Mark our words: 2024 will be a year of mass experimentation by brands in marketing. We’re about to see some of the most creative, unique, and entertaining campaigns and strategies to date, and that ROI is sure to follow.
Bigger brands have been dipping their toes in experimental marketing over the years (think Jacquemus larger than life campaigns and literally every promotion for the Barbie movie, including the Malibu DreamHouse), but 2024 will see small to medium-sized brands getting extra creative with their marketing strategies and spend. As competition for paid social continues to drive up price, tried and true methods for promoting your brand will become less effective and the only option will be to harness creativity and stand out from the pack.
Here are five marketing trends we’re betting on in 2024.
IRL Marketing Experiences
Connection to our favourite brands has become increasingly important post-lockdown, and a great way to create that connection with an audience is to implement in-real-life (IRL) experiences.
While digital marketing is a must in nearly any marketing strategy, it can’t be the only piece of the puzzle. IRL marketing allows brands to develop further connections and brand loyalty with their audiences. Some IRL marketing tactics to consider are networking, hosting or participating in events, IRL advertising (print, TV, radio, billboard), and brand activations. Investment in IRL marketing shows your audience that you care about them and their community enough to physically be in it.
Genuine Content Over Catchy Hooks
For a few years now, every social media tip post has talked about one thing: Hooks. Now, great hooks are key to capturing attention, but catchy hooks that are not backed up by genuine and valuable content are OUT for 2024.
Have you seen those Reels that start with ‘I can’t believe I just noticed this’ and proceed to showcase some ridiculous idea about your favourite Disney movies? You get caught watching the video only to be annoyed and thinking to yourself that you just wasted 60 precious seconds of your life. Or the Reels from ‘experts’ that draw you in with that catchy hook and leave you with absolutely nothing of value? Yeah, those are out.
In 2024, brands will need to prioritize effective storytelling and genuine content over capturing views. The goal is not to make people watch your video – the goal is to provide value and gain the trust of your customers. A great hook can be powerful, but you’d better back it up with something worth consuming.
Try this: When creating video content for social media, ensure that your content has a beginning (hook), a middle (value), and an end (CTA or summary).
AI, Obviously, But In A Supporting Role
Many brands are just getting the hang of AI (artificial intelligence) and we will see it continue to bolster marketing campaigns in 2024, but in more of a supporting role. AI cannot be solely relied on to create and execute effective marketing campaigns, but it can be incredibly helpful in automating, creating personalization, and sparking your own creative juices.
In 2024, we expect to see more brands utilizing AI to speed up the ideation process, generate and edit images, automate specific communication channels and funnels, and to create more personalized content for brands’ audiences. At the end of the day, AI is an incredible tool for streamlining your processes and offering support.
Developing Creative Influencer Partnerships
When you think of influencers, you may think of celebrities, TikTok stars with millions of followers, or the traditional mom bloggers of the 2010s, but how we view influencers needs to evolve in 2024.
There are so many influencers and UGC creators in the social sphere that simply don’t fit into a category, but could be well worth the investment for certain brands. In 2024, we expect to see brands utilizing UGC and creative influencer partnerships in unique ways to develop content and reach new audiences.
We don’t think that it’s as simple as saying that mega-influencers are out and micro or nano-influencers are in. It’s less about follower count and more about what they provide.
Take for example, Yuri Lamasbella on TikTok. She has 4.5 million followers, but aside from that grand total, her entertainment value is what brands will be after. Known as ‘The LOST Kardashian’, Yuri Lamasbella creates videos impersonating the Kardashian family and you can’t help but watch every video all the way through. She has a unique ability to seamlessly incorporate sponsored content into her entertaining TikToks and that is more valuable than any follower count to a brand.
Creative influencer partnerships with creators who know how to provide value to their audience are what brands should be after in 2024.
Prioritizing Social Commerce
Finally, we bet that brands will need to focus on social commerce in 2024. As each digital platform develops and implements social commerce strategies, there are huge opportunities for brands to utilize these strategies to drive sales.
Social commerce platforms including Instagram Shops, TikTok Shop, Pinterest, and more are pushing in-app purchases, making the customer journey more streamlined and increasing conversion rates. The easier it is to buy, the fewer roadblocks there are that stop a purchase from happening. Great, right?
Well, if you want to reap the rewards of social commerce, you will need to ensure that your shops are properly set up. Further to that, Meta will be requiring that existing shops enable Checkout with Facebook or Instagram prior to April 24, 2024. Shops that do not enable this feature will no longer be able to use Shops to direct traffic to their websites.
2024 is going to be a pivotal year in marketing, and we are so looking forward to seeing the creativity that will come from brands of all sizes. If you want some assistance developing unique and creative marketing and advertising in 2024, fill out Sammy Hill Creative’s Inquiry Form and Let’s Get Creative.
