After an increase in mobile and communication media the last two years, this financial year is going to be a year of reaction, recovery and backlash. The Soccer World Cup and winter Olympics will increase Australian business’s International target market and many organisations are looking to how they can promote their products and services to a wider, more Global prospect base To achieve this we are going to see some of the recent software innovations like programmatic ad buying systems and mobile shakeup reach a more accepted stage in the market. Consumers are often unpredictable and they may reach a point where they will start rebelling the overindulgence of electronic connections in their day to day life. Thus marketers will have to deal with the overflow of digital information with no human connection which will eventually lead to a focus on qualitative research and personal interactions to win the Hearts and Minds of their customers. Bottom line: “We want to do business with people, not with a machine” Here are some of the trends to look out for in 2014/15

Trend 1. Mobile Advertisement

Desktop is no longer at the top of e-commerce due to the explosion of tablets and smart phones, and the targeting of mobile users is going to be the top of mind to campaign successes. Mobile ecommerce is growing faster and marketers are now shifting their attention to marketing everything through the phone or tablet.

Trend 2: Short and Precise Advertising

With the rise of mobile, information has to be reduced to fit the smaller mobile screen and capture the attention of consumers easily. Long videos and detail heavy ‘wordy websites’ are losing the race gradually. If consumers can easily understand a brand faster, the rate at which they spread will also increase.

Trend 3. Programmatic Buying

In an interview with Ken Weiner, the CTO of display advertising platform Gum Gum, he said that in 2014/15 there would be an increase in programmatic buying of digital advertising which will rise into premium placements such as in viewability, content and image. This program is growing as publishers look for ways to increase efficiencies and reduce costs of advertising

Trend 4. People Engagement Research

Most marketers are investing a lot of money in Qualitative research this year, where the consumers are being asked about their experiences with specific products and services, rather than Quantative research, which is based more on maths, stats and numerical data.

Trend 5. Elimination of banners

There is a strong possibility that online video will substitute banner ads in the year 2014/15. Most people this days are spending most of their time with their tablets and not the television screens. (Thank goodness for the ability to record our favourite TV programs so that we don’t have to watch those endless boring adverts!!) Video advertisement will now shift to become more prevalent in maintaining brand awareness, market share and business development. However they must maintain quality messaging and customer focus as that is what most consumers are yearning for these days.

Going forward

These are just five trends that organisations need to watch out for in 2014/15 and considering how to incorporate them is essential to keeping you in front of the game. If your business is not making the sales and profits you need, bring in the specialists in Strategic Marketing and Australian Sales Training from the KONA Group and provide your people with the expertise and tools to turn your results round Go to https://kona.com.au//Hearts-and-Minds-Sales-Training or https://kona.com.au//Marketing-Strategy Or call 1300 611 288, or email Glenn@KONA.com.au