2024 Marketing Trends: Content, AI, Q-Commerce, and Experiential Campaigns
Key 2024 Marketing Trends: AI, Content, Experiential Campaigns, Q-Commerce, and Customer Experience Insights for Shaping Agile Strategies and Innovations for 2025
The year 2024 marked an unprecedented shift in the marketing landscape. Major events such as the Cricket World Cup, the Olympics, and regular properties like IPL, KBC, and Bigg Boss pushed brands to adopt larger promotional budgets and refined strategies.
Key Trends and Learnings
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Content and Experiential Marketing:
Marketing leaders across industries have emphasized the growing importance of content marketing. Multi-format content creation, aligned with specific platforms and audience preferences, has emerged as crucial for success.- Customer Experience (CX): Prioritizing CX to enhance retention and build brand loyalty.
- Connected TV (CTV): Rapidly becoming a pivotal channel for premium brand communication.
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Technological Advancements:
- AI-Driven Marketing: Leveraging artificial intelligence for creative development, customer targeting, and media planning.
- Q-Commerce: The rise of quick commerce (q-comm) and social commerce has enabled brands to reach niche premium audiences effectively.
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Smaller Brand Strategies:
- Focused on carving competitive niches rather than emulating large brands, prioritizing impact over reach.
- Bottom-of-the-funnel strategies, particularly through e-commerce and q-comm, are gaining prominence.
Voices from Industry Leaders
Raja Chakraborty, CMO, Continental Coffee:
- Content must adapt through the communication funnel: awareness, consideration, and conversion.
- A one-size-fits-all strategy is no longer viable.
- The volatile global economy necessitates agility and risk-hedging strategies.
Nishant Kedia, CMO, Rebel Foods:
- Digital Ad Decline: Platforms like Facebook and Instagram see diminished returns, urging shifts to influencer marketing and authentic content creation.
- Gen Z and Gen Alpha are key growth drivers for evolving communication strategies.
- AI in 2025: Key for data-driven marketing.
Akshali Shah, Executive Director, Parag Milk Foods:
- The rise of experiential and hyper-personalized campaigns.
- Collaborations with KBC, Spartan Endurance, and Bigg Boss have amplified reach.
- Sustainability and technology-driven storytelling will dominate 2025.
Suraj Chaudhari, Co-founder, Zlade:
- Omnichannel Growth: Diversification is critical.
- Emerging trends: WhatsApp marketing, shoppable videos, and UGC campaigns.
- Q-Commerce: 15-minute deliveries are reshaping e-commerce expectations.