Marketing in 2022: Towards new horizons

«The pandemic has accelerated growth in areas we couldn’t have imagined two years ago,» explains Peter Schäfer, Chief Strategy Officer and member of the Executive Board at Serviceplan Suisse. First and foremost, digital transformation, but also e-commerce and climate protection. On the following pages, we’ll show how this is reflected in marketing: the nine major marketing trends for 2022.

1. Digitization

The biggest trend and the biggest challenge in marketing in 2022—all in one. After all, digitalization brings not only enormous opportunities and possibilities, but also new challenges. According to the «Marketing Tech Monitor 2021» benchmark study, which examined companies« marketing technologies and strategies in the DACH region, while most companies have the will to undergo digital transformation, consistent action is often still lacking. »There needs to be a shift in resources,« says Serviceplan manager Peter Schäfer. Employee skills also play a key role: »It’s essential to have the right people. Everyone working in marketing or related fields must embrace and understand the ‘digital first’ mindset.”

2. Artificial Intelligence

AI (Artificial Intelligence) has been making headlines for several years now. But 2022 could be a pivotal year for the field, including in marketing. What can AI accomplish here? «It can analyze interactions to reveal previously undiscovered correlations and assess demand for services in real time to allocate resources and identify dynamic patterns among consumers,» says Schäfer. This represents enormous progress in marketing. AI could also play an increasingly significant role in content creation: «Artificial intelligence will permeate all areas of content creation in the coming years,» says Marco Schlauri, founder and CEO of the B2B SEO and content marketing agency Digital Leverage. AI can also support marketing efforts when it comes to optimizing budgets. A study by the University of Zurich and Nexoya showed that when it comes to optimizing campaigns, artificial intelligence is actually superior to humans.

3. Sustainability

Greenwashing? Not a chance. In 2022, consumers will be taking a closer look. «Sustainability is becoming a basic requirement and a growth driver. And by 2022 at the latest, it will no longer be a differentiating factor,» says Luitgard Hagl, Executive Creative Director and member of the executive board at Jung von Matt Limmat. After all, customers are increasingly expecting sustainable practices, and companies must act accordingly. «This issue will grow because of consumer needs—not because of corporate policy. Companies have no choice but to respond,» adds Peter Schäfer. And this goes hand in hand with another trend: the return to regionality. According to GfK, more than half of Swiss consumers would like to buy more from smaller suppliers and local producers in the future. But regionality doesn’t have to be limited to one’s own backyard, says Marcus Schögel, associate professor at the Institute for Marketing and Customer Insight (IMC-HSG), because regional brands and offerings do not automatically contradict globalization: «Brands are rooted locally and use that to establish a global presence as well.»

4. Personalization

More data, more possibilities. After all, the more you know about your consumers, the better you can address them individually—and that’s exactly what they increasingly expect. «The ever-greater availability of data is leading to an ever-more-precise segmentation of target groups. Individualized assets are deployed for virtually every micro-target group,» says Carsten Jamrow, Executive Creative Director and member of the executive board at Jung von Matt Limmat. The challenge here: «It’s becoming harder for brands to consistently reflect their brand essence across all touchpoints.» Colleague Luitgard Hagl adds: «…and at the same time, not losing sight of the quality of each individual, personalized asset. This is where agencies and marketers with a modern mindset and the ability to lead brands strongly and consistently will stand out. Not everyone has to see the same thing, but everyone has to feel the same brand.»

«A compelling corporate purpose will become even more important in the future. And the future begins in 2022.»

5. Humanity and Purpose

The pandemic has also brought the human factor back into focus. This means that customer relationships and customer loyalty are gaining in importance, as are issues such as diversity, inclusion, and gender. The reason: «Social distancing during the pandemic and new work models have made us increasingly aware of how important team spirit, people, and talent are,» says Serviceplan manager Peter Schäfer. Trust, authenticity, and emotions are also playing a greater role in communication once again. «More than ever, brand perception is determined by the connection between what is promised in advertising and what is ultimately delivered by the actual products and services,» explains Carsten Jamrow. And even if «we’re actually sick of hearing the word »purpose,«» as Sören Schröder, Creative Director and member of the executive board at Publicis Zurich, puts it, “unfortunately, that doesn’t change its relevance. Because more and more consumers expect brands to stand for something and embody a certain stance. Only then are brands able to support consumers in shaping their identities. A compelling corporate purpose—or sense of meaning—will therefore become even more important in the future.” And that starts in 2022.

6. Social Commerce

E-commerce was one of the hottest trends during the pandemic—and it’s here to stay, with ever-evolving variations. The latest trend is social commerce: If the customer can’t come to the product, the product must come to the customer. In this case, customers aren’t actively searching for a product; instead—just like when window shopping—they’re inspired by what they see on social media and can purchase products right there. «A huge growth opportunity,» says Peter Schäfer, «especially among Gen Z and millennials, both of whom are driven and motivated by influencer content.» Even though the scale may still be a long way from what’s possible in Asia when it comes to social commerce—2022 will bring significant changes here.

7. The Post-Cookie Era

Even though Google has postponed the end of cookies until 2023, the issue could already start to have a noticeable impact on marketing as early as 2022. Expert Alexander Igelsböck, co-founder and CEO of the marketing analytics platform Adverity, sees this as an opportunity: «Marketers and technology companies need to be prepared. They now have a little more time to align their targeting and measurement practices. Overall, this is a good thing for the user experience and data control. The transition means that advertisers will have to collect and use first-party data, which is a more robust targeting method anyway. It should lead to higher-quality ads and less irrelevant content. Ultimately, companies will need truly robust data governance to control and manage their data and enable data democratization.»

8. Voice Marketing

Although it was already hailed as a hot trend for the year that is coming to a close, voice marketing has not quite made its breakthrough yet. Perhaps 2022 will be the year of voice; Serviceplan expert Peter Schäfer, in any case, predicts «rapid growth in all areas of life.» However, he does not believe that voice will replace offline and online shopping. The Swiss are, in any case, relatively open to voice functions: According to the «Voice First Barometer,» a representative study on voice user interfaces conducted by the University of Lucerne, one in two Swiss people were already using voice user interfaces at the beginning of the year; 30 percent use them as part of their purchasing decision-making process. Alexa, we’re excited to see what 2022 brings!

9. Live Formats

Whether it’s live videos on TikTok, live shopping events, or livestreams on Instagram: New features are constantly emerging that enable brands to connect with consumers live and directly. What Chinese internet giants have already successfully pioneered is also growing increasingly in Europe. Live-stream shopping with interactive and chat features could become an exciting sales channel in 2022.