10 things to watch in 2018

10 things to watch in 2018

3 minute read

From gender stereotypes and blockchain to the EU's new data privacy rules - the WFA team has put together a list of 10 of the things to watch in 2018.

Article details

  • Author:WFA

    WFA

Opinions
1 February 2018

  1. Gender: #Metoo led to an unprecedented global cultural exposé of female subordination and mistreatment in 2017. Smart brands will have taken notice and industry- and company-wide efforts are under way to ensure advertising reflects these concerns. WFA will be active in 2018 in continuing to promote the #Unstereotype Alliance and actions by our industry to ensure that advertising champions gender diversity rather than reinforcing age-old stereotypes.

  2. Greater scrutiny of influencers: With so-called influencers filming suicide victims in Japan, being perceived to ransom hotels in exchange for free stays and increasing question marks about how many followers they really have, expect more hullabaloo in 2018 as influencers become more prevalent. Brands will need to be honest, open and clear what they want from such relationships - and wide-eyed to the fact that these relationships can sometimes blow up in your face. WFA will be developing guidance on Influencer Marketing in 2018.

  3. A new brand-customer dynamic. If 2017 was the year of financial transparency, 2018 will be the year of data transparency. As GDPR enables people to take back control of their data online, 2018 will herald the emergence of a more transparent and informed brand-customer value exchange.

  4. Moving beyond experimentation with blockchain? With fraud and brand safety top concerns for marketers, blockchain became the talk of the town in 2017. 2018 might see brands move beyond experimentation to more mainstream usage.

  5. A new perception of procurement? As the procurement function matures, it needs to reframe its role and cast itself as a deliverer of value, not just savings. Getting it right might lead to wholesale changes in the perception of what sourcing can bring to the company. WFA will be exploring this in 2018.

  6. A shake up for programmatic. The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation coming into force on 25 May will bring radical changes to the way programmatic works. The programmatic industry has been highly reliant on third party data, which requires limited consent to collect. This will all change with GDPR as clients will demand total transparency of their digital supply chains.

  7. New client-agency models. Three quarters of WFA members say they plan to review their agency rosters in 2018 and 87% say they are rethinking their programmatic models. In 2018 expect to see more, rather than fewer, roster models.

  8. New remuneration models. If clients want their agencies to be the true business partners they say they want, they will have to commit to new remuneration models focused on common business metrics – and this could potentially cost them more. 2018 may well see some big brands experimenting with new approaches to remuneration.

  9. New marketing restrictions. Expect no let up from regulators in 2018 as food manufacturers and alcohol producers find themselves under pressure in debates on public health. Brands will have to find new solutions to avoid marketing certain foods to children and minors from seeing alcohol ads if they are to stave off calls for statutory restrictions.

  10. A search for specialists. As the complexity of media increases, more specialists will be required to support ‘generalist’ resources within marketing departments. Opportunities galore for good data and technology specialists…

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Article details

  • Author:WFA

    WFA

Opinions
1 February 2018