The Oversaturated State of Advertising and Marketing Technology

The world of advertising and marketing technology is evolving rapidly. From the rise of artificial intelligence and deepfakes to the increasing importance of cybersecurity and personalization, there’s a lot for marketing leaders to keep up with. We’ve researched trends worldwide in our latest Global and Regional Trends Report and have identified key takeaways on the ever-evolving landscape of advertising and marketing technology.

Navigating today’s “never normal” world

While marketers across all industries have had to contend with the challenges of our evolving world, those working directly with various aspects of marketing technology may feel it stronger than most. Innovations in technology have been both an asset and a challenge for our roles.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized our work by enhancing content creation, automating traditional processes, and making our teams more efficient. AI tools allow leaders to redirect human resources away from mundane tasks, freeing them to focus on creative and value-driven work. However, the rise of deepfake technology and the spread of misinformation can deter some from utilizing AI.

Deepfake technology, which uses AI to create hyper-realistic imagined images and videos, poses risks to a brand’s reputation if used maliciously. This type of faux media can dramatically change perceptions of your brand and be used to spread false narratives, causing significant threats to brand integrity and can swiftly erode consumer trust.

Marketing leaders may find the most value in AI by using the tech to drive personalization efforts. Consumers now expect tailored experiences that resonate with their specific preferences and behaviors. The classic “spray and pray” approach runs the risk of brands seeming out-of-touch or irrelevant and wasting valuable company resources. Personalization, when done well, is the best way to show a value proposition and the ways audiences will benefit. Plus, AI and machine learning algorithms can enable brands to deliver highly personalized content at scale. That said, employing personalization is a fine line between being creepy and being effective—especially in AdTech and MarTech. Brands must ensure they are not only adhering to privacy laws and data regulation regulations while also optimizing their own first-party data to remain competitive.

Looking toward the future

Advertising and marketing leaders should prepare to work through a noisy competitive landscape. The industry is growing, and it will only continue to be difficult to stand out from the crowd and differentiate your brand. 

Marketers should also expect to compete internally for resources, as a May 2024 Gartner report revealed marketing budgets have dropped 15% on average. But that doesn’t mean CMOs are dropping expectations – the report showed leaders are still pursuing growth in the ‘Era of Less.’ Expect to be asked for “more” while simultaneously receiving limited resources and support (this may be where AI can fill in the gaps).

As global economies stabilize post-pandemic, there is cautious optimism about increased investment and growth. Economic normalization will help businesses expand budgets, experiment with new activations, and be less risk-averse. Marketers should prepare for this by laying the groundwork for future campaigns and investments, ensuring they are poised to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

2024 also marks a major election year for societies worldwide. While many marketing leaders may shy away from getting involved in political conversations, the elections do create an interesting narrative when it comes to brand safety. Brands may benefit from prioritizing checks and balances to ensure digital ads won’t show up next to polarizing political content or on polarizing platforms – an easy way to promote a timely narrative without taking a side. Elections also have the potential to help companies target based on niche interests and demographics. For example, CTV can help promote local candidates and increase awareness and reach within a specific area. Regardless of whether or not you decide to take part in political conversations, it’s important to pay attention to the races in key markets where you operate to avoid coming off as ignorant or out-of-touch.

Lastly, there is a growing recognition of the need to balance quantification with creativity—especially in our metric-led world of AdTech and MarTech. While data-driven marketing is essential, some of the most impactful campaigns these days rely on a blend of data insights and creative storytelling. Brands may also benefit from a media mix of both paid advertising campaigns and organic, earned media.

How brand advertisers & marketing leaders can thrive

So, how can you make the most of these insights for your role? Here are our actionable tips:

Optimize for high-impact activities. Are your priorities aligned with the priorities of your business? Will the results of your work help move the needle? Often we can get swept up in projects without clarifying the end goal. Make sure what you’re doing has a purpose (i.e., reach new audiences, increase ROI, support an internal goal, etc.).

Leverage AI tools. Lean into AI to support (or launch!) personalization efforts. Make processes more efficient by passing off mundane, easily automatable tasks to AI. Use AI to fill in the gaps where you might not be able to get more budget (i.e., researching media opportunities, optimizing ad campaigns, etc.).

Supplement data-driven insights with creative thinking. Show off the successful metrics of your campaigns, but also showcase what you’re doing to differentiate your brand, especially in a crowded landscape. Ask your team: how are we pushing the boundaries to be seen as forward thinkers? How are we ensuring we’re taking the right risks?

Prioritize transparency. Maintaining trust with your consumers is paramount. What can you do to ensure you’re protecting their data and demonstrating authenticity?

Embrace being uncomfortable. Differentiating your brand and trying out new things can feel scary. But you should always be striving to make recommendations that will help evolve your brand and continue to benefit the business, rather than sticking with the status quo just because it’s comfortable. Always check back on brand goals, priorities, and the scope of work to ensure the risks you’re taking are grounded in reason.

Stay up to date with industry trends. Our work is always evolving, so it’s vital to keep in touch with the changing landscape. Lean on experts in the industry (like us!) to summarize the latest trends and need-to-know information for you. Download the full Global and Regional Trends Report here or subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter where we analyze the latest news for marketing and communications trends you can take into your work.