This gives them a better response as the ad becomes more relevant and personalized fetching more conversions than a normal ad.
Why it matters
As a branding agency, we would suggest if clients who are looking to deliver hyper-personalized messages to their audience should embrace AI without wasting time. Remember how Cadbury did their Diwali campaign with Shah Rukh Khan, and delivered a personalized ad for their customers where the campaign became a testament of how AI and advertising can be merged to deliver great ads.
Shoppable Videos: Click, Watch and Buy
Gone are the days when videos were just a medium of entertainment, videos are now a medium for getting sales. By this we mean, customers can now buy directly from the video content they are consuming. Suppose you are watching an explainer video of a newly launched product, and you love it. You can immediately buy it without compromising on your content consumption. And this advertising trend is benefitting brands in many ways, the engagement remains high at the same time they are making sales.
An example of the same can be seen in Sephora’s marketing strategy, who have integrated the shopping feature in their videos. So, the next time a customer watches a Sephora video on Instagram, with this feature embedded, they can instantly buy the product. Well, every smart advertising agency is hopping on this trend to boost the sales of their e-commerce clients.
Why it matters:
Well, this trend is eliminating the barriers between the first engagement and the end purchase for the customer. The buyer’s journey gets more streamlined, and he/she does not have to fill out multiple forms to buy the product. If you have an e-commerce platform, incorporating this strategy will be a game-changer for you. Otherwise, you can consult an advertising agency to incorporate this for your business.
Voice Search Advertising: Talk to me
Voice assistants in 2024 are becoming more than just your go-to-assistants to plan your day out. They hold a huge influence on your purchasing habits too. You might have noticed a lot of people searching for apparel stores, restaurants, brokers and anything that can be found via. voice search for their day-to-day lives. So, optimizing voice search advertising becomes a top priority and brands that have got this advertising trend right; they are reaping the benefits.
Dominos, for instance, has mastered their brand in this area. They have incorporated voice enabled orders for their customers. Now, if you think other businesses utilizing this kind of advertising, the ads would be personal, direct and incredibly effective as they would be associated with the individual who is doing voice search.
Why it matters:
As a brand, if you are not capitalizing on this trend, you are missing out big time. You can customize your ads for every customer and deliver messages “literally” like literally to your target audience. With more people searching through voice assistants in the future than typing their search queries, it’s high time to jump on this trend.
Influencers 2.0: Authenticity over Glamour
Influencer marketing has taken a big shift in the year 2024. Where, top influencers are not the favorite child of brands anymore. But micro-influencers are taking the center stage. The reason? The ability to foster a deeper connection with their audiences. With brands focusing on niche audience segments, these influencers prove to be more effective in such cases.
Brands like Glossier have excelled at this advertising trend by collaborating with micro-influencers who have the ability to influence their community. Today, audiences are looking for authenticity over glamour, and they can differentiate between a real partnership over the one which is done otherwise.
Why it matters:
As a branding agency, we suggest clients should understand the value of micro-influencers. They might not bring a lot of followers for your brand, but they bring that touch of authenticity for them. Partnering with real voices can help your brand reach its target customers. Rather by taking support from influencers that support a lifestyle which cannot be afforded by everyone.
Augmented Reality (AR): Immersive Experience
This trend is also setting the advertising space on fire, with brands trying to provide their customers with immersive experiences. Augmented Reality (AR) is the future of advertising. The presence of these ads has amplified in recent years and will continue to dominate in future as well.
IKEA is a brand that has really understood this advertising trend well and gives their customers an immersive experience even when they are sitting in their homes. Benefit? Making the ad more memorable, interactive and immersive influences the buying decision overall. Clearly, you don’t want your brand to be forgotten in the pool of ads that hit a customer on a daily basis.
Why it matters:
Well, in the advertising space if you can make your customers experience the product first-hand, they are more likely to buy from you. This is because real-time interaction becomes engaging and immersive. So, if you are a company who wants to try something innovative to reach out to their customers, this could be it. You can even partner with an advertising agency in Ahmedabad like Communication Crafts, to help you create that 360° immersive experience.
Conclusion: What’s your 2024 move?
Well, we have covered the top 5 advertising trends that are influencing the digital advertising space. The shift is going towards creating smarter, personalized, engaging, and immersive experiences. So, if you’re a brand and not understanding these trends and utilizing them, you might as well turn your customers to your competitors.
In a world where the customer expectations are constantly evolving, and they demand constant innovation from brands, these trends might just facilitate you in meeting them. Or you can reach out to an ad agency in Ahmedabad like Communication Crafts, as we don’t just follow trends, we create them. Whether it is AI or AR, we help your brand to stay ahead of the curve.
Let’s create something extraordinary together!
