• Advertising as conversation

Short-form cost-efficient advertising, driven by micro media such as Twitter and Facebook, will become more prevalent, while long-form expensive commercials fade a bit. Advertising as conversation is the result.

  • iPad 3 is launched

Why list a product launch prediction? Because the iPad 3 will respond to increasing pressure from successful “other” tablets such as the Android-driven Samsung Galaxy Tab, by offering easier, faster and cheaper access to the new media world. Significantly more people will connect via iPad, making it an important advertising medium in its own right.

  • Media apps want to be free

Newspapers have seemingly given up on trying to charge for their content. While paper versions still charge via a cover price, the same newspapers’ apps are free, predominantly on iPad/iPhone. As far as business models go free is, well … free.

  • Bundle or die

The bundling of products across the board by media companies will drive new media business models. This means the purchase of different products on a variety of platforms will go some way in rescuing income streams. Think pay television bouquets. Media companies will offer many products (newspapers, magazines, video) to pick and choose from via bundle offers that include less or more depending on bouquet bought. It’s the only way left for media companies to charge for digitally delivered content products. Buy one, get a lot free.

  • Advertising agencies notice content

As brand content is increasingly the driver of advertising as conversation, agencies will start offering real content services, delivered by experienced media creators, rather than traditional advertising types.

  • Chief content officers

Brand owners will start appointing senior, content media-savvy executives in powerful marketing roles to ensure quality brand content creation and delivery. The title of chief content officer (CCO) will be used.

  • Presentation art

PowerPoint will fade. The idea of everyone making the same slides from the same boring bullet point templates will give way to visually-driven presentation art. Imagery that conveys ideas while the presenter does the talking will attract more attention than slides-by-numbers.

  • The end of the QR code

Few consumers use quick response codes as it’s often easier to type a URL than to shoot a barcode with your phone. While these nifty-looking gadgety things remain popular with agencies, in reality they don’t really deliver responses. Remember those irritating Bluetooth messages as you enter shopping malls? QR codes are going the same way.

  • Google+ will not deliver like Facebook does

It’s popular amongst the digerati to talk up Google+. Perhaps it’s because, for these people, Facebook has become passé. But in realty Google+ is simply another Facebook wannabe. And with Timeline Facebook has moved the goalposts well north of Google+. Driven by its initial public offering and a huge increase in advertising income (in part due to the nifty Timeline-like layout and other subtle redesigns), Facebook will become stronger, while Google+ will sort-of be around.

  • The art of writing

In a content driven marketing world creative writers, not copy writers, will document a brand’s story myth via digital means. Brand chief content officers will enlist the help of creative writers to produce and polish quality written marketing material to which consumers will respond in an engaged way.

  • Brands are publishers

In a world in which all brands have become content brands, owners will increasingly have to act as if they are content creators themselves. It will become important for brands to act like media when communicating with consumers, while they stay true to their own essence at the same time.

  • Seamless integration of media creation tools

One of the reasons why brands are publishers and consumers are in control of the marketing message, is the free and easy access everyone now has to professional media creation tools. What was once the preserve of only huge media corporations, are now available to everyone. The use of clever apps such as Instagram and others automates great-looking visual material that everyone can do. These tools will be integrated in everyone’s digital environment to allow for pro-media creation on the fly. Marketers have been slow to react, but next year will see tool integration as part of communication plans.