I believe that the future of advertising can be discussed in two different parts that are arguably already present today: diversity and immersion. Diversity has been a hot topic for years now, but recent worldwide events have really pushed companies to look at themselves through a more critical lens. Consumers and incoming professionals alike are questioning the initiatives, transparency, and motives surrounding diversity within various industries, and for good reason. It’s becoming increasingly important for individuals and companies to take a stance on right versus wrong. We’ve seen this displayed in initiatives such as MAIP and ADCOLOR, which are helping pave the way for diversity in advertising. With this in mind, I believe that as this next generation of professionals is entering the workforce, diversity initiatives will only become more prevalent within our industry.
Second to this, immersion and immersive experiences are becoming increasingly important within the ad world. With the rapid increase in new technological developments within the AI, AR, and VR spaces, it’s important for brands, retailers, and advertising to be at the forefront of what’s new. Wendy’s is a brand that comes to mind when last year, they were able to interact directly with players and create immense buzz by entering the Fortnite realm. Gen Z’s attention span of eight seconds only furthers this need to create experiences that capture attention, and allow the user to interact with what’s around them. Traditional mediums of print, TV, radio, pop-ups, and so on are losing their stake with these younger consumers as it becomes increasingly easier for them to turn their attention elsewhere. Creating immersive experiences that are shareable, memorable, and personal is already helping to keep advertising new and relevant, and incorporating these new developments is sure to become the standard in the coming years.