1. AI will keep growing, but authenticity will remain powerful.

Last year, Artificial Intelligence (AI) jumped out of a science-fiction book and into our daily work lives. With the sudden spike in popularity of ChatGPT and other AI platforms, AI-generated content, images and videos are everywhere.

AI is an incredibly powerful tool for marketing and can create a massive volume of content much more quickly than people can. However, AI tools do not necessarily create better content, or even effective content. Consumers are already overwhelmed by the sheer number of ads on their social media feeds, so endless AI content will not win them over, especially if that content does not reflect a brand’s authentic voice.

Savvy brands will embrace with caution, understanding they still need to review and tweak AI content for maximum impact.  The most successful brands will leverage AI as a tool while staying authentic to their brand voice.

2. Celebrity brand partnerships will become even bigger and more influential.

Many successful media campaigns are driven by celebrities. One memorable example is the National Football League (NFL’s) highly effective social-media campaign leveraging the hype around ultra-popular singer Taylor Swift’s relationship with Kansas City Chief’s tight end Travis Kelce.

As we look ahead, celebrity influence will only continue to grow stronger. Celebrities have an enormous platform thanks to their often-devoted fans, who tend to trust celebrities more than influencers. The right celebrity partnership can elevate a brand’s status overnight.

That said, brands should not form a celebrity partnership lightly. A celebrity partnership requires careful vetting, as well as an alignment between the celebrity’s personal brand and the brand itself. Brands need to choose a celebrity with whom they can cultivate a relationship that is, again, authentic and one that could last into the future.

3. Brands will integrate many metrics to evaluate the success of their PR strategy.

Brands have long evaluated the success of marketing initiatives based on hard data such as sales leads and clicks. On the PR side, brands are increasingly focused on measuring success in a similar way. Technological advances in online search tools have given brands access to far more data metrics than a decade ago, enhancing their ability to measure results.

One increasingly popular metric is the percent of coverage appearing in top-tier media, which reflects the increased focus on reaching the right target audience and less emphasis on total impressions. For every brand, the definition of “top-tier media” will vary depending on their coverage goals, target audience and the most relevant media outlets in their industry.

Brands are also increasingly recognizing that there is no one metric that reveals the whole picture. Instead, brands will continue to focus on dashboards and other tools that aggregate data from paid and earned media, including social media and traditional platforms, to evaluate the success of a campaign or their overall communications approach.

4. Communications is going to be even more hyper-targeted.

Hyper-targeted communications are growing even more critical to the success of brand building. The digital world is so crowded that people can feel as if they are only one of many, many people being targeted by a media campaign. That feeling is at odds with their desire to feel as if a brand is reaching out directly to them or their community. A “one size fits all” approach can leave consumers feeling overstimulated, cynical and disengaged.

Brand content targeting a specific community needs to show a deep understanding of that audience. Businesses should focus on collaborating with influencers, and engaging with nonprofit organizations, from the communities they want to reach. By demonstrating authenticity to audiences, hyper-targeted communications can boost engagement, personalize the customer experience, increase word-of mouth and improve SEO performance.

5. In a politically charged world, marketers need to be prepared to pivot, especially with the upcoming November elections.

We live in a politically charged time, and an election year only intensifies that fact.  Anyone who consumes media in the U.S. this year will certainly encounter news and ads related to various candidates and races, including the November 2024 presidential and congressional elections.

Every brand needs to be ready to pivot quickly if need be, especially with digital advertising. For example, a brand’s ad could appear immediately after a highly controversial political ad by coincidence, yet nonetheless have negative impacts on their brand reputation.

Luckily, brands have options. Some may decide to avoid the political-ad space entirely. Some may choose to advertise only in certain states or during certain time periods, including the weeks leading up to the primary elections, especially since Costs Per Thousands (CPMs) typically peak in the days immediately prior to primary elections and the November election.

Along with CPMs, polarization and misinformation are at their highest in the weeks immediately before and after a major election. Brands need to be cautious during this time and continue to monitor ad – and brand – performance.

The future is, of course, unpredictable, but working with a trusted partner who can help guide you through trends, transitions and tribulations can make all the difference. If you’re interested in learning more about how KGBTexas Communications can help you, please contact us.