The “Big Six” digital marketing trends

I’ve been getting up to speed with Cheil’s global digital capabilities, visiting with our teams in Korea, the US, China, the UK, and India. In speaking with our professionals around the world, my beliefs are further confirmed that there are six key digital marketing trends that all brands must master in today’s operating environment:

1. Brands are back in the driver’s seat.
   I’ve always believed that this notion was a bit sensationalist but today, organic reach has plummeted and brands with big budgets are the highest priority for sites with investors in mind.
2. Everything is shoppable.
   From Instagram to Pinterest to Twitter to Facebook to YouTube, all sites are adding functionality to shortcut the path to purchase.
3. Show me, don’t tell me.
   We have seen the shift from blogs to Twitter to emoji. People prefer snackable pictures to the fine dining of text.
4. Data drives mass personalization.
   Curation and customization can happen today at a fraction of the cost to serve, but yesterday’s service models must evolve.
5. The Internet of Everything.
   Just now beginning to become commercialized and show its true potential in the Age of Context.
6. The sharing economy.
   Old business models and human behaviors are new again, but this time brands are powering their collaborative economy efforts with new technology.

While the impact of these digital marketing trends may differ by country and industry, they are all relevant now. The Big Six are here today and will absolutely evolve tomorrow. Smart marketers will get to the front of the curve and have a front-seat view as new trends emerge.