Innovators Weigh In: The 3 Most Exciting Trends in Marketing Right Now

We asked ten of marketing’s brightest stars about the most exciting developments happening in marketing right now. Their responses ranged from being inspired by young digital creators to brands committing to their purpose to new ways of engaging consumers 1:1. There’s truly never been a more exciting time to be a marketer. These innovators are not only spotting the trends, but they are also setting them every day. Read on to learn about the trends that are inspiring and driving The Innovators, in their own words. #1: Young Consumers are the New Creators “There’s a rapidly shrinking intersection between technology, creators, and brands. 5 years ago, only 50% of Americans owned a smartphone. 10 years ago, the biggest Gen Z creators (with millions of followers now) weren’t even in elementary school - let alone producing their own original content. The gap between idea and reality is getting smaller and the next generations are going to be able to articulate concepts in ways in which we can’t even fathom. It may be unsettling for some marketers to let go of the reins to young people - but the future of marketing is in embracing creator ideas and trusting that they intrinsically understand their generation better than you ever will.” - Dennis Todisco, Global Head of Community at Niche/Twitter “I have always been inspired by the creator ecosystem that has grown out of platforms like Instagram, YouTube and others. These platforms have opened the door to an amazing community of dynamic storytellers. As a marketer, it’s always special to get to work with creators, and see the way a story comes to life through their eyes.” - Katrina Craigwell, Executive Director & Head of Marketing at Finn by Chase “I’m encouraged and excited by how creative and engaged our customers are today. Customers aren’t just partaking in campaigns, they are creating content and defining their own experiences. Younger consumers are growing up with creative tools at their disposal, they are more engaged civically, and they have higher expectations for products, brands and services. I am excited by the opportunity to create experiences for and with these consumers, but also curious to see how they will continue to transform marketing teams when they join the workforce.” - Jodie Antypas, VP Consumer Insights & UX Research at EA #2: Brands Can’t Survive Without Purpose “I’m excited to see such a significant shift towards authentic, purpose-driven marketing. Corporate social responsibility programs have always existed, but were often treated as one-off marketing initiatives designed to drive goodwill for a specific period of time. I love that today’s consumers hold brands to a higher standard, and want to support companies who are committed to balancing profits and principles 365 days a year.” - Julie Channing, VP of Marketing at Allbirds “Pandora is a machine learning company with music in our soul. We have a very clear sense of purpose: to delight our listeners - wherever they are, who they are with, what they are doing and what mood they are in - with a diverse set of audio experiences. And we certainly have the data and the machine learning capabilities to do just that better than anyone else. I expect my teams to not just inform the business, but to drive the business to get there.” - Sid Patil, Head of Data Science, Listeners at Pandora “I’m most passionate about the power of global brands to contribute to culture, and to contribute to positive change. This certainly isn't a new idea. But, historically, brands have been able to communicate about ideals like inclusion, or connection, or equality, and not always behave, as companies, in inclusive and fairways. Today we are woke! I love the realness people expect from brands, and the ability for almost anyone to call out brands whose messages are not in accordance with their company’s behavior, culture, and policies.” - Jackie Jantos, Former VP of Brand & Creative at Spotify #3: Personalized Relationships are Critical “Today’s consumer has the choice, access and flexibility to execute that choice as and when she wants. She is the protagonist, the real disruptor. Hence, Marketing not only needs to inspire behavior but inspire people to discover something new about themselves. It needs to be culturally relevant and contextual. It needs to operate at the convergence of data, technology and brilliant content and storytelling. It cannot be one-dimensional. It is complex and it is being held accountable for a lot more. To deliver on that promise, Marketing needs to focus on the ‘outcome’ and not the ‘output’.” - Mayur Gupta, VP of Growth & Marketing at Spotify “I love that marketing is starting to turn back to the basics - building real relationships and honing in on customer experience. For years in eCommerce we have all been talking about "one to one" personalization via digital channels - but at the end of the day, you can't replicate a human interaction.” - Stephanie Urban, Executive Director of Digital Marketing & eCommerce at Tarte Cosmetics “I’m continually inspired by the evolution of our ability to understand customers and create a personalized experience. I’ve been blown away by start-up brands that are doing this well and completely building their business through mastering Instagram targeting and content. Leading Chipotle’s loyalty program in this world of hyper-personalization is such an exciting challenge.” - Tressie Lieberman, VP of Digital & Off-Premise at Chipotle

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Innovators Weigh In: The 3 Most Exciting Trends in Marketing Right Now

Nadine Dietz

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