The Marketing Trends of 2024

Marketing has undergone many shifts in the new digital era, with many trends coming out in the past few years that have reshaped how companies and consumers connect with one another. In the thriving world of technology, let’s take a closer look at some marketing trends in this new year.

Influencer Marketing: Since the emergence of social media, influencer marketing has steadily gone up in popularity. According to Statista, the global influencer marketing value stood at 21.1 billion dollars in 2023. So, what is influencer marketing and why is it so profitable? Influencer marketing is a hybrid of old and new marketing tools. It takes celebrity endorsement and scales it down to the current technological landscape so that brands can effectively communicate with diverse audiences. What sets influencer marketing apart from celebrity endorsement is that anyone can be an influencer. Unlike celebrities, influencers are able to resonate with the average audience due to their ability to steadily foster relatability.

Influencers are individuals who have cultivated a social media presence by creating content within a specific niche, establishing themselves as experts. Influencer marketing gives brands a unique avenue to align themselves with influencers who fit the consumer profile of their products or services. Whether it’s fitness, fashion, or humor, influencer marketing thrives on integrating the brand message with the authentic voice of niche-focused influencers. As social media continues to play a central role in shaping consumer behavior, influencer marketing stands to be a very powerful tool for brands to connect with different audiences.

Social Media (Short Form Content) Marketing: You might be thinking, “Social media? This isn’t new?” While the concept is familiar, the features of social media have rapidly developed and short form content has taken over the globe by storm. Three major social media platforms now allow short form content to be posted; Tik Tok, Instagram, and Twitter. The fast paced nature of short form content is attention-grabbing and captivates billions of users worldwide. Businesses are catching on and have embraced the art of marketing in bite sized snippets. Take Duolingo, for example; they have amassed a whopping 9.3 million followers on Tik Tok by featuring their quirky and playful mascot in short, relatable content that is filled with memes and pop culture references that grab the attention of young and old audiences. Nail techs and salons are also capitalizing on short form content by showing off their abilities in 30 to 60 second videos, harnessing aesthetic visuals and trends to attract new customers. In this age of constant scrolling, short form content should not be overlooked and can be key to developing a fresh and exciting brand image for new business as well as existing ones.

Cultural & Aesthetic Marketing: Cultural and aesthetic marketing serve as reflections of zeitgeist, they mirror societal trends and embrace diversity. This method of marketing taps into the values, beliefs, and aesthetics of consumers to connect with them. This approach goes beyond marketing, it is a way for a brand to carve out a space for themselves through creating a community in which people feel they belong. A great example of this would be Rare Beauty who according to Statista, have a remarkable 46% brand awareness within the states as of 2022. While a portion of this popularity can be attributed to its celebrity founder, Selena Gomez, a significant majority lies in the carefully cultivated aesthetic that the brand maintains. The brand makes an effort to extend their reach beyond just makeup by making their products inclusive for people with disabilities. They also actively participate in charitable giving and promote self love through their campaigns. Rare Beauty understands the essence of cultural and aesthetic marketing which allows them to establish themselves as more than just a celebrity brand but as a brand that will continue to grow in the future. This approach understands that consumers seek more than just products and services, they want experiences that align with their individual and collective identities.

In the dynamic world of marketing, strategies continue to evolve as they adapt to the industry norms change. The success of a brand hinges on their ability to establish themselves as more than just a brand, but as a collective through marketing techniques like influencer marketing, social media’s short form content, and the nuanced approach of cultural and aesthetic marketing. In the year of 2024, marketing as it stands is not just about selling products but creating experiences, fostering connections, and resonating with the emotions of your consumers.