We’re right in the middle of the final quarter of 2020, a year wrought with
significant challenges for all of us. It’s no surprise that many are looking
forward to the new year with new opportunities and hopes that it is a positive and constructive year.
We’ve studied Deloitte Insights’
Global Marketing Trends 2021 to give you a few insights of our own on what the panorama looks like for digital marketing next year with these 5 top marketing trends for 2021.
1. Confidence
Confidence for consumers, investors, executives, and business owners alike
suffered a blow in early 2020 because of lockdowns, health concerns, and
general economic uncertainty. This led to a loss of confidence (from 55% to
35%) among executives and CEOs in their ability to drive strategic impact in
their companies.
However, consumers have gained more confidence in their trusted brands
because of their response to the pandemic and how they’ve adapted their
business models. In 2021, businesses that responded quickly to changes and
adapted to their customer’s needs will greatly benefit from having driven
consumer confidence and loyalty when things were most uncertain and stressful.
Recommendations: Loyalty and rewards programs, reaffirming, and hopeful messaging that displays empathy and humanity.
2. Purpose
With uncertainty being a stubborn resident in our lives lately, customers
need to identify and connect on a deeper level with the brands they purchase. In this sense, we are still in the experience economy, but those experiences are now more closely tied to finding meaning and purpose in our day-to-day lives, including the brands we interact with.
Brands that have a defined purpose and show a willingness to help their
employees, customers, and communities rise from their challenges will flourish when things normalize, so it’s important to make our value propositions and outwards initiatives impactful in ways that go beyond aiming to grow your bottom line. Brands that cared in 2020 will be remembered in 2021.
Recommendations: social outreach initiatives, community responsibility programs, employee benefits, sustainability programs.
3. Agility
Agile marketing strategies aren’t new, but they are what may save your
marketing in 2021. We have to be realistic; we will likely face a recession
which will require us to be innovative, imaginative, and resourceful to
navigate the murky waters. Agile marketing strategies help you achieve just
that.
Recommendations: Invest in agile methodologies and strategies, reward innovation, be open to completely rethink your approach to marketing as well as your business model.
4. Cooperation
One rising trend is how we’re moving away from the individualistic mindset that dominated most of the last two decades and towards a more
community-oriented, cooperative/collaborative philosophy in work, life, and business. For the first time in a long time, the entire world faces the same major challenge, leading to a realization that we are all in this together. Companies have joined forces to innovate for the customers, people have joined forces to help their community, and in a world where we are socially distant, ideas are bringing us closer than ever before. Look for like-minded companies that can collaborate with your business, be it for innovation or overcoming a common challenge.
Recommendations: Collaborative projects, cooperative innovation, partnering to build new solutions.
5. Transformation
We’ve been talking about transformation for years. It’s no longer optional;
it’s a business imperative. Leveraging technology and innovation to navigate an ever-evolving and rapidly-changing business landscape is the only way to ensure a future for your company. There’s no sense in delaying it; the time to kickstart your business’ marketing transformation is now. This will not only open the doors to the vast landscape that is digital business, it will also help you create jobs and find new talent for your company that can bring it into a digital, data-centric future.
Recommendations: Design new talent models, start or revamp marketing transformation strategies, embrace rising trends and new technology.
Need help with a marketing strategy for 2021? We can
start that conversation today.
