Red Havas has published its 2022 Red Sky Predictions report, sharing predictions for how the field of communications will evolve in 10 pivotal ways.
“At the top of each year, we look forward to preparing our Red Sky Predictions report; not only does it bring together a deep bench of communications experts from Red Havas offices around the globe, but it encourages us to continually consider what’s changing, why, what it means for the future and how we can make the most of it for our clients,” says James Wright, global CEO of Red Havas and global chairman of the Havas PR Global Collective. “This year, we’ve prepared 10 predictions outlining how we think our path and our purpose in the field of communications will continue to unfold in ever more meaningful ways.”
The 2022 Red Sky Predictions are as follows:
1. Corporate Purpose or Bust: Continued shifts in the substance, style and tonality of brand communications will allow brands to form deep connections with consumers and employees on topics they once might not have touched — e.g., diversity, equity and inclusion, climate action, and mental health. Consumers will expect corporate pledges to become progress in action.
2. Personnel Gets Personal: Employers will embrace employee-centric brand positioning that outlines how a career with their company can suit an employee’s whole life. Moreover, the employee experience has to match the promise of that messaging by supporting employees’ full, authentic selves and adapting to their changing individual and personal needs.
3. Social Audio Makes Mainstream Waves: 2022 is the year in which social audio joins the voice and podcast marketing club. While there is a lot of experimentation yet to be done as consumers’ appetite for this format deepens, marketers must get ready to maximize it through their brand partners and ambassadors as well as across their own branded social channels.
4. “S” in ESG Comes into Sharp Focus: To stay in front of ever-increasing expectations around how employers address everything from cultural issues to HR and employment issues, companies will bring clarity to and transparency in how they define the “S” in ESG. We’ll
witness a sharpening in how organizations measure and regularly report on their efforts and outcomes internally and across their value chain.
5. Serving Up Safety with a Smile: Companies in the hospitality industry will continue to up their game on safety messaging. Those with forward-thinking, succinct, transparent policies and communication will benefit from increased employee engagement and overall customer and guest satisfaction. For third-party credibility, look for more partnerships and collaborations to be formed between hospitality chains and health and safety brands and organizations.
6. The Staying Power of Nostalgia: Look for companies and employers to harness nostalgia at a deeper level, with strategic campaigns and partnerships designed to evoke warm memories, build relationships and reinforce that the future is indeed bright.
7. Patient Choice, Patient Voice: This year, we’ll finally see gender awareness brought to pharma-driven disease education campaigns. Though there aren’t any established best practices to follow, the bravest companies will be those that withstand the inevitable waves of criticism for the sake of marking the pages of history with inclusion.
8. An Experiential Retail Renaissance: Brands will fully merge experiential and retail to completely reimagine the shopping experience. By turning a store into a destination, brands can ensure that brick-and-mortar shops not only remain relevant, but that they complement e-commerce efforts and more fully bring a brand to life.
9. “As Seen on Social” Is the New “As Seen on TV”: As the TikTok content formula continues to rise in popularity and spread across channels (think IG Reels), the “As Seen on Social” label will become a booming marketing method and measure of e-commerce success.
10. VIP Access to Creators: Now that exclusive content has unlocked opportunities for creators to commercialize their product, brands will need to compete against this model. That means finding influencers who are both genuine and a just-right fit for the brand in the longterm.
