Advertising industry predictions: What to expect in 2009

As the end of the year approaches, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about where we’ll be at this time next year.  Here are my thoughts. Comments welcome.

 

1. Audience rules. Brands want to connect with the right users at the right time in the right place.  It is about speaking to the niche audience that will help grow your brand through influence and purchase.

 

2. Engagement will be the new metric. Cost per million, cost per click, cost per acquisition will become less important. It's about the connection a brand can make with consumers.

 

3. Video is hot. Video engagement and distribution will continue to grow. Good content (safe) will be rewarded.

 

4. Mobile is not. Apps will start to emerge, but won't become fully mainstream until 2010.

 

5. Integrated Solutions will dominate.Buyers want a 360 connection with their audience.  Commoditization, pork bellies, ad networks...the bottom line is that there is a lot of inventory out there and, although budgets are shifting online, they are not growing at the same rate as the inventory.  Publishers that want to differentiate will have to find additional ways to drive value.  While low prices are always attractive in a down market, it is up to marketers to take a close look at what types of conversions they are looking for and who they want them from.  Publishers that offer marketers the ability to connect with their audience are the ones who will prevail.

 

6. Cream rises. In a tough economy, marketers will push media partners for value and those without will die.

 

7. Digital Out of Home. Emerges as the hot new media.  Deliver the right message to the right person in the right place.

 

8. Online advertising is resilient.

 

9. Yahoo! gets acquired - shocking.

 

10. The U.S. Government opens an ad network. (kidding.)

 

Do you agree? Post your comments. Let me know what you think.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Andrew Birnbaum]

All good information. Interesting comment about the mobile apps and digital out of home, developing markets.

As far as our niche (golf) goes, there is a shift from print to online like we've never seen. Good opportunities.

Thanks for the info.

[Ruben Levisman]

Insightful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have attained some success pitching the engagement theory, since sales people in my industry are destroying market CPP's...Additionaly, my medium is going through an evolutionary period in where I am constantly finding ways to provide intergrated solutions to my clients. These are some exciting times...