Marc Collister (pictured) of P2 Content Creators spills the beans on his 2024 predictions drawing from two decades of experience in the advertising, film and television industry.
I’m certain it will come as no surprise that in 2024, we can expect our industry to move at breakneck speed again. With even more rapid shifts in consumer behaviour, brands’ marketing strategies will be evolving to accommodate these changes, in tandem with reviews of budgets that will no doubt be under even more scrutiny.
Having spent over 20 years in the advertising, film and television industry – first as an editor, through to managing P2 Content Creators, I’ve had the privilege of years in the industry to understand what makes world-class video content. As these industry benchmarks continue to evolve, it falls on us to guide marketers through the cluttered video content environment, empowering them to cut through and drive their businesses forward.
The shift from the reliance on a singular, grand television ad towards a complex strategy focused on producing content that resonates across a multitude of channels has been incredible, with the pursuit of multi-faceted content generation becoming the new cornerstone of client appetite.
That said, it doesn’t come without challenges. In the year ahead, as agency partners, we need to reassess how we contend with the surging demand for varied content, an influx of deliverables, and the burgeoning influence of social channels and ensure we are maximising budget allocation to guarantee value – without compromising on creativity.
AI for good
Yes, AI may be the buzzword of the year, but my view is it has every reason to be. Now that the industry has largely settled and agreed that AI, in fact, isn’t a threat to job security, but rather a tool for augmentation, the integration of AI into creative processes has become revolutionary. For our team, the use of AI is not about replacing human creativity, but simply about leveraging it as a tool to expedite ideation and streamline initial conceptualisation.
While some apprehension around AI and creativity is understandable, for us, it’s about utilising AI as a catalyst for innovation, a springboard for originality. It’s about leveraging AI’s ideation capabilities to fuel our creative engines, not as a final product but as a starting point, catalysing our bespoke creations.
Leveraging Automation
The opportunity that lies with automation shouldn’t be overlooked. Automation’s unassuming nature belies its pivotal position in our industry landscape. It’s not about automating creativity, but simply streamlining processes, freeing up valuable time across all levels – from producers to juniors – allowing for a more fertile ground for creativity to flourish. In the year ahead, I can anticipate these streamlined processes will allow agency partners to allocate more time to human-centric, critical thinking—a crucial shift in an era where budgets are tightening.
Social Evolution
The emergence of platforms such as TikTok and the evolution of long-established platforms including Instagram will continue to transcend from a mere leisure environment to an integral marketing avenue. What we are seeing is that brands are now fully understanding the reach of these platforms and are asking the important question of whether their content will be led by these channels, altering the dynamics of content creation.
Amid this transformative environment, and as we prepare for 2024, brands will no doubt find themselves navigating a sea of uncertainties. This is already in motion to some degree, with some brands increasing their investment in marketing and saturating the market, while others recalibrate their budgets in response to economic shifts.
As always, the nature of our industry demands adaptability and innovation. For P2 Content Creators, our journey is focused on being the best collaborator for those who share our vision—a vision that sees beyond the trends, embracing change, and redefining standards in video content creation. The new era demands not just evolution but a proactive embrace of change—a commitment to redefining standards, navigating uncertainties, and continually shaping the future of content creation in the ever-dynamic sphere of marketing.
