Marketing Practices To Look Out For In The New Year

Alexa Mancilla | December 27, 2022 at 6:15 AM

New Year, New M(arketing Practic)e!

Alright, everyone. We've done it! We've almost made it to 2023. With the new year comes new marketing trends. The world of marketing is always changing, and offering new opportunities to test out.

Between social media trends, new social platforms, and social issues, there are options to shake up your marketing. In this blog, Hollywood Branded discusses some of the marketing tactics to keep an eye out for.

Marketing Practices To Look Out For In The New Year

Embrace Change

Saying that COVID changed the world might be the understatement of the year. Virtually everything around us changed completely - seemingly overnight, and everyone scrambled to catch up and adapt. While (hopefully) the effects of COVID won't last for too long, there are some things that came out of the pandemic that are here to stay.

From a move to primarily online-only shopping, to complete changes towards companies' stances on social issues, the marketing industry saw its fair share of changes, and will surely see more in the future.

Multi-Channel Marketing Is The New Normal

While the move to online shopping was one that was gradual since the advent of the Internet, it became a vital way for businesses to survive this year. Many businesses around the world were hit hard due to stay-at-home orders and lockdowns, and many struggled to find new ways to stay afloat.

Although stay-at-home orders will not last forever, the way in which consumers shop has definitely changed forever due to the COVID pandemic. In-person stores likely will not be closing anytime soon (hey, it's still fun to be able to try on clothes before buying them!), but more and more people will likely turn to online shopping for their everyday product needs.

Nowadays, if a brand doesn't have a website with easy access to buy their products or services, they are, unfortunately, destined for failure. We are living in a world that is dependent on technology, and brands that don't adapt to the times will only fall behind. Giving consumers the option to shop your brand online and in-store not only makes it easier for customers to access your products, but it also gives your brand double the opportunity for success!

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Social Media Will (Still) Be Your Best Friend

Social media isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Even with Elon Musk at the helm of Twitter, people are spending more and more time on social media in hopes of staying connected. Because of this, brands would be remiss to not capitalize on consumers' screen time.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are tried and true when it comes to online marketing; they're heavily used by the majority of the world and have consistently given brands unique ways to get their product out in the world. Apps like TikTok and Snapchat, however, are newer to marketers but are just as invaluable as standard social media platforms. Having a strong social media presence across all platforms is something that can really only help a brand; from creating interesting or meme-worthy posts to simply having an aesthetically-pleasing ad campaigns, social media is a great (and fairly inexpensive) way to quickly get your brand seen by thousands.

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Embrace E-Commerce

When shutdowns of retail stores, restaurants, and other non-essential activities began early in the pandemic, companies had to quickly learn how to survive in the new, socially-distanced world. Some companies shifted to delivery services, while others opted for curbside pickup options. While these practices helped companies (both small and large) stay afloat, e-commerce reigned supreme. Consumers have always been open to online shopping, but with stay-at-home orders being put in place, that was the safest option for many. With online shopping, customers have the ability to purchase items they need (or, oftentimes, items they don't really need at all,) at the click of a button, and it will show up at their door in a matter of days.

While online shopping is no new thing, consumers no doubt became dependent on it since the pandemic. In 2020, 2.05 billion people around the world depended on online shopping to make their purchases, and that number is only expected to grow in the coming years. Because of this, brands would be remiss not to utilize e-commerce in their business practices. Online shopping is only going to get more common (even without a global pandemic), so it's in brands' best interests to adopt an online shopping site.

e-commerce

Focus On Social Issues

With social and political unrest coming to a forefront in the past few years, it's not surprising that brands have made their opinions heard when massive protests started making headlines. From police brutality, to immigration, to gender equality, brands have been less and less afraid to speak out against (or for) polarizing social issues.

Brands such as Ben & Jerry's and Nike took a stand against police brutality during the worldwide protests in support of the late George Floyd - who was killed by police in May of 2020. Brands like Old Navy (who gave employees PTO to go out and vote), American Eagle, Snapchat, and Levi's encouraged their customers to vote, while brands like Patagonia, IKEA, and Hershey are taking stands for climate action.

Political and social issues have always been a touchy subject, and because of this, brands oftentimes stray away from taking a public stance. However, more and more consumers are looking to their favorite brands to make political statements; many consumers care deeply about whether or not their brands ideals align with theirs. While sometimes brands' stances lead to pushback (hey, Goya), other brands (like Patagonia and REI) have found massive success by speaking out for what they believe in.

So, What's Next?

As you can tell, entertainment marketing is constantly changing. Make sure you stay in the loop by subscribing to our blog! Check out some of our blogs below to continue learning about marketing tactics.