PR Trends to Watch Out For
Barbara Bates
In the last 25 years, we’ve driven major technology IPOs and developed some of the top brands in B2B technology. The key to a successful communication strategy is successfully spotting trends — for example, starting a corporate blog back in 2005 before almost anyone else had. Being an agency we have the opportunity to see trends in their early days and jump on them quickly. Barbara Bates, Eastwick’s CEO has looked at these trends for the last 25 years, so we sat down with her to find out where she sees the industry going, and her top trends for the next five years in PR.
1. Think Beyond Your Brand House
In the past, branding was created by brand houses. These specialized firms would conduct research into market opportunities, help create messages, and deliver a brand bible with templates, fonts, creative assets, and a brand voice. Then they would leave, and you would be left to implement these creative suggestions on your own. In the next five years, strategic communication agencies will move into brand building. These agencies will perform the role that branding houses had, and they will help execute on brand guidelines. Instead of parachuting in and out, strategic communications firms will stay with their clients to make sure that the brand they helped create grows and thrives. Brand building isn’t a project, its an ongoing living breathing process that happens over time and agencies who understand the power of ongoing relationships will help clients bring their brands to life.
2. Mobilize Your Marketing
In the next five years expect personalized mobile communications to increase, and the industry to shift even further to an always on mobile strategy. Over the past few years, mobile emerged as one of the most effective and direct customer engagement channels. It continues to drive B2B success with 42% of B2B purchasers utilizing mobile in their decision making process. With the sheer saturation of mobile devices, it is no wonder that companies are focused on it. If you’re not already thinking mobile first — and you should be — you need to shift your mindset quickly. Engaging audiences where they are is the difference between a successful campaign, and one that falls flat. This isn’t a new trend by any means, but it is a continuing one and clients need to make sure they are thinking mobile in every aspect of their communications programs.
3. Rapid Response Is The Key To Real Time Engagement
As consumers, we are pleasantly surprised when brands engage us with just the right content at just the right moment. Increased access to real-time big data will allow brands to tap into current events at the right time. Oreo’s 2013 Super Bowl post was the first great example of this; but don’t expect it to be the last one. Make sure you tap into those micro-moments of real-time consumer need in order to shape decisions and preferences. In the next five years there will be nothing that inspires engagement like being in the right place at the right time. If you’re not monitoring your digital or media communities you’re not doing your job as a communicator.
4. Marketing In 3-D
Everyone loves the next new big thing, and Artificial Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are no exception. The dramatic rise of Pokémon GO was just the tip of the iceberg for these two technologies. As they become more widely adopted, brands will look for ways to leverage AR and VR. One of the best ways to utilize AR in the next few years will be to gamify your content and drive users to a physical (or digital) location to increase sales. And while we have yet to see a blockbuster VR event — the technology is newer and currently cost prohibitive — like its sister technology it will drive brands to think in three dimensions and come up with even more attractive content. As brands adopt these technologies, engagement on both platforms will skyrocket. This means, get in early. There’s bound to be a rush to adopt AR and VR, and if you can get there before your competitors the technology will be a competitive advantage. This doesn’t mean, rush in with no plan. Instead, put real resources towards adopting AR and VR because they’re not going away any time soon.
5. Measurement Is A Marketer’s Best Friend
At Eastwick we like to say that everything we do begins and ends with research. This shouldn’t surprise anyone in the industry, as measurement has been around for years. However, over the next five years measurement and research will move from a backward looking perspective, to a strategic, forward looking perspective. As more CMOs emerge who have only ever known a world with Google Analytics, measurement will not only be a nice-to-have, but it will be essential. No longer will agencies be able to justify their budgets through output metrics (e.g., number of press releases sent), or vanity metrics (e.g., impressions). Instead, outcomes will be measured directly and mixed modeling will become the norm. These research and measurement methods will allow smart agencies to develop better strategies, adjust on the fly, and garner more results for their clients. If you don’t have a research and measurement department, build one out immediately. You won’t be able to survive the next five years without one.
Want to know what else is on the horizon for PR? Interested in how Eastwick can help you? Send us an email at Info@Eastwick.com or tweet us @Eastwickcom.
