Marketing in 2022 & Moving Forward
As we approach the end of the first month of the new year, it’s important to look back on the trends, campaigns, and strategies that got us here over the last year. 2020 and 2021 brought drastic changes to the marketing landscapes as the pandemic led to our “new normal” age of remote work with a focus on digital channels. But was 2022 as impactful?
While 2020 and 2021 exposed the need for businesses to have a digital presence and helped lay the groundwork for many companies, 2022 saw these efforts come to fruition.
Digital Marketing Trends in 2022
From the metaverse to AI content creators, 2022 was a year full of accelerating technologies. But even more than the exciting tech advancements, 2022 further proved that social marketing is highly important to the modern consumer.
New trends in new tech
Artificial Intelligence
Without a doubt, one of the most interesting, controversial, and innovative technologies to take a step forward in 2022 was Artificial Intelligence. AI has existed for some time now and has been used across various industries, including digital marketing. But in 2022 it took a sizable leap forward and entered the consumer sphere.
Before, consumers really only experienced AI through chatbot or data-collection services, among others. But throughout the past year, technologies such as ChatGPT have given consumers access to AI content creation at their fingertips.
From written content creation to digital art and music, consumers are utilizing the technology to both satisfy their creative desires and accomplish professional tasks in record times.
Metaverse
Once dismissed as a pipedream idea for artificial reality and gaming, the Metaverse has continued to show strength and gain support throughout the last year.
Developers as advertisers across the world are running to establish themselves as the leaders in this space as it grows from its adolescent stages into a bona fide marketing and consumer channel.
Social and Sustainable Marketing
For generations, social issues and sustainability have played a role in marketing. With the rise of social media and global communication, these have become an integral part of many marketing campaigns.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February, people and companies around the world came together to raise money and awareness for those who needed support.
Similarly, many showed support for those suffering from mistreatment and human rights violations across the world, such as women in Iran or the workers involved in setting up the World Cup in Qatar.
Most importantly for companies engaging in social or sustainable marketing, is to be authentic and informed. Do not simply publish ads or content with a small sticker or reference to an issue. Ensure you have considered all involved in the issue and how your messaging comes across.
Noteworthy Marketing Campaigns in 2022
Domino’s Pizza and Stranger Things “Mind-Ordering” Pizza App
This campaign is an example of co-branding at its finest. Stranger Things has been one of the most streamed shows worldwide over the past several years for many reasons, not the least of which is its ability to tap into the viewers’ love for nostalgia, a classic marketing technique.
Domino’s utilized a new technology for pizza ordering that involves understanding gesturing and eye-movements of customers, which mimics the telekinetic powers of one of the characters on the show.
By doing this, they not only aligned themselves with the branding and fanbase of a popular show as many companies do, they took it one step further and invented an interactive and engaging new technology that excites customers and puts them closer to the show's reality.
Even fans who may not have liked Domino’s would end up ordering from the pizza giant just to experience the new technology. In the end, the campaign generated over 800 million new impressions.
Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger becomes a Video Streamer
Another great example of marketing in 2022 is Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes turning their mascot, Tony the Tiger, into a video streamer. The genius behind this campaign is that they focus on what their target audience cares about and aligns their branding alongside it.
In this case, their target audience is a younger generation (since primarily children and teens are consuming this cereal). One of the most popular forms of media and entertainment in Gen Z and younger demographics is video streaming on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.
Tony began streaming video games on Twitch and was instantly connected to thousands of people worldwide who he interacted with in real-time to increase engagement.
Being able to identify trends and interests among your target audiences is crucial. Kellogg’s not only identified the trend, they incorporated it into their marketing strategy, which is why this was such a noteworthy campaign.
Marketing Strategies in 2022
Short-Form Video Marketing
Video marketing has become an integral part of broader marketing strategies worldwide (currently 86% of businesses engage in video marketing to some degree). But in 2022 we observed the continued rise of short-form videos.
While long-form content will always have its place in marketing and media, short-form content has exploded in popularity over the last 2 decades as social media has become ubiquitous in society and marketing.
Earlier platforms such as Vine later gave way to TikTok, the fastest growing social media platform over the last few years. Now, larger enterprises such as YouTube and Meta are getting involved with their launching of Youtube Shorts and Instagram Reels.
A key advantage to these types of content is that it rarely requires large investments of resources, time, or a large crew. The main idea is to produce quick, engaging content on a routine basis to stay on the minds of consumers without inundating or boring them.
Increased Personalization
Another strategy that continues to prove worthwhile for digital marketers is increasing personalization of their campaigns and messaging.
From creating smaller sub-segments in your audiences for more diverse reach to customizing emails and customer outreach to connect with your consumers more deeply, personalization in marketing is critical to getting your message across.
Even simple personalization strategies such as directly mentioning a customer’s name in an email or sending product suggestions based on previous purchases can help improve personalization and increase traffic and conversions.
Looking to 2023
Keeping up with the latest trends and strategies is time consuming and difficult to work into your already busy schedule. To ensure your business is well-informed on all of the latest digital marketing updates, partner with Nxt Era Marketing!
With experience across all digital marketing channels and the latest platforms and tools, Nxt Era Marketing can help you elevate your brand, scale your business, and execute your business goals for years to come. Reach out today to schedule your free consultation.
