Sky Falling for B2B Marketing? 7 Trends You Must Watch in 2019

The sky is falling, the sky is falling! AI, big data and blockchain are rocking the marketing landscape in unprecedented ways, companies need to be agile to avoid getting struck by asteroids like the dinosaurs and becoming extinct. 

While B2B companies maybe slower to embrace transformation, there has been a drastic change over recent years. There are 7 trends that I believe will transform B2B marketing in 2019.

1. Whitelisting of Websites

In today’s polarized world infiltrated by fake news, enhanced by echo chambers and filter bubbles, it’s no surprise that “The Tomorrow's News survey 2018” commissioned by Reuters reported that advertisers are challenged by brand safety issues. Every two out of three executives strongly believe that advertisers have full control over where their ads appear and blame brands for ads placed alongside inappropriate content. 

Strong debates are currently on-going for advertisers and publishers to embrace the whitelist strategy - the practice of only allowing ads to run on a pre-approved list of websites. For example, J.P. Morgan has cut the number of websites it displayed ads from 400,000 to 5,000 by adopting the whitelist strategy. IAB Tech Lab has implemented Ads.txt and pushing for publishers to whitelist the partners authorize to sell their digital inventory. Also, with US and UK joining forces to introduce "Certified Against Fraud" stamp from January 1, 2019, it’s a matter of time that other regions will follow suit. 

2. Video First 

LinkedIn finally went all-in on B2B video allowing users and marketers to upload videos and introducing LinkedIn Native Video for brands early this year. According to LinkedIn’s recent survey, 83% of B2B marketers believe that video helps drive lead volume and 86% percent think it produces high quality leads. 

Since the TV era, video has always been highly prized and also highly priced. Current advancement in mobile technology has allowed smart phones like Apple, Samsung, LG and Huawei to shoot high-res videos and beyond like VR and 3D. Marketers can now produce videos through smart phone apps and simplified editing software or outsource to cloud editing services at a minimal fee. This is very relevant to B2B marketers who are using influencers or thought leaders to tell stories on social media like LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. 

3. The Fourth “Screen” 

We are entering fourth “screen” dimension with the rise of IOT and voice assistants like Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Publishers are starting to offer voice-activated content i.e. CNBC is creating daily business news updates for Amazon Alexa and Google Homes’ users. Currently, advertising is still very limited. Talks are on-going on how to cleverly inject advertising into a voice environment without compromising user experience.

4. Blockchain 

"Blockchain platform is next Apple" - Steve Wozniak.

Whether you agree with Steve, Blockchain marketing is the current buzzword as marketers look for more data transparency and accountability while trying to stay compliant with GDPR regulations. The current blockchain system is definitely not efficient with marketers demanding real time ad placement and reporting. But players like Comcast, MetaX, IBM etc. are working frenetically on new or hybrid model to improve speed. Depending on the outcome, this solution might benefit B2B companies who are more niche in nature. 

5. Sustainable Development 

Corporate social responsibility used to be an afterthought or marketing strategy to increase brand equity for most companies. Today, companies face pressure to do well and to do good with the adoption by the United Nations on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. Early adopters like Credit Suisse, KPMG, Sunway, UBS etc. have pledged commitment to some of the goals. But there is room to grow as KPMG’s research finds only 40% of top companies had acknowledged the goals in their corporate reporting. To boost responsible business and make the world a better place through creativity, Cannes Lions 2018 has included the SDG Lions to the Festival of Creativity. We should see more companies jumping on the sustainable bandwagon to brand themselves. 

6. Emotional Analytics

Market Research Future (MRFR) revealed that the global Emotion Analytics Market will capture around USD25 Billion by 2023. Emotional analytics (EA) is the science of measuring audiences’ emotional engagement with content, products and services, and predicting their actions.

EA is not new at all! Facebook had experimented with EA as early as 2012, and Startups like Realeyes, Affectiva, iMotions have been around since the 2000s. Recently, publishers like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Gannett's USA Today and ESPN have jumped on the bandwagon, targeting people based on emotions. The New York Times has claimed that emotional ads targeting performed 40% better based on an article by The Business Insider. While EA is not illegal, is it ethical? There are also many questions on the accuracy of the data and predictions cos human emotions are complex. And should we be worried about machines reading and ultimately manipulating our emotions?

7. Human First 

Lots of talks around Data first and AI first strategy, what about Human First? Boardroom warriors and number crunchers will not be able to survive in the long run as they can be replaced by AI and robots. Executives need to work alongside machines and humans, have real conversations and truly walk the talk! They need to be thought leaders, brand ambassadors, customer experience officers and road warriors. 

There is no turning back in the pursuit of tech supremacy. Whether the sky is falling or the sky is the limit will be determined by how marketers recognize new trends, break boundaries and reinvent our strategies.