As the new year approaches, we are looking to see what is in store for Marketing. New technological developments and the success or failure of trends in 2017 greatly impact what is to come in the near future. We have found 4 major marketing trends to expect in 2018:

The development of augmented-reality content

As Apple has officially released their iPhone 8 and iPhone X, it is obvious they are betting on augmented reality (AR) to be prevalent in the future. As these new devices go mainstream, Brands will start experimenting with AR sponsored and branded content to engage the public.

In-car ads become a new marketing channel

Self-driven cars are fast approaching. Uber just ordered 24,000 Volvo SUVs to be equipped with the latest technology to be self-driving. Many brands, such as Tesla Models S, X, and 3 as well as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, are all self-driving to some degree. When drivers no longer need to pay attention to the road they will consume content, and with that content will come in-car advertisements. In the coming year, watch as brands begin to experiment with this new marketing channel.

Privacy protection becomes a major selling point

Throughout the course of 2017, there were numerous high-profile data breaches. Thus, causing consumers to favor products that protect their privacy. If consumers don’t prioritize privacy, government associations will, if they aren’t already doing so. Marketers will use this to use data security and privacy protection as a value proposition across industries.

Instagram becomes a more valuable channel than Facebook

In 2017, Instagram announced that around 800 million people use their platform each month. The latest tool introduced, Instagram Stories, already became more popular than Snapchat in only one year after it went live. Since brands started seeing more engagement on Instagram over other social media platforms, and with the greater advertising controls, Instagram is bound to become the go-to channel for brands interested in social media marketing.

No one can truly predict what will happen in the coming year, but brands must keep a watchful eye or else the trends will pass by and leave them in the dust. People will begin to expect more of brands, and to stay relevant the brands will have to keep up with the changing world.