As I’m writing this, we’re already two weeks into February, which in the marketing world means it’s basically April. Where does the time go? If you’re in the field, you know the drill: Another year, another dive into a rapidly evolving media landscape. With trends and paradigms constantly shifting, it can seem almost impossible to anticipate what might come next, however, I have a few ideas. Below, find my top four predictions for brand marketing developments in 2024.

 

#1: CHANGES FOR LUXURY BRANDS

 

Let’s face it: The veneer of luxury brands is gone. You used to have to visit New York or L.A. to find luxury items, but with the democratization of products, everything is now within arm’s reach. You can shop online for your Gucci and Louis Vuitton and have it at your front door within a few days.

 

As luxury brands begin to lose their luster of exclusivity, I’m predicting two things: One, that startup brands will start to infiltrate this sector and take away pieces of the pie; and two, that we’re going to start seeing brands balance amplification and exclusivity in more intimate and artfully activated ways.

 

I expect to see brands roll out more red (or pink, or black) carpets for collaboration. This means brands bringing in creators behind the scenes at fashion shows, in the innovation labs at Nike, and even backstage at the Oscars. We’ll see smaller groups of creators and fans get special access to unique and exhilarating experiences.

 

On the other hand, I think brands will put a bigger focus on regional activation. We're going to see them start to artfully inspire local communities, just like they do in big cities. Pop-ups and installations are nothing new for cities like New York, Los Angeles, London, or Paris, but a giant, inflatable Le Bambimou handbag of the coast of Southern France might just turn some heads — even if it’s only on social media.

 

#2: HYPERCURATION

 

These days, the pace of content production that brands must keep up with to stay relevant is mind-boggling. Brands have essentially adapted and evolved into content studios – and this year, I think we’re going to see them activate more curated storytelling and tactics. This will take shape with little things that reach consumers organically and help reveal the softer side of brand personality. (One of my favorite examples of this is the popular monthly Spotify playlist released  by The Row, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s luxury brand). It’s not about the products at all.

 

I think this idea of hypercuration will extend over into experiential marketing, as well. Pop-up stores and guerilla event activations will go smaller. There will be more of them, done in more intimate ways, with more curated experiences and invite lists. And the experiences will be more minimalistic and atmospheric.

 

When brands show up to Coachella this year, or Pitchfork, for example, it's not going to be bold. It’ll be super tiny – the less people who see it, the better. In general, I think the paradigm is shifting from going big and bold to acting smaller and more thoughtfully.

 

#3: TRICKLE-DOWN TOURISM

 

Lately, we're seeing tourism economies tout crazy growth, yet, somehow the narratives these bureaus propel don’t reflect local realities. I’ll use my own state as an example: TourismOhio reports that our state visitor spending hit an all-time high in 2022, with approximately $53 billion in sales – that’s a 13% increase from 2021. And tourism visits reached 233 million, up 6% from 2021. This shiny data, however, seems to be completely disjointed from the words of local business owners, who report serious obstacles and a struggle to stay afloat.

 

There’s a disconnect there, no doubt. The question is, how are these bureaus of travel and business cultivation going to help to bridge that gap, and have those tough conversations with local businesses?

 

Maybe we're going to see local businesses start to push back, and take things into their own hands. Will they start claiming narratives? Will they put out their own reports?

 

It may be time for the storytelling power to be put in the hands of the local businesses who make up our cultural fabric. After all, without local businesses, our tourism economies are just private equity hotels.

 

#4: CROSSOVERS + DIFFUSION BRANDS

 

There are so many brand categories that lack inspired design. In 2024, I think that brands are going to identify opportunities across new industries and avenues that they may not have had access to before. We’re going to start to see brands take on new categories, and really activate spaces where they haven't lived in the past.

 

We saw the beginnings of this a few years ago (remember the Gucci + North Face camping tents?). These types of unique brand collaborations will continue to happen, and the new categories that brands create might start to spin off into new, more agile diffusion brands.

 

With how big these brands have gotten; a sole creative director can no longer do it all. It’s simply not possible. That said, we might see these diffusion brands activate their own creative directors to chart new design languages and brand stories. This could be a gateway for younger talent to enter the ring, take on bigger responsibilities, and help build more avenues for brand storytelling.

 

#MakePBJ

 

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