Trends that will dominate marketing in 2021
From purpose-driven marketing to solution-based approach rather than plain media buys, here are some trends industry watchers foresee for the year upon us
To be sure, 2020 has been a roller coaster of unprecedented changes as the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc around the globe. It has been a year that marked widespread social unrest and polarizing political events. That said, if anything, 2020 has also proved a decisive year, transforming the landscape of retail and marketing towards relationship commerce, improved seamlessness, and local retail. However, as the world prepares for another year of uncertainty, companies everywhere are asking themselves what’s on the horizon for 2021. Decoding the same, industry watchers weigh in on marketing trends and themes that will dominate the space as we move ahead in the next year.
Edited excerpts below:
Kashyap Vadapalli, Chief Marketing Officer & Business Head, Pepperfry
In my opinion the year 2021 will also see a boost in regional content and campaigns, given the exponential growth of internet users in India and the immense potential of the country’s tier 2 and 3 markets.
Sudipta Suri, National Marketing Director, Mirchi
As for marketing trends, this unique year accelerated the growth of some trends much faster than the past trend line. One such trend was the advertisers’ need for customized solutions. Over the last few years, marketing spends were becoming more discerning, and the ‘one size fits all’ media advertising theory was giving way to an innovative customized solution. This was an important shift that helped brands not only reach more elusive customers but also counter tighter marketing budgets. This trend has really accelerated in 2020. When budgets were completely clamped down, advertisers looked for customized solutions for their communication owing to two reasons- the first being that the client’s innovative offerings required innovative communication, and second, the consumer was not willing to spend, hence he needed to be reached in an innovative manner to convince him to spend.
Another trend that is exponentially growing is the digital marketing industry. 2020 pushed all brands and advertisers to take a crash course in digital if they hadn’t already. In my opinion, 2021 is going to be all about recovery. Two marketing trends that I see for this year are- continued focus on the solution-based approach for marketing problems rather than plain media buys, and increased focus on digital marketing. Along with an increased focus on digital marketing, brands will also start asking about ROI. This would be pushed harder by traditional mediums like print and TV, which primarily talk about their reach to show their stronghold on the consumer.
Anushree Pacheriwal, Co-founder, Gemius Design Studio
"The pandemic has taught many things to every one of us, especially advertising and marketing professionals, learnings like ensuring the best results when people are not looking to spend, working towards a more personalised approach with brand's communication, and most importantly, unlearning the old ways of understanding customer behaviour. During the pandemic, we saw a huge rise in nutraceutical products where people were looking for boosting their immunity and working towards their overall health. Overall, in Amazon sales alone for our clients, we have seen a 300%-500% growth in sales in comparison to the pre-pandemic period. In 2021, we are going to see a trend where people are making smart shopping decisions so it is going to be important for brands to communicate ideas that add value to people's lives and not just focus on promotions. One word that describes 2021, positivity!"
Vikash Pacheriwal, Co-founder, Raisin
"2020 has been a roller-coaster. While we saw a lot of changes happening in our personal lives, businesses were another ball-game. The pandemic with all its challenges helped us in being more adaptable. One big learning that we as a business took from this year is the realisation that trust is more important than anything. The trust of employees, customers, and retailers is fundamental to any business. If not for the support of our team we wouldn't have been able to cope with the rising demands, especially on the online front. We also saw plenty of new trends surging during the pandemic and only businesses who could cope with it survived during these pressing times. One such trend was the surge in online shopping, Raisin saw a 23% rise in its online sales during the pandemic.”
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