Digital Media Trends Marketers Should Watch Out

In their latest Media Trends and Predictions report for 2020, Kantar described the word media as nebulous – vague and unclear. This is because the media’s scope is so broad that it covers paid advertising, PR, and more and it encompasses multiple platforms. Every year, we see new trends appearing and we can barely keep up with the opportunities open to us. Here are the top five (5) media trends and predictions that marketers should watch out for.

1. A Television Revival

In the same Kantar report, 2019 saw the return of television. In a study conducted in Europe, consumption of TV increased by 25% from June to September 2019. Here is the catch – this type of content being consumed is online. Online streaming is slowly gaining ground and even established broadcast channels like Disney and BBC are entering the game. With the steady rise of online content, TV channels need to focus more on their viewers’ interests if they wish to remain relevant.

2. War of the Streams

Going back to online content, Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) had a solid year in 2019 and you should expect more for this year and beyond. With the Big Three of SVOD – Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime – competing for dominance with original productions and robust data-driven strategies, smaller and smaller services are appearing.

But, saturation and fatigue are two things to watch out for with the number of streaming services popping up left and right. Even local TV content providers in the Philippines are also competing with their versions of streaming services with the likes of iflix, Hooq, and ABS-CBN’s iWantTV.

3. The World of Gaming

The online gaming industry is predicted to grow nearly 9% every year from being a $152 billion market in 2019. In a report by research firm, Newzoo, roughly 2.5 billion play games every day, and is widespread across demographics. Mobile games are responsible for a large part of and have brought in 45% of the revenue.

So, it’s no surprise that the gaming industry is expanding and utilizing digital faster than any other industry. As brands, make sure to watch out for cross-platform gaming and higher dependency on social interactions in virtual worlds (aka the Metaverse).

4. Content & Commerce

E-Commerce has seen a boom in 2020 with more and more people preferring to shop online and brands opening online options for their customers. E-Commerce will go beyond mobile starting with the rise of social commerce and the integration of online shopping into social media platforms around the world.

For this year and beyond, look forward to revenue thanks to social commerce could boost ad revenues for online media owners and more experimentation on the different kinds of shoppable ads there.

5. Taking A Stand/Side

Activism was a term thrown around in the past years and has had a hand in how millennials and Gen Zs consume media and resonate with brands. Brands today are taking a stand and picking advocacies to capitalize on to get the attention they need.

However, riding on an advocacy’s coattails doesn’t always turn positive results. People are more perceptive of which brands are sincere in their stands and which ones are simply faking them. So, as a challenge to brands to stay relevant, having a holistic approach to participating in advocacy should be part of their strategy.

The vast opportunities brought on by the trends and new best practices will serve as something worth thinking about. The question is – are you ready to take on any of these trends? Are you and your team equipped with the appropriate skills to tackle shoppable ads or even be an advocate for a just cause?

In the CDM Digital Media Planning Program, you will learn both the technical and strategic aspects of digital media planning and buying. See yourself creating a foolproof media plan and even trying your hand at media buying on Facebook and Google.