Marketing and change go hand-in-hand, but there are definitely some emerging trends we are paying close attention to as we head into 2022. These, combined with changing consumer preferences and behaviours, the accelerated shift towards online, economic recovery concerns and reduced budgets means we need to ensure every penny invested in 2022 is wisely reviewed.
1. Cause Marketing is exploding, but firms must have a D.E.I. strategy to cultivate potential partners
Consumers are now paying close attention and supporting companies that have a purpose or focus on the triple bottom line – people, profits and the planet. This trend started pre-pandemic but is now exploding as for-profit companies look to partner with nonprofits to not only grow their business but align with a philanthropic mission important to their customers, employees and stakeholders. And it’s not just the usual suspects. Companies like cyber security firms, educational tech., fin. tech., healthcare, gaming, food delivery, video-conferencing, e-commerce, video streaming etc. are examples of companies that had to communicate clearly their purpose as the pandemic shone a spotlight on their businesses. This is leading many firms to re-think their social responsibility priorities and how they integrate internal culture, communications and the communities they serve.
If this trend is only now hitting your radar, the entry stakes can be high – whitewashing, pinkwashing or greenwashing are now common terms and consumers are savvy. Today’s conversations on race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, agism, differences in abilities, or processes that raise unintended barriers or unequal access, make it imperative both cause marketing partners are transparent and holistically commit to an integrated set of goals. If your company doesn’t have a clearly communicated purpose or policies and practices to address diversity, equity and inclusion, you may find you won’t be considered a knowledgeable or desirable partner.
Success in 2022 will mean being very clear on your shared purpose, having measures in place to be accountable for the work and so you can communicate the results, and being authentically inclusive as you strive to achieve your combined vision.
- 70% of consumers believe it’s important for a brand to take a public stand on social issues. Is your marketing team clear on your company’s positioning on important topics?
- 2/3 of customers will buy or boycott a brand due to its position on a social or political issue they care about
Getting Started: How are people with disabilities, LGBTQ2+, or diverse cultural backgrounds represented in your current marketing materials? Does your team have diverse audience persona’s to ensure they are not operating from a homogenous viewpoint or stereotyping audiences? Are you using diverse channels to ensure everyone has an opportunity to access your offer or participate in the conversation?
2. Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) marketing will dominate smaller budgets
Many experts now say we are “halfway” through the pandemic that started in 2020 and while we are evolving beyond the initial crisis, marketing plans have needed to prioritize and adapt to fewer resources as post-pandemic recovery is limited and/or interrupted. Many businesses have also accelerated the adoption of digital business practices, recognizing consumer behaviours post-pandemic will remain forever changed (How I travel, socialize, work, eat-out, stay entertained, shop, vacation, etc.). This is leading companies to hyperfocus their limited resources on direct-to-consumer marketing. Why?
- Going digital can cut media costs and complexity if teams have the resources and knowledge
- Digital platforms like mobile apps and online stores showcasing expanded product & service assortments allow teams to experiment with products, pricing and promotions to optimize impact and/or profitability
- Product & services can be quickly improved with D2C feedback channels
- Data insights enable brands to improve how they engage with customers and to broaden their market reach
- The EY Future Consumer Index showed that globally, 37% indicated they will be less inclined to get involved in experiences outside the home on account of health and safety concerns. In Canada, 75% indicated they have changed the way they entertain themselves.
Getting Started: Does your team have the skills, infrastructure, information and tools to succeed? D2C brands need to stay hyper-focused on delivering on a multitude of choices that consumers face: what they want, where they want to shop, how much they are willing to pay, and what information they need to make a final decision. Does your team need to consider how you present augmented products & services with your partners or improve supply chain integration? Are you making it easy for users to register, buy, participate? Are you clear on what capabilities give your brand a unique/differentiated value? Where you will want to outsource or share value creation within an ecosystem of partners? Today’s consumers are demanding more options and D2C creates opportunities to connect where they are, when they are interested, with experiences they value.
3. Think social commerce, not just social media
As teams map out their content plans and social media channels for 2022, they need to ensure they are integrating their e-commerce platforms with social media channels. Social commerce is selling directly to customers on your social media platforms. Instagram and Tik Tok for example, have made it easier for brands to advertise and sell products directly through the platform. Tik Tok’s Creator Marketplace is also changing the game when it comes to finding influencers that align with your products or services. Research by Statista shows that social commerce is on the rise.
- March 2021 – Canada Social Commerce Reach by Platform in 2020 (Facebook was the platform adults were most likely to purchase from in Dec. 2020)
- Facebook & Instagram Shops rolled out to Canadian businesses in early 2021
- Or other options such as integrating Shopify with Facebook i.e. Manitobah Mukluks or WWF (World Wildlife Foundation)
Getting Started: Do we sell products or services that customers can easily evaluate online (i.e. from a photo, video or graphic) or might buy on impulse? Or will they need to click onto our website for more information (ie: to register for an event, program, etc.). What do my social media platforms offer as far as e-commerce features (i.e. targeting features, advertising supports, reporting to inform, etc.). What purchasing options do my customers want with shoppable media (i.e. mobile payment options)?
4. Obtain Consent & Protect Privacy or Pull the Plug
If businesses thought the pandemic had them pivoting quickly, consider what will happen when (not if) your company faces a breach of privacy or cybercrime issue. Trust in your company could plummet and it can take weeks if not months to recover basic operations. Every marketing communications plan needs to factor in proactive communications, consumer education, employee training and worst-case scenario contingency plans. Just check out the 2021 news coverage for hundreds of examples, across all industries. George Brown College malware issues cancelled classes and exams and they were months restoring IT services, Canada Post had a data breach for almost a million accounts and the TTC for 25,000 employee accounts, and the healthcare sector was also targeted – Humber River Hospital was one of many organizations who had a ransomware attack.
Within the context of this larger privacy and security trend, Marketing teams will also need to adjust in 2022 to the elimination of Third-Party data as Google finally ends the practice of Third-Party cookies on platforms like Chrome.
Getting Started: Does our website customer service features such as live chat use Third-party cookies? If so are we already GDPR compliant or do we need to revisit our privacy policies and practices? Does our marketing targeting, tracking and reporting rely on Third-Party Cookies? For example, do we use Third-Party data to identify new customers / similar audiences to target ads to vs. search ads that target the use of keywords, not individual profiles?
More broadly – Marketing teams often need to help identify their digital footprints for Cyber Security Risk Insurance purposes or ensure marketing channels comply with basic cyber security controls and measures.
- 48% of Canadian’s were extremely concerned about identity theft, December 2020 Statista
- The 2020 Cyberthreat Defense Report (CDR) by CyberEdge Group found that 78 percent of Canadian organizations experienced at least one cyberattack within a 12-month period.
- The IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2020 reported the average cost for Canadian organizations was $4.5 million.
- Bill C-11, also known as the Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2020, was NOT passed into law in 2021 and did not replace the 2001 Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). Public consultations took place in the Fall of 2021 regarding updates to Canada’s Privacy Act and next steps. Current PIPEDA Assessment Tool
A look back at our previous posts.
2021 – Top MarCom Trends to Consider in 2021
2020 – Re-Think? Re-Imagine? or Re-Start? 3 Top Trends to Consider in 2020
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