What To Expect from Advertisers in 2019
By
Ian Wishingrad

2018 is heading to a close, and for brands and advertisers, that means taking a look back on what campaigns worked, what didn’t, and how to get ahead of next year’s most anticipated trends.

One of the best ways to look ahead is taking a peek back at the tactics that saw the best response, and what they mean for the future. So what exactly can we expect to be the best strategies for ads in the New Year? A more natural approach and even taking ads offline. Here’s why.

Go Natural

Glossier demonstrated why ads should look as natural as possible, with a few exceptions, which we can expect to see more of. Appearing more native to the social media platform is a great engagement solution for organic posts. While it’s not as firm a rule for paid media, they will likely take a page from organic posts’ book. Looking and feeling like the adjacent “friend and follower” content is a great idea.

Be Visual

The shoe favorite Allbirds did a great job of showing, not telling, their product and story. In 2019, expect brands to work with international art directors, as they’re forced to communicate visually without understanding nuances of the English language. This will further push brands to choose images and an overall aesthetic that captures the brand’s core messaging.

Take to YouTube

Brands that aren’t ready to bring their ads to cable news will give YouTube a try. You’ll be able to tell a great story within just 15 seconds. With the right frequency, it could be a great bet. 2018 saw a number of advertisers take to the streaming platform, and that trend will likely continue.

Get Outside

While the digital world is ideal for discovery, a number of brands will be taking their ads outside, or OOH. Advertisements on subway trains, wild postings, billboards and more are perceived as more real than those who only have an online presence. What’s more, OOH ads give brands legitimacy while avoiding clickbait issues.

Don’t Over Target

Unless brands are in the user acquisition game, they shouldn’t over target. Digital testing will help brands get a better sense of what videos and copy are successful to create their ads. Brands will start to realize that a good idea, and investment behind it, will resonate with more people than you might think. There won’t be a need to create various campaigns for every target demographic.

There’s not a chance that brands will take their ads offline completely. What we can expect is for all brands, including those online and on social platforms, to get smarter.

Ian Wishingrad is an entrepreneur and award-winning creative director specializing in branding, entertainment and digital development. He is the founder and creative director of BigEyedWish.