A resurgence of soul?

Marketing and advertising used to be about more than digital avatars, channel mapping and optimising metrics.

Campaigns would strive to make us laugh and/or cry - make us feel something, and stick in our brains.

It was full of soul. Whether big and bold, or subtle and emotional, it allowed us to connect with brands in a way that seems to have been forgotten by many.

Today, brand loyalty is scarce and advocacy is a rarity.

In 2024, as marketplaces become more cluttered, and the performance of performance marketing continues to wain, brands will be forced to find new ways of attracting, converting and retaining consumers.

While a slew of new media, channel and creative trends are inevitable in the year to come, a strategy that places soul at the centre has to be the priority.

Audiences are craving connection now more than ever. Brands that endeavour to connect, and not merely transact, will win the race for their audiences hearts and minds.

Here are the 3 levers we will be pulling with our partners in 2024 so help them find, share and leverage their brands soul.

Strive for understanding

The digital age has made us lazy.

Pre-internet, pre-cookies and pre-meta, marketers and their agencies had no choice but to get to know their audience intimately - or else admit that they were shooting in the dark.

Digital avatars and on-platform analytics weren’t an option. Boots on the ground research was the only solution.

Today we allow data define our customers, put them in pretty little boxes that group them, tell us how they behave and what what they may want, but very little about why.

All true desire is metaphysical. We’re all In search of something that goes beyond the material world.

Relying on data driven definitions of desire driven humans encourages marketers and creatives to focus on the what, rather than the why.

Developing a deeply understanding of your brands person isn’t easy, it requires a willingness to ask open questions and patience.

However, going deeper will not only inform your strategic and creative decision making, but will likely throw up unexpected insights that positively impact your brand from the product up.

Inspiration over information

Just do it.

Think different.

Whassuuuuuuuuuup.

Remember any of these?

Marketing and advertising that inspires feeling, not matter what that feeling is, sticks in our mind and influences our decision making.

Many modern brands have be lured into a rational only, information heavy approach to marketing, as lower funnel tactics have gradually grown to dominate entire brand experience.

As we enter 2024, information fatigue is reaching unprecedented heights and our worn out audiences are craving more than price, feature, benefit centric communications.

Brands that inspire audiences and influence the culture have always risen to the top.

The year head presents a unique opportunity for brave brands to buck the tactical trend and transcend their cluttered marketplaces to stand for something and stand out.

Tear jerking, belly laughing content isn’t necessary for every brief, but it should be on the table for every brand.

Consistency. Consistency. Consistency.

The brand experience isn’t linear. It is multi-dimensional and multi-faceted.

In todays ecosystem, marketers and agencies cannot hope to fully curate the entire brand experience, nor would they want to.

Yet, consistency counts. It essential to secure your place in the hearts and minds of your audience and allows a brands story to evolve in a way that inspires advocacy.

There are many levers to pull and battle grounds to fight on. Brands who are selective and intentional around which marketing strategies they choose reduces distraction, increase focus and in-turn the capacity to communicate frequently - which is particularly important for less mature brands

Likewise, communicating from a place of purpose effectively increases consistency of message and sentiment over time.

Curating the skew-wiff, topsy turvy brand experience from top to bottom is impossible.

But endeavouring to show up regularly and preach your brands gospel will go along way in converting the masses.

Cheers to 2024

The year ahead promises to be another high-octane roller coaster ride for brands who must navigate significant economic, cultural and social change.

Embracing simple, human-centric principles and striving to act and speak with soul could well be the antidote to the chaos that lies ahead and allow brands stimulate and sustain growth.

See you on the other side!