The HoC's November Chronicles! #5

Welcome to the November edition of the House of Communication Chronicles, your go-to source for the latest updates and insights in the dynamic world of marketing and advertising.

In this month's newsletter, we are thrilled to present the exclusive results of the CMO Barometer 2024. Over 800 CMOs from 11 countries shared their industry forecasts, offering a comprehensive look at the trends shaping the marketing landscape for the upcoming year. Discover the key insights and trends that will influence the strategies of marketing leaders globally.

But that's not all – we have exciting highlights from the Creative Creatures festival organized by Creative Belgium and ACC. An Rietjens , our Creative Leader, shared invaluable advice with an assembly of students eager to dive into the advertising world. Gain valuable insights into the industry and valuable tips for starting a successful career in advertising.

Last but not least, don't miss our article about Serviceplan Make, our content and production - and many other things - agency. Make has some nice things in store for it's clients, and you won't want to miss out on the details.

Happy reading!

1) Balancing Optimism and Caution: CMO Barometer 2024 Results

Around 800 CMOs from 11 countries shared their industry forecasts for 2024 in a joint survey by Serviceplan Group and the University of St.Gallen. Although the outlook for the upcoming year is mixed and cautious, there is a definitive positive tendency.

This year, the study expanded to include eleven countries, extending beyond Europe. On the list are Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.

KEY LEARNINGS FROM THE CMOS RESPONSES:

·?????? Artificial Intelligence (AI), Emotional Branding and Content Creation will dominate the agenda for CMOs in 2024.

·?????? Despite a focus on tech, belief in emotionally resonant brands remains strong. Successful marketing in 2024 will merge artificial with emotional intelligence.

·?????? CMOs will tackle significant challenges simultaneously, which require superhero-like skills: openness to trends and ideas, interconnected thinking, and agility.

·?????? The perception of agencies as mere idea factories for advertising is evolving. CMOs now seek partners with a challenger mindset and a 'can do – will do' attitude, who offer proactive strategies and innovative ideas that lead to impact.

BALANCING BUDGETS AND EXPECTATIONS: MARKETING'S ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE

While a significant 46% of participants anticipate no major industry changes from an economic perspective, a hopeful 36% foresee moderate to significant economic improvement for marketing teams.

Serviceplan Group CEO Florian Haller interprets this learning from the agency viewpoint: “Although the results of this year’s CMO Barometer still show caution when it comes to the economic situation and investments, the trend is clearly pointing to optimism. That gives me confidence that we will face these challenges together and grow with them. At our side, we have an exciting new tool: if used correctly, AI can make our daily work easier, provide solutions to complex problems and take innovation to a whole new level.”

AI AND EQ AS THE SUCCESS BLEND FOR 2024

AI, machine learning, and marketing automation are set to continue their industry dominance, with 83% of CMOs identifying this as the biggest tendency for 2024. This trend has dramatically ascended from fifth place to first compared to last year results (an increase of approximately 20%), nudging sustainability from the top spot to fourth.

Content Creation and Emotional Branding share the second and third spots in the rating, with both trends garnering 82% of votes. This suggests that the synergy between AI and emotionally targeted brand building will be the predominant trend of next year. Concurrently, the professionalization of marketing practices, including content creation and omnichannel marketing will remain highly relevant.

While AI is generally accepted as a prevailing trend, there are significant variations when comparing its adoption across countries. The UK and the Netherlands prioritize aligning with the most suitable formats and achieving higher relevance, rather than establishing new processes and structures. The BeLux region leans towards data-driven and omnichannel marketing as their primary tools. France, conversely, exhibits a notably low interest in these tools, opting instead for ‘Pricing’ and ‘E-Commerce/Social Commerce’. Unlike other countries, France also displays a distinct lack of interest in the AI trend, showing a preference for 'Content Creation' and 'Emotional Branding'.

One topic that has not made it to the CMOs' top agenda yet is NFTs and Metaverse, with 24% of votes (15% in Belgium). A new subject gaining attention this year is cultural marketing, encompassing gaming and pop culture – 42% of respondents agree that this area holds potential.

BEYOND TECH SKILLS: THE RISE OF OPEN-MINDEDNESS

AI and tech skills brought to life in a strategic and creative way – this is a successful combination according to the survey results. ‘Analytical & technical skills’, followed by ‘Strategic Thinking’ and ‘Creativity and Innovation’ formed the top three skills needed for a marketing team to thrive in 2023.

Alongside ramping up AI capacities and giving firepower to innovations development, soft skills, such as keeping an open mind become critically important in the industry. Open-mindedness is the leading skill CMOs chose as a focus for themselves and their teams in 2024 (29%). It is followed by ‘Flexibility, Adaptability and Agility’ (26%) and ‘Developing Leadership and Empathy’ (21%).

AGENCIES MUST ADAPT AND INNOVATE AMID GROWING IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE

As in-house expertise continues to grow, agencies face heightened expectations. In 2024, agencies are tasked not only to inspire, but also to adapt to an ever-changing environment and implement ideas as effective, equal partners.

Creativity, innovation, and vision are the top attributes 33% of CMOs expect from their agencies. Moreover, agencies should demonstrate adaptability, agility, and execution abilities to ensure future success. ‘Adaptability’ leads the skill ranking, garnering 10% of votes, followed by ‘Creativity and Innovation’, and ‘Market/Business Knowledge’.

“I expect agencies to even carry out tasks that are unexpected of them. To do this, they need to be able to transform data into useful insights and generate compelling storytelling.” adds Francesco Cordani, Head of MarCom, Samsung Italy.

“For CMOs, agencies as challengers are crucial. The clear expectation is to accurately assess new trends and developments, present concrete opportunities and generate real impact through intelligent implementation strategies.” sums up Felix Bartels, CMO Serviceplan Group.

?2) Creatures Festival 2023: Inspiring the Next Generation of Creative Minds

It was in front of a packed movie theatre that my peers and I had the privilege to talk to students and young graduates during Creatures Festival 2023, organized by Creative Belgium and ACC, Friday November 10th. During this event we aim to inspire the next generation to consider working in our industry as part of their (creative) life choices.

I presented known and lesser known “creatures” that can be found in an integrated agency structure (like our House of Communication). And, just as important, I shared 3 insights with them that might be of support through their first – and next – steps in their future agency life.

1) Everyone can create value

No job is too little: every detail or intervention can add to the process of making something great.

No job is too large: if you work within a strong team, you can move mountains. It’s like an operating room, everyone can contribute in their position, from the surgeon to the cleaning team.

?2) Keep a junior mindset

Sometimes I notice that people struggle with the word junior or assistant in their title. A bit superficial maybe, but most of all a possible limiting view. Being a junior is a great place to start your professional life! And it’s a mindset that will serve you all your life. It means you prefer to be a learner, not a knower. In Zen Buddhism it’s called beginner’s mind, Shoshin. Stay open and curious. Be excited about what is yet to discover and live with a heart and mind that is open to wonder. So even if you don’t like the title, embrace the mindset.

?3) Cultivate passion

Talent and background are sometimes overrated. They wither if you don’t cultivate them into passion. People think you are born with passions, but the fact is: you develop them intentionally. Passion grows from putting effort, time, study and practice in something that you find wildly interesting. I hope this is a comforting idea for all those who think they lack innate talents, the right study or a fancy pedigree.

3) For this holiday season, GIFT TIME and MONEY to your content production with Serviceplan Make Benelux!

Serviceplan Make is ready to transform your holiday season and beyond with an agile content delivery model and a client portfolio that includes L'Oréal, Nikon, Mars, BMW/Mini, and more. Get ready for a journey where our expertise leads you toward resounding success in today's highly competitive market.

Elevating brands through agile and efficient content delivery.

Serviceplan Make empowers brands with a team of experts who ensure creative excellence, tailored to each client's unique needs and highly relevant to consumers. Our agile delivery model enhances efficiency, leveraging innovative workflows to plan, produce, and execute content across channels at an accelerated pace. This results in a seamless blend of crafted content and scalable solutions that redefine industry standards, as evidenced by our impressive client portfolio, highlighting our unwavering commitment to excellence.

?Discover the success stories behind our clients.

We take immense pride in our collaborations with some of the most prominent names in the market.

Since 2015, our collaboration with L'Oréal has been nothing short of remarkable. We've managed over 5,500 projects annually across two countries and 35 brands, extending our expertise to below-the-line materials like point-of-sale displays, e-commerce banners, social media posts, print materials, catalogues, videos, and 3D design. Our unified approach has streamlined production, bringing the client, our agency, and partners together seamlessly. This transformation has marked by enhanced quality, consistency, and cost-efficiency, redefining collaborative marketing success.

Our esteemed partnership with Nikon spans 15 European countries, and it's a source of immense pride. As Nikon's trusted partner, we've undertaken the responsibility of scaling digital content production to new heights. This includes the creation of a diverse range of materials, from static banners to animated banners, engaging social media posts, and captivating videos. Our unwavering commitment to efficiency and dedication to quality ensure that Nikon's content not only resonates but thrives across the European markets. With a shared vision for excellence, we continue to capture the essence of Nikon's brand, one pixel at a time, and share it with audiences far and wide.

Our journey alongside those kinds of prestigious clients reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and partner satisfaction. However, we also collaborate with other industry leaders, such as the Mars Group and BMW/Mini, to redefine their content production. Each of these partnerships is a success story.

During this festive season, we invite you to gift yourself the ultimate present: a saving of both time and money. Reach out to us to discuss how we can transform your content production and make your brand shine during this holiday season and far beyond. At Serviceplan Make, we're ready to bring your vision to life.

Visit our website to know more about how we can contribute to your success, at www.serviceplan-make.be.