Study: Digital Differentiation Is Disappearing While Investment In New Tech Booms
Marketers across the globe are at a key inflection point according to the 2017/18 Global Digital Outlook Study from the Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA) and Forrester.
The study revealed that more than 75 per cent of agency leaders and in-house brand champions agree the term ‘digital’ is losing its relevance and will disappear within five years as a meaningful way to differentiate agencies and the marketing tactics related to technology.
Designed to explore digital marketing trends, the global survey of 216 client-side marketers and agency leaders also uncovered a widening gap in how agencies and clients view innovation.
It found that while agencies see innovation in terms of design thinking (solving existing problems in unique and novel ways), in-house marketers most value being first (doing something that’s never been done before or embracing new technology before our competitors do).
Matt Griffin, founder of Deepend and guest editor of the study and The SoDA Report, said that while the term digital may be on the out, consultancies anchored at the forefront of technological change will continue to evolve as they always have – creating and designing customer centred solutions, tapped from deep insights on human behaviour.
“Whether the medium is a CD-ROM, the worldwide web, virtual or mixed reality, AI or any other technical advancement that will undoubtedly come our way, the human-computer interface will continue to change, as too will the processes and structures of the companies that create them,” he said.
“There’s never been a more exciting time nor a better opportunity to design the connected world.”
Kath Blackham, managing director of Deepend and representative to the SoDA board of directors, said the outlook for the digital marketing industry is strong.
“Emerging technology is heading in an exciting direction and it’s a massive focus for us,” she said.
“At Deepend, we’ve already been working with chatbots and conversational interfaces for a while, and our scope of work will continue to grow here.
“These technologies are already changing the way consumers expect to interact and engage, so our dedicated creative technologist is partnering with both our clients and internal teams to take advantage of the rapidly shifting landscape.”
Here are some of the other key findings from the study:
- Spending – 43 per cent of marketers are increasing their investment in digital marketing and, and nearly 50 per cent of marketers are now spending half or more of their entire marketing budget on digital.
- Emerging technology – over 40 per cent of marketers plan to significantly increase their investments in programmatic advertising, AI/machine learning, chatbots/ conversational interfaces and AR/VR in the next 12 to 18 months. Here, 69 per cent of agency leaders also agree that the growing prevalence of AI technologies and conversational interfaces will significantly impact the way their agencies will design for customer interactions.
- Optimism – agency leaders are bullish and 86 per cent project that 2017 will outpace 2016 in terms of profitable growth. That said, concerns around the commoditisation of digital work and the impact of nearshoring/offshoring both reached five year highs. Around 58 per cent of agency leaders also identified the increased in-sourcing of digital capabilities by client-side marketers as an area to watch.
- In-sourcing – client-side marketing leaders continue to build their in-house digital capabilities, with nearly 60 per cent saying they now manage social marketing execution, customer insights/analytics, and aspects of web and mobile experiences entirely in-house.
- Innovation – 89 per cent of client-side marketers rate their organisation as either somewhat or very innovative when it comes to digital marketing initiatives (up 24 points from 2016). Furthermore, 73 per cent believe their current organisational structure fosters the ability to innovate, while agency leaders hold a nearly polar opposite, with 48 per cent saying their clients’ organisations hinder their ability to innovate.
- Inflection – The theme for this year’s study and report signals a period of accelerated change and the increasing importance for marketers and agency leaders to decipher nuanced signals amid a decidedly complex market conversation.
Please login with linkedin to comment
2017/18 Global Digital Outlook Study Global Executive Member Meeting Society of Digital Agencies Sphere AgencyLatest News
History Has Arrived: It’s The Cairns Crocodiles Inaugural Shortlist
Pen the acceptance speech and ready your best thongs and muumuu, because the Cairns Crocodiles shortlist has arrived.
IAS Launches First-To-Market Integration With Roblox To Provide 3D Immersive Measurement
Integral Ad Science, a global media measurement and optimization platform, today announced a market integration with Roblox, a global immersive platform for connection and communication. Available for advertising campaigns on Roblox later this year, IAS’s Viewability and Invalid Traffic (IVT) Measurement products will provide advertisers increased transparency into the quality of their Immersive Ads within […]
Fast And Furious: Top Gear Australia Launch Thrilled Motorheads, Car Entusiasts And Guests
B&T is still no closer to knowing who the new Stig is, except that she is a woman and a ridiculously fast.
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): Seven’s The 1% Club Wins The Night
The 1% club did not live up to its name when it comes to TV ratings last night.
TRA Welcomes Raft Of New Hires; Bolstering Expertise Across Markets
Insights and research agency TRA announces slew of new hires. Still no news on the return of marble wash denim, however.
CX Lavender Hires Boston Consulting Group’s Kim Verbrugghe as Chief Strategy Officer
CX Lavender announces new strategy hire and channels 'acoustic folk act at local RSL' for the publicity pic.
Opinion: Community standards, will they be the death of us?
This columnist is talking community standards. Sadly not those people who put dogs in trolleys in supermarkets.
Tegel gets heads bobbing with new free-range chicken platform
Sure, there's a lot of moral considerations when buying a chook. Yet, not as baffling as buying eggs or canned tuna.
Study: 66% of Aussie men believe masculinity is under attack
Two-thirds of Aussie blokes say masculinity's under attack. That said, sales of Solo lemon drink appear robust.
‘Equal Writes’: Canyon reveals new campaign and refreshed brand for women and non-binary writers
As this brand redesign again proves, nothing beats black on white. Well, white on black in this instance.
Icon Agency bolsters consumer and integrated offer with major hires
Icon Agency unveils new recruits. As press photo confirms office moustache competition now a lay-down misère.
Clemenger launches agricultural graduate program
Has Farmer Wants A Wife triggered an interest in dagging & hay balers? This grads program may resonate.
Levi’s Appoint UM As Global Media Agency For $217m Account
Levi's are the jeans for rockstars, models & the cool kids. Although that's not stopped dads from ruining their image.
QMS Nabs Sean Rigby From oOh!media
Things set to get spicy at the next Outdoor Media Association dinner and dance as a rival gets poached.
Bumble Reveals New Brand Identity To Usher In New Era Of Dating
It's ironic that all the dating apps market themselves as having no weirdos, freaks or mummy's boys like their rivals.
Stay In The House From Up! Airbnb Introduces Icons
Airbnb is now letting people stay in "iconic" places that sadly doesn't include the house from Silence Of The Lambs.
Changing The Conversation: The Role Of Media In Ending Violence Against Women
Governments are finally waking up to the DV crisis. Here, B&T chats with Jasmin Bedir on the role media can play.
“If You Want To Listen To Something Else, Go For It”: Fifi Box On Blocking Out The Noise & Focussing On What Works
No one is at the coal face of Melbourne radio like Fifi Box. Here, she chats with B&T without coughing up a lung.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Ferrari Signs Landmark New Title Sponsor
B&T continuing our series on sports sponsorships. And, yet again, there's little good news for the ten pin bowlers.
Choose A Path Less Trodden This Cannes In Cairns
Not since Wonka opened the factory has there been such a hot ticket in town. Here's how to make the most of Cairns.
Cannes In Cairns MC Keeva Stratton Shares Her Top Session Picks
Quip boss calls out her highlights of the Cannes agenda. We're assuming B&T staff b-boy demonstration was an oversight.
Here Are The Agencies That Made AFR’s Best Places To Work List And What The Industry Can Learn From Them
Did your office not make the list? Make sure your boss shouts at least two schooners at office drinks come Friday.
Get Ready, B&T’s Best Of The Best Is Back With The Top Holding Company Executive Leaders – Creative!
Want to know who the Grandest of the Grand Poobahs in the industry are? Look no further than this exhaustive list.
How A Glittering Campaign Helped The Australian Museum Sell 400,000 Tickets
B&T thoroughly enjoyed the Ramses exhibition at The Australian Museum, despite thinking we were going to the Archibald.
TV Ratings (30/04/2024): A “Shoey” Straight From A Fish’s Mouth Launches The Cheap Seats Into 2024
Last night's TV saw horny farmers beat Lego nerds, who beat fame-obsessed home cooks, who beat a chap with a large fish.
Spotlight Extends Partnership With Starlight Children’s Foundation
B&T always happy to promote the excellent work of the Starlight Foundation. Less so the Starfish Fanciers Foundation.
Amazon’s Advertising Quarterly Revenue Soars To $11.8bn
There are so many Amazon couriers visiting B&T headquarters at the moment our office dog doesn't know who to maul first.
VML Wellington Welcomes Jacob McGregor As Pou Ārahi Māori
McGregor set to lead cultural competency and safety at VML Wellington in important new gig.
“They Grow Up So Fast”: Simon Fowler On Five Years Of ABEL
Abel's CEO talks lessons learned from the agency's first five years. Including staff nicking all the Nespresso capsules.
Kyle & Jackie O Urge Melbourne To Pick A Side
Who can stop Kyle & Jackie O's indelible march into Melbourne radio? Is Peter 'Moony' Moon waiting by the phone?
Future & Taika Waititi Feature In Striking New Global Belvedere Campaign
Not only does drinking vodka make you cool like these dudes, it also has great weight loss properties for the bone idle.
The Fall Of Bonza: A Case Study In How To, And Not To, React In A Crisis
Does the collapse of yet another budget airline hark back to a gentler time of 17 hours spent on a Greyhound bus?
Opinion: Agencies, Be Unique – Stop Using The Word “Unique!”
Trinity P3's Ellie Angell says agencies are overusing the word unique. You could add omnichannel & holisitic to that.
Ex Marketing & Advertising Exec Releases Melanoma Memoir
Ex-adlander Anne Gately has penned a tome to skin cancer. Which is a handy reminder to check your moles, people.
Mamamia Appoint Danni Wright As New Head Of Strategy
Danni Wright takes up Mamamia's strategy reins with a feng shui expert called over positioning of office chaise lounge.
From The Bureau: Championing Competency & Cross-Industry Collaboration
The IAB's Jonas Jaanimagi calls for more specialisation in adtech. Meaning you'll understand it less than you already do.