Prediction 2: The media agency will take the lead in driving forward this new age of accountability and transparency.

Media agencies are in a prime position to take the lead because they have vast databases storing historical learnings from thousands of previous campaigns spanning a vast range of media channels, from which predictive models can be created. Expect to see powerful channel planning systems in place in five years' time. But why, you might ask, are media agencies in a better position than their creative, digital or direct counterparts to spearhead this specialism? Because media agencies tend to have longer and more senior relationships with clients and, so, a bigger bank of primary data from which they can build these databases and build connections. Also, more than any other type of agency, media agencies have had to transform and modernize for the changing media environment: they couldn't differentiate themselves by creative work so they were forced to up their game in other areas -- data being a key area. Additionally, they are the only type of agency that can truly claim to be channel-neutral in their approach.

Prediction 3: Econometric modelling will be cheaper and more widely available to clients.

Savvy media agencies continue to build the infrastructure to capture data because they know that this gives them the power to understand what drives consumers. Increasingly, agencies will combine all of their network learnings into dynamic software systems in order to create predictive models that can be updated with real-time information. Through economies of scale, this will lead to agencies reducing the price for econometric modelling (currently expensive) and running more tactical and cheaper models that can be made available to more clients.

Prediction 4: Agencies will automate wherever possible.

More and more of what media agencies do will become streamlined, optimized and automated by better software. Media agencies will do what Google already does and create automated media planning and buying software. Clients will have the option of operating this software themselves. In fact, PHD has already launched a first stage version of this software called "Director," which allows the client to "direct" direct response campaigns. However, we predict that most clients will have no interest in operating this software and continue to handover the task of planning and buying campaigns to their agencies. Automation will also have an effect on digital, where the pressure to keep down costs will be relieved through more automated systems for campaign management.

What automation will mean for planning/strategy

The role of planning/strategy in five years' time deserves special attention because we believe this function will undergo the biggest transformation. With all of this automation, strategists and planners will be freed up to deliver a much more sophisticated and evolved form of planning. This is just as well because, in five years' time, planners will be faced with an even greater number of potential channels and ways of influencing a target audience.

In 2014, planners/strategists will be seen as "marketing investment managers" (MIMs). They will be valuable resources that clients can tap for ideas on all aspects of their business. Clients will ask planners/strategists questions such as: Should we spend more or less on advertising? Should we change our packaging? Should we create a new variant? Should we enter a partnership? Should we launch a new product?