Predictions 2008

Time for some more then. A proper top ten this time, too.

I'm going to be doing the rounds with a little presentation about some thoughts that might affect the planning and comms landscape in 2008 so I'm going to keep this pithy for now. I'll try and link to a powerpoint shortly.

1. Branded Utility - OK before the yawns set in I think 2008 will be the year that brnaded utility goes mainstream as an agency offer. Agencies will need to understand the role products play in people's lives and what people find useful better than they do now, and brands will need to obsess about thier areas of expertise.
2. Soundvertising. Soundtracks for brand experiences, wherever you are.
3. Crowd-creation. the solus act of consumer creation opens up to the participation of crowds. Especially as digital and physical brand experiences try to join up better.
4. We are all linked to celebrity. The degrees of seperation (or linkage) plummet over social networks and we're all giddy with celebrity (aren't we?) so why don't brands start to link us to the famous?
5. Unpimp. I think the VW spot points to a bigger trend - as we move into a more austere and uncertain time, things will get simpler, clear, less ambiguous. Unpimped.
6. Avatising. I don't know if the word works, but rather than come across brands in the places that our avatars roam, I think agencies will start to find ways to put your avatars in their (screen-based) ads.
7. You're not my friend. Brands have the potential to know an awful lot about us - from our LinkedIn and Facebook and MySpace profiles and blogs and everything. I think we might see someone create a way to harvest this data for marketing. And for people to create smart wyas of 'ad-voiding' these freaky advances.
8. Transparent is the new green. Fairly obvious I think - but green marketing isn't enough. Compaines need to be convincing and transparent in their social and environmental policies - as do their agencies. We'll need to offer carbon neutral campaigns, as well as be transparent ourselves.
9. A new line. I hate the snobbery of ATL/BTL (and have worked both sides so can take that position, I think). But a new line is emerging: screen vs off-screen. To win in a screen-based world, we'll see an agency appear in 2008 that truly gets technology, direct marketing and film.
10. Playfulness. Play and fun is hugely underestimated by agencies and brands. I'm talking about more ludic, meaningful and interesting experiences than interactive banners and the odd microsite. Elements of playfulness will be built fundamentally into campaign design.

So, there we go, do you think I'm way off beam, or about right?

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Kwanzaa.