Digital advertising beyond 2024: Transcending into tech-driven world of digital marketing

There was a time when advertising was all about creating catchy jingles for the radio or drawing striking posters. Marketers today have to consider a whole gamut of ever-evolving platforms. Among them, digital advertising is still in a nascent stage - especially considering how technology has become an all-pervasive reality of our world. 

What started in the form of intrusive pop-ups and cheeky banner ads has matured in terms of content and multiplied manifold in terms of both investment and returns. According to a recent study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, internet advertising that grew at the annual rate of 10.1% in 2023, is expected to have a 9.5% CAGR till 2028 and will account for 77.1% of total ad spends around the world. Closer home, as per the dentsu-e4m Digital Advertising Report 2024, the industry is estimated to reach Rs 62,045 crores in 2025 at a CAGR of 23.49% in India. 

Considering the fast pace of the evolution of technology and the equally malleable nature of the advertising industry, marketers need to keep a few things in mind as they prepare to transcend into the tech-driven world of digital advertising and digital marketing beyond 2024. Let’s take a look at a few trends driving this change. 

Data drives content 

Like every other field of human endeavour, marketing in the near (and distant) future will be driven by data. Instead of depending on anecdotes or market surveys done on very small populations, the marketing decision in the future will depend largely on data collection and analysis. Insights gained using tools like sentiment analysis and affinity analysis can even help make one’s marketing stories more effective. The marketer's job in the digital landscape, thus, includes converting cold data into emotionally-driven content.  

Hyperpersonalisation 

The data mining made before going to the market will also enable marketers to make the content hyperpersonal, by getting a more detailed profile of their target audience in terms of age, location, preferences, needs and other such aspects. However, this may be a line that one needs to tread with caution as users are already worried about data privacy. 

Artificial intelligence and machine learning

Like all aspects of life and business, evolving technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning have already started making their way into advertising and marketing. Industry leaders are already hailing the superpower that AI gives to marketers. The global AI market which stood at US $ 538.13 billion by the end of 2023 is predicted to grow five times over by 2032 to reach a market size of US$ 2,575.16 billion. Machine learning, of course, can help in predicting trends and consumer behaviour and help one make important decisions about the right marketing strategy, channels and other such aspects. 

VR for experiential marketing

One exciting way that technology can change the way brands present themselves to consumers is through virtual reality or augmented reality. During e4m’s TechManch 2024, Niraj Ruparel, emerging tech lead at WPP gave us a peek into this future by interacting with his digital avatar. Such avatars can make marketing a more immersive and interactive experience. Also, while augmented reality might sound like a new concept, the first AR device was envisioned as early as 1968, and research in the domain took off in the 90’s. Now, out-of-advertising is all set to undergo a sea change with AR-enabled billboards, AR glasses, smart TVs that enable buying after experiencing a product and other experiential marketing avenues. You can only imagine the wonders that can be achieved in digital advertising with these exciting technologies.

OTT is mainstream  

The very term used for these services, OTT (over-the-top), is meant to describe them as additional or supplementary services. With a projected user base of 634.3 million by the end of 2029, according to Statista, Indian consumers who prefer subscription-free, ad-supported content can not be ignored by marketers. Some marketers have already started timing their content at 5 seconds to grab the attention of viewers before they can skip the ads on YouTube. Similar short ads can be very effective for OTT as well. One can not afford to keep these platforms out of their digital marketing strategies. 

Social Media and influencers 

With the internet democratising content creation, social media is full of user-generated content. According to an EY study, the market size of influencer marketing will double from Rs 1500 crores to Rs 3375 crores between 2022 and 2026. Today, India has a very interesting mix of influencers of all sizes and backgrounds with the rise in the number of aspirational influencers in tier 2 and 3 cities, which can also help in localised digital marketing. 

Discerning the future does not require one to gaze into a crystal ball. It can be done by being observant about and keeping abreast with the evolution of technology, lifestyle and social norms. One thing that we can definitely say is that marketers of the future will have to learn to harness technology to their advantage. A well-rounded understanding of digital advertising is something that all new-age marketers need to keep abreast of.