Last month, Think with Google asked some of Canada’s ‘marketing thought leaders’ to share opinions on the trends shaping digital marketing in 2020. Several themes emerged, including the necessity of forward-looking innovation and the rise of voice search and micro-moments. But two interconnected trends reigned supreme: personalization and the power of data.
“In 2020, we’re fully embracing the potential of personalized video ads,” said Google Canada Head of YouTube and Brand Marketing Amanda Hsueh. “The days on ‘one-size-fits-all’ advertising strategies are in the past. Consumers now expect personalization, not only in the content they’re served, but also in their ads.”
Joanna Griffiths, Founder and CEO of underwear retailer Knix, agreed, and tied personalization to the push of inclusivity in digital marketing.
“For us, it means showcasing women of all ages, ethnicities and sizes on our website, in our advertising and the staff at our retail stores, so our customers see people representative of them,” Griffiths said.
“Personalization continues to be a driving force within the digital ecosystem,” added Mona Afzal, Marketing Director, Digital Transformation at British multinational consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser. “Consumers are increasingly disengaged and need relevant, meaningful content provided at the right moments.”
Of course, personalization is only possible with a nuanced understanding of your clients, which is where data comes in. What’s striking is that while personalization is seen as a positive trend promoting relevance, inclusivity, and empathy, the collection of the data on which it relies is viewed more dubiously. Graham Moysey of IPC Mediabrands Canada said his top trend was “the ethical use of data and how it’s acquired by brands, publishers and marketers to ensure a true value exchange with the consumer to driver business results.”
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