Yasin Hamidani, Director, Media Care Brand Solutions, writes on invitation and exclusively for our special series BRIEF24.
Learnings and achievements from 2023; Inspiration for 2024
The year 2023, saw many significant trends and developments in the marketing industry such as growth of influencer marketing, video marketers switched to short based content, business leveraged SEO to concur more traffic, social responsibility saw a rise, ROI driven marketing saw a growth, few brands re-started with experimental marketing, VR and AR saw a growth in the marketing industry and more. However according to two more important tends were:
Important Trends: Video marketer switching to short based content – I believe that short-form video will continue to be popular in 2024 also. Remarkably, 90% of content creators/brands were using short-form video to boost brand visibility. While long-form videos can provide consumers with a great deal of depth and information about a product, brand, or service, B2C and B2B marketers have discovered that short-form movies that are focused can be far more effective at getting right to the point. Short-form videos not only require less bandwidth to produce, but they also fit in nicely with the attention spans of internet viewers, which are fast-paced and come in a range of demographics. This is perhaps the reason why apps like Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat have grown quickly and attracted marketing attention.
Growth Of VR and AR – There are a lot of great expectations for VR and AR in the marketing domain. 35% of marketers included AR or VR in their campaigns in 2023, and over half of those marketers intended to raise the number in the near future. However, the challenge is that using VR and AR comes at a huge cost due to expensive technology and large headsets.
My year-end analysis of 2023: Encouraging Robust Sales and Marketing Coordination – For every business to succeed, there must be strong alignment between sales and marketing. However, it is indisputable that fostering effective communication between these two teams will be difficult. For this reason, a staggering one-third of marketers cite their biggest difficulty as being a lack of efficient communication between sales and marketing.
In larger companies, a lot of sales and marketing departments operate in silos. It can be challenging to close the gap between the two teams, especially when they have conflicting priorities and are unsure of their common objectives. This is especially true when neither team is driven to close the gap.
Furthermore, it’s possible that the two teams would use different data and analytics procedures, which would make it challenging to regularly communicate data and extract insights that assist marketing and sales in identifying what is and isn’t working.
Hiring Great Talents – The talent you hire determines the strength of your marketing team from the ground up. It is one of the hardest parts of running a successful marketing agency, but it is also one of the most crucial. Indeed, when it comes to hiring, the biggest issue is finding people with the appropriate skill set and professionalism. 2023 brought with it some serious difficulties.
One reason was that there was a greater need for skilled candidates, which raised candidates’ compensation and benefits and made it more competitive for companies to draw in top talent. Furthermore, a lot of candidates have changed their priorities and are looking for organizations which are offering them a comfortable life, closer to their homes and demanding for higher packages compared to the experience they hold.
Success stories from 2023: The year 2023 was really helpful to us in terms of investigating and seizing new marketing opportunities. As influencer, performance, and video content marketing continue to grow in popularity, we saw an enormous demand and expectations from brands/clients to boost their brand visibility, engagement, and sales—both on a project-by-project and retainer-level basis.
Because so many businesses and SMEs have entered the direct-to-consumer (D2C) sector by creating their own e-commerce websites, the performance marketing requirement has increased our revenue by 25%. The increasing need for influencer outreach initiatives led to a 15% increase in our figures.
Due to the increased popularity of storytelling, our social media clients required a lot of help in creating video content. They wanted engaging content for Instagram reels, unscripted educational films, and other purposes.
Lastly, promoting B2B and B2C exhibits around the nation presented us with yet another unanticipated opportunity. Since 2018, we have only marketed a few selective shows. However, the planning and audience-pulling strategies we employed, particularly when it comes to the right audience attending, have changed the game for us in terms of connecting with and gaining new opportunities from B2B and B2C exhibition organizers.
We have assisted them in developing strategies and executing the full end-to-end marketing plan for their shows, which has resulted in a 30% increase in our revenue.
Learnings and realizations from 2023: My professional career has been changed by discoveries in the marketing industry, especially in the areas of data analytics and consumer behaviour. By embracing these insights, I’ve been able to work upon some hyper-personalized campaigns that helped my clients build deeper consumer relationships.
Furthermore, a greater comprehension of the implications of developing technologies such as ChatGPT, AI and many more has changed my viewpoint and inspired me to innovate and adapt.
The importance of ethical practices, with a focus on openness and client privacy, has been emphasized by the evolution of marketing. All things considered, these discoveries have changed marketing from a static, traditional strategy to a dynamic, data-driven field that demands agility and ongoing learning to succeed in the long run.
2023 highlights and takeaways: My research into the marketing industry over the past year has yielded a wealth of knowledge and understanding. I studied changing trends in digital marketing, public relations and communication, influencer marketing and performance marketing and saw how data-driven methods were becoming more important, how AI was being integrated, and how immersive technologies like AR and VR were becoming more popular. The prominence of sustainability in marketing campaigns has grown, indicating a growing customer inclination towards firms that are environmentally sensitive.
I learned a lot about the critical role that content marketing plays, with a focus on the value of real narrative and user interaction. The ever-changing social media landscape has brought even more attention to the necessity of strategic community building and real-time flexibility.
Observing the convergence of marketing and technology, I gained knowledge about the application of chatbots, algorithms for personalization, and the potency of data analytics in creating campaigns that are both targeted and tailored. The transition to purpose-driven marketing has highlighted how crucial it is for businesses to reflect the ideals of society.
Furthermore, the dynamic nature of consumer behaviour among worldwide concerns underscores the necessity of adaptability and compassionate communication in marketing tactics. All things considered, the previous year has been about staying ahead of the curve in the dynamic field of marketing, welcoming innovation, and realizing how important sustainable and ethical business practices are to building brand loyalty.
Looking at 2024: For 2024 our company will be looking forward for more use of AI Integration for automation, analytics, and targeted marketing. We shall also have a creative approach in expanding metaverse field. Another importance concern will be towards handling changing customer expectations and privacy rules and lastly, we will use video content in marketing tactics as it continues to grow.
For professionals must concentrate on improving their digital literacy and keeping abreast with new technological developments. One should focus on the persistent adjustment to the growing popularity of virtual collaboration and distant work. Promote an inclusive workplace atmosphere while welcoming diversity and gaining quickness to handle changing consumer behaviours and market conditions
Some advice: To my colleagues and future marketers, adopt an attitude that values lifelong learning in this ever-evolving field. Remain inquisitive, investigate new trends, and adjust to the ever-changing digital environment. Recognize the power of data and use it morally to guide strategic choices. Genuine connections should take precedence over transactional encounters; authenticity is crucial.
When faced with obstacles, practice resilience and keep an optimistic mindset. Work together across disciplines, understanding how data, technology, and societal trends are all tied to marketing. Adopt an innovative and creative mindset; this is what drives successful campaigns.
Recall that marketing is more than just product sales, it’s also about creating an engaging narrative. Establish a human connection with your audience by getting to know their goals and values. Finally, consider the ethical ramifications of your professional career and how it will contribute to a responsible and sustainable industry.
Be flexible, maintain your enthusiasm, and help to create a future where marketing not only helps businesses succeed but also has a beneficial impact on society as a whole as you set out on your marketing journey.
My Mantra for 2024: Encirclement change, encourage flexibility, and revolutionize with resolution in 2024.
My personal favorites from 2023
Campaign I liked in 2023: My favourite ad campaign for 2023 was the Cadbury celebration campaign #ThisAdIsMyStore. The campaign is a clear-cut mixture of emotions, bonding, technology and a supportive messaging.
The pan-India campaign added a spotlight on lakhs of SME’s and home-makers who didnt had enough resources to promote their business or market them, however with the Cadbury adtech innovation they were able to promote their business.
The unique feature of the QR code redirects users to their local entrepreneurs whatsapp number for discovering products and buying them.
A book I liked in 2023: For professional development, Robert B. Cialdini’s ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’ is a highly recommended marketing book which has helped me alot. The psychology of saying “yes” is examined in this book, along with a number of important influencing concepts that are relevant to marketing.
Cialdini deconstructs the science of persuasion and provides useful advice for sales, advertising, and general marketing strategy. Through an awareness of the psychological cues that shape consumer behaviour, marketers may design more persuasive and successful advertising campaigns.
‘Influence’ is highly regarded for its insightful and classic lessons, which make it a must read for anybody trying to improve their comprehension of consumer psychology and marketing techniques.
A show/movie that I liked in 2023: 2023 was full of watching suspense thriller shows on OTT platforms. My favourites have been – The Railway Men, The Night Manager, Kaala Pani, Rana Naidu.
My 2023 hobby-career connection: Reading has always helped me to learn about new ideas, campaigns, strategies and many more and now it’s more of informative video content that has become interesting due to visuals
