2024 Trends: How Technology Is Transforming Creativity

It's about to be 2024, so time to make predictions. Take them with a gain of salt, but the majority of my 2020 , 2022 , and earlier this year , prognostications have either remained or come true.

Most of them involve the intersect of technology, marketing and advertising. In the fast-paced world of business, agility is the name of the game. However, the surge for tech and speed has given rise to a creative drought. The relentless pursuit of short-term gains has overshadowed the art of brand building, flooding the market with generic content. For example, according to a recent report , a staggering 35% of respondents find app designs virtually indistinguishable across various brands.

But, perhaps not for long. A perfect storm of cost-effective creative tech, an economic slowdown, and a creative void is paving the way for a renaissance. Here are four trends that can help brands break free from content commoditisation and leave an indelible mark on those who see it.

Generative AI - Turbocharged Ideation

Generative AI is reshaping the creative landscape, propelling ideas to prototypes at unprecedented speeds. Tools like Runway's Film Award are pushing the limits of creative expression, with text-based solutions outshining their image-based counterparts. Marketers are leveraging AI in areas like email copy, social media, website images, and more. This allows more time to be spent on quality ideation and less time on production.

Mobile Video Production - Blink-and-You-Miss-It Storytelling

Mobile phones shooting in 4K and above resolution have rendered expensive setups obsolete. Tools like Bytedance Capcut and YouTube Create make mobile film editing astonishingly simple. With attention spans shrinking to 8.25 seconds, short-form videos are the reigning ROI champions. GrowthOps' Mobile Production Team's success on TikTok exemplifies the evolving role of in-house mobile video production.

Out of Phone - Speed to Sidewalk

If short-form vertical videos weren’t big enough, they are about to get even bigger. With TikTok launching its Out of Phone product in the United States, we can look forward to the fusion of social media content into the DOOH experience, taking the second screen experience in our living rooms onto the street. This could also drive increased use of Augmented Reality (AR) and potentially wearables with 3D billboard experiences to provide a more personalised, context-driven experience.?

Motion Capture and 3D Modelling - Speed to Immersion

Motion capture technologies are democratising 3D design, with Snapchat and Instagram blurring the lines between physical and digital domain. Augmented Reality (AR) demand is skyrocketing, offering new ways for creative thinkers to apply their craft.

Domain Expertise Still Matters

Ultimately, technology is democratising itself, so the true value of agencies will be not only in their technical ability, but from their domain expertise to creatively and effectively apply it. Meta and Microsoft introduced Llama 2 in July, an open-source, text and code-generating AI similar to ChatGPT and Google's PaLM but freely available for all uses, offering unfettered access for modification and implementation. This allows agencies to build AI applications with greater control, breaking down technical and creative barriers.?

The creative landscape stands on the brink of a renaissance. As technology accelerates idea generation, agile production reshapes storytelling, and 3D fuels immersion, the future promises endless possibilities. The time to evolve and seize these opportunities is now.

*A version of this was published on Branding in Asia and Campaign Asia .