Publicitas Marketing Priorities 2016 is a global online survey among over 670 marketing executives evaluating the key issues shaping the media industry right now and into the future.
Publicitas, the world’s leading media and advertising service company, has carried out its first annual survey to review industry priorities. This included finding out what advertisers, agencies and publishers are expecting from the future, and what they believe the next big technology leaps should be.
The survey, carried out across all regions in April 2016, has highlighted some clear differences between advertisers’ and publishers’ expectations. Overall, industry executives across all businesses highlighted content marketing as the number one focus (from a possible 24), ranking this above anything else.
From here, advertisers and publishers differ on what should be the secondary priority. Advertisers are valuing content quality and relevance next, while media owners are not deeming this important enough to even include it within their top 10; they focus more on delivering creative ad formats in a personalised way according to the survey.
Marketing Priorities Ranking by Media Sector (Top 5)
Interestingly, even though ad-blocking is still appearing as a topic in the media almost daily, it is not a main concern for the industry. Global marketers across all sectors believe that making content more insightful and relevant will help dilute the ad-blocking trend. In total, 81% of global marketers agree that ‘Relevant content and environment helps prevent ad blocking’.
Mike Jeanes, Global Head of Insight at Publicitas, says: ‘The Publicitas Marketing Priorities survey has shown some interesting differences and significant gaps in the way publishers and advertisers are prioritising their business. The findings in this research clearly show that content is very high on the agenda for client-side marketers as they get more and more involved in the production and delivery of their own content’.
Almost all 672 participants agreed that developments in mobile technology, and the power of mobile devices especially, will most likely influence their business in the next 12 months.
There is interest in immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology, and a clear feeling that these will impact their business in the immediate future. In fact, 70% agree that Virtual Reality will drive the next technology revolution.
With over 80% of advertiser and agency executives expecting to increase spend on mobile and an array of digital formats in the next 12 months, and consumers adopting new technologies at a faster rate than ever before, global marketers will need to step it up to keep up with demand.
At present, 86% agree that ‘Technology change is increasing at a faster pace than our ability to track it’. A higher proportion of publishers and agency marketers strongly agree with this statement (46% and 45% respectively), compared to client-side marketers (36%).
Andy Vogel, Global Head of Digital Product, Publicitas, comments: Consumers are adopting new technologies at a faster rate than ever before, and these trends will become quickly realised if the application and monetisation models are in place to move these mainstream. It will be interesting to carry out this survey in another year, compare the priorities and industry problems and see if by using engaging content and the latest technologies, we are any closer to aligning businesses with consumer expectations and needs.