The top 3 trends impacting marketing in 2019

If you still are not sure if the Gillette “Best a Man Can Be” ad is hot or a flop then you are in the right place. The trolls may be shouting, but the majority of consumers have a Neo-Civil mindset, and are quietly still buying their Gillette razors despite (and in spite of) the outrage.

P&G claim that the furor has not yet impacted sales, and our analysis of other controversial campaigns (Nike and Kaepernick/ Delta and the NRA) show that angry noise is just that - noise, with little or even a positive impact on the bottom line.

This raises plenty of questions about whether brands need to have an opinion on controversial issues in their comms. Here at Foresight Factory we try and answer this (and more) in our report on the top 10 trends for 2019, which received a top score from Forbes.

Here are the top 3 trends from the report that open new opportunities and raise questions for marketers: Neo-Civility, Educator Brands, and the AI Leap.

1. Can you set the example and speak for your customers in a Neo-Civil society?

Did you know, it is not just emasculated men who are annoyed at Gillette, it is feminists too. A number of people have pointed out that Gillette are falsely flaunting their moral values while simultaneously contributing to pink tax through differential pricing for men’s and women’s products. The majority of consumers are not au fait with the fast changing language around what is and isn’t a socially accepted opinion to have. Many choose to bow out of the debate for fear of causing offence or attracting abuse. Brands can set the example and help consumers to feel assured about their convictions.

2. Should you invest in content marketing to become an Educator Brand?

Some of the most revealing UK “What is?” searches on Google Trends in 2018 include “What is the Brexit deal?”, “What is Bitcoin?” and “What is an Ibex?” which I am still perplexed about. It is clear that brands make high assumptions about consumer knowledge, whereas one thing you can bank on is the consumer desire to know more. Being more knowledgeable was a top consumer need in 2018, and we think brands can step in and give consumers a helping hand in their endeavours, creating multiple communication touch points along the way.

3. Which contextual data can be utilised in the AI Leap?

AI has created the next jump in consumer expectations from Tech and contextual data will be key to smart targeting. Making the most out of contextual data allows you to anticipate customer needs, which is integral to in the moment personalisation. Context is also key to interactions through AI driven concierge like services proliferating in retail and tech spaces, that need to know when it is ok (and when it is not ok) to engage a customer.

If you want to find out more about these trends and the data behind them, check out the preview report (clients can find the full report with live updates here ).