ICROSSING POV:

THREE DIGITAL MARKETING TRENDS MARKETERS CANNOT IGNORE IN 2014Gary Stein, SVP, Strategy & Planning, iCrossingCandice Hahn, Managing Director, iCrossing

The best CMOs in the world constantly ask questions. Sometimes the questions are probing

internally: Are we doing everything we can to connect with consumers and are we doing it as

effectively as possible? Sometimes they are external – seeking the big ideas and insights that are

driving the brand forward.

However, at this time of year, CMOs should only have one single question on their minds: How can I

ensure that my brand is poised for success next year? At iCrossing, we looked across the landscape at

what changes are on the horizon for digital marketing, and identified some ways brands can prepare

for those changes. In this analysis of the top trends that marketers must pay attention to, we stayed

away from just listing the latest technologies and gadgets. Instead we focused on the real innovations

that we believe will not only be long-lasting, but will also shift the accepted thinking about how to

reach consumers in the moments that matter to them (and the ones that matter to your brand).

Below are three trends in digital media that are worth watching in 2014 and beyond. Of course, this

list is not complete – there are bound to be other trends lurking on the fringes. The exciting thing

about our perpetually-connected world is the good chance that the next “big thing” that will define

the future is probably currently sitting inside a garage in Palo Alto, a loft in SoHo or a dorm room in

Cambridge, Mass.

No matter what next thing is on the horizon, we believe these are the three things you absolutely

cannot ignore in the coming months.

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DECEMBER 2013THREE DIGITAL MARKETING TRENDS

Smartphones are rapidly becoming the single most important device in the lives of today’s perpetually-connected consumers. They

pick them up in the morning, and generally have them within arm’s reach all day. This constant digital companion is becoming more

aware of its surroundings and, as a result, more helpful to users. Applications like Google Now have introduced a remarkable new

way for people to get information from their phones. Leveraging a wealth of data about a person’s interests, coupled with information

like time of day or location, Google Now displays “cards”— bits of information that the phone believes will be useful to the user in

real time. For example, when a consumer lands in a new city, Google Now displays current time and temperature, as well as a map

to his hotel from his current location and a list of nearby restaurants. If his favorite team is playing a game, it displays the score,

and if one of his stocks drops, it will update him right away. Apple recently bought a company called Cue, a move that promises to

bring this sort of functionality directly into iOS. Other players like WildCard are waiting in the wings, ready to bring this functionality

to many more people.

WHY THIS IS A TOP TREND

Having a phone anticipate your needs represents a real shift in the way people benefit from technology. We believe these sorts of

push notifications will be the wave of the future, especially as increased data about a consumer’s life is made available. When the

notification contains a purchase opportunity (i.e.: knowing you are about to run out of dog food, or that you’re near to a pet store that

has a sale going on), it represents a great moment for a powerful brand message.

We are increasingly surrounded by screens everywhere we go, and the technology seems to have (finally) arrived to truly sync those

screens. A series of new innovations are bridging the gaps between devices, especially computers and televisions. Google’s new

Chromecast, which allows users to enjoy online entertainment on their TV screens, sold out almost immediately. This $35 device

provides a very simple service, but its success shows it is fulfilling a huge consumer need. Although it is similar in many ways to

AppleTV, it represents a new level of freedom. While AppleTV shows a lot of Web content, Chromecast allows the consumer to view

any Web content.

TREND 1JUST-IN-TIME MOBILE CONTENT, DATA AND HELP

TREND 2A BOOM IN CONNECTED TELEVISIONS

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DECEMBER 2013THREE DIGITAL MARKETING TRENDS

Chromecast is really just the latest addition to the array of ways TVs are now able to connect to the Internet, either through set top

boxes like TiVo or simply through a built-in connection on the TV itself. Creating this kind of connection is truly a massive shift, and

one that threatens many business models (pay cable in particular), as the many options for consumers to find content that suits

them expands.

WHY THIS IS A TOP TREND

Brands are increasingly becoming publishers — finding ways to create and leverage content to connect with consumers and move

them through the purchase funnel. As TVs become more connected, there is a new opportunity to create rich video content that can

inform and entertain, and also generate value, and deepen relationships with current and prospective customers.

TREND 3MASSIVE CONVENIENCE

Technology and the Internet have long promised a new level of ease, convenience and instant gratification for consumers. But

the newest trend is taking that level of convenience and multiplying it, as well as adding in a bit of impulse shopping. Recently,

MasterCard and their publishing partners began adding small shopping cart icons to content, allowing readers to become buyers

with one tap. Couple this with moves by eBay, Amazon and Google to provide same day delivery on products purchased from major

retailers, and we can see a whole new era of shopping emerging. Twitter is even starting to roll out the ability to buy products directly

from a tweet. We see this trend as being intimately tied to the immense expansion of bandwidth and connectivity. When people are

constantly online, the opportunity for ecommerce grows. And as people find more ways to consume content, advertisers have an

increased opportunity to present offers and messages to consumers in the most convenient and effective moments.

WHY THIS IS A TOP TREND

Brands need to find ways to become better partners with consumers, helping them achieve their goals on a regular basis. The ability

to provide convenience with immediate service means that your brand can be seen as a go-to solution. And, once a consumer takes

advantage of a massively convenient service, the chance that they will return goes up, and loyalty is solidified.

STAY CONNECTED

Find out more at www.icrossing.com

Call us toll-free at 866.620.3780

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CONCLUSION: NEVER STOP ASKINGThe American novelist Thomas Berger once said, “The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” Great

CMOs know this already, which is why they are always asking great questions. We think the best one to ask, right now, is: What’s

coming? But the answer to that question is always changing, and always in motion. This list should help spark some thinking and

some planning, and we invite you to let us know what you think of these trends, as well as other ones on your radar.