Praytell 2020 Trends Report
New year. New media landscape. Here is what we foresee.
Welcome to the future, brought to you by Praytell. Peruse our predictions in both video and text form below — or check out the shiny PDF version here!
ARE YOU READY TO GO PRO WITH AMATEUR INFLUENCERS?
You might have heard NCAA rule changes will go into effect sometime in 2020, allowing collegiate athletes to get compensated for their image and likeness. Sports are an important pillar of modern comms, with live viewing being one of the last real time cultural touchpoints.
WHY IT MATTERS: If you’re looking to connect with Gen Z, this crop of younger athletes may be your ticket. Top high school basketball players have staggering social presences, and offer a unique combination of authenticity and relevance.
BRANDS, ARE YOU READY TO PITCH A SHOW?
No news flash here — in 2019 the streaming wars kicked into high gear. The new platforms range from top tier brands like HBO Max, Peacock, Disney+, Apple TV+, to emerging spaces like The Criterion Channel, Crunchyroll, and Shudder. It’s an entire crop of opportunities for brands to play a role in capturing consumer attention in a post-advertising centric model, with more brands taking on the role of creator and/or producers for films and series. Serialized content offers brands the chance to move away from the campaign moment/product drop mentality and into an always-on, sequential storytelling model.
WHY IT MATTERS: The key is to understand how to develop content that meets your marketing objectives, resonates with the audiences you are looking to engage, and is relevant to the platforms you are looking to secure. The secret? Unbranded storytelling that builds credibility, supported by PR to drive recognition. And don’t be afraid to think big — connect with filmmakers and consider a joint project as an alternative to the traditional studio method.
DO YOU HAVE AN INFLUENCER PLAN B?
Many people bet the influencer bubble would burst in 2019 (And 2018. And 2017). But 2019 made it clear influencer marketing isn’t a bubble at all — it’s a tidal wave, with spending on influencer marketing growing 83% year-over-year. Everyone from big CPG brands to disruptive D2C to weird pill brands are relying on influencers in their marketing mix. And Instagram is making calculated moves — like removing public “like” counts — to play an even bigger, active role in shaping the industry in 2020. It’s just the first step in the platform looking to act as a direct marketplace for brands and influencers.
WHY IT MATTERS: Instagram getting into the influencer economy business provides an opportunity for brands to hold them to a high standard on accountability for delivering against their commitments — whether it be impressions, traffic or sales.
DO YOU HAVE A PRINT STRATEGY FOR 2020?
2019 was the year of the brand print magazine with many more jumping on board in big ways, most notably Bumble, which is using it as part of an effort to reposition the company as a lifestyle brand for women. While brand magazines aren’t guaranteed successes, the trendline is a continued exploration of journalistic publishing either through an owned property or as part of a media buy. For example, today about 70% of Bustle Digital Group’s revenue comes from branded content creation. Meanwhile, overall publisher branded content revenue grew 40% year-over-year(!).
WHY IT MATTERS: Brand publishing is moving toward hyper-targeted content presented in a journalistic way, on a collision course with lifestyle media outlets that continue to expand into the product space (e.g. merch). Brands must weigh the benefits of developing an owned property (online or physical) with a media buy that secures a built-in audience.
We know the benefit of owned platforms — greater control over storytelling and long-term capture of an audience that can be leveraged to connect content to product sales. The flip side? It requires a true long-term commitment to maintaining that audience through consistent publishing.
DOES YOUR CORPORATE PURPOSE HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN?
Company values were an evolving conversation in 2019, from the definition of corporate purpose shifting (from delivering shareholder value to stakeholder value) and the meteoric rise (and fall) of unicorn brands like WeWork. The debate about the balance between social purpose and financial results is far from over. Brands have recognized that communicating values alongside financial performance is a key brand differentiator and ultimately a reason to purchase, with corporate leaders who build national profiles advancing solutions will reap the rewards.
WHY IT MATTERS: Your next big financial announcement may actually be the perfect window for your next big brand announcement. Corporate communication professionals have an opportunity to lead not just their industry, but cultural conversations at large, and see a real impact on the bottom line.
DOES YOUR CRISIS COMMS TEAM UNDERSTAND TWITTER?
Cancel culture whipped up a storm on social media in 2019 driving headlines and immediate brand distress. One recent example? Peloton lost $1.6 billion in market value over social media mockery of its holiday ad. Even President Obama weighed in on the topic — challenging call-out culture as a poor substitute for activism.
WHY IT MATTERS: Your next big comms challenge might begin, live, and end on Twitter. It’s important that digital natives are a part of your crisis comms team, helping determine when an online flare up has gained enough traction to warrant internal and external management.
DO YOU KNOW THE ALGORITHM FOR 2020 PR?
2019 was the year of clickbait ideas with a clear earned media algorithm rising to the top, led by a craving for the unexpected: partnerships, data, and limited time offers.
WHY IT MATTERS: The ‘Sneaker Drop’ culture influenced an earned media algorithm which has been weaponized by QSR giants to great effect. That algorithm (LTO + unexpected partnership + content + insert wildcard) will be adopted by ‘traditional’ players who are seeking renewed relevance. Are you ready to do the math?
A FEW MORE MOSTLY FEARLESS PREDICTIONS (WITHOUT MUCH CONTEXT)
- A bot will write a hit song 🎤🤖
- A comms professional will run for office. And win. 🇺🇸🤝
- Consumers will fully & finally reject a major social platform because of a massive data breach 😱🤬
- A brand will break the next ‘four minute mile’ 🏃♀️🏃♂️
- Streaming services combined will sell more products than mall-based retailers 📈📲
Questions about this or other Praytell research? Check out our website or email us at hello@praytellagency.com.
