These are the marketing trends of 2024

Anna Porvari, CEO, Kuubi

“The current global situation is full of uncertainties, and the future is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. I believe that in the coming year we will see how different technologies will become even more established as marketing tools and help companies adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Artificial intelligence and process automation, for example, provide glimpses of more efficient work and time management.

As process optimisation and automation increase, I hope that marketing professionals will be able to focus more on work which provides added value. For example, in design and production, harnessing AI as part of an effective process helps free up time for more creative and effective advertising planning. The time for disconnected AI gimmicks is just about over. Artificial intelligence is already such an established tool that it can be compared to the use of Photoshop or Google.

The need for personalisation and the number of messages will increase even more going forward. This is why brands need to pay more attention to standing out. We must ensure that positive images and customer experiences turn into valuable capital for the brand.”

Karolus Viitala, Business Unit Director, private customers and marketing, Mehiläinen

“In my opinion, the most important thing is to continue focusing on the right things and staying persistently on the chosen path. I would like this to become a trend, but all too often, you see people constantly doing new things, in which case the customer and their own organisation cannot keep up with what they are trying to say or achieve.

This is especially important in building a brand.

Once the chosen path has been selected, you have to be able to keep to it persistently and systematically. Once everyone in your house understands what you are talking about, the first stage has been reached. The next step is for the target group to understand what is going on. This always takes years to happen.

Another important rule of thumb is that the brand is always built by the company itself, not by an office partner. You will not reach the goal if building the brand is not an important tool for the company's entire management, which is built together, strictly led by commercial management.”

Riikka-Maria Lemminki, CEO, Marketing Finland

"Artificial intelligence will democratise marketing communications, as the production of diverse content will become easier and even small companies will have access to tools supported by AI.

We will see more conversational and personalised marketing that leverages the sounds, moving images, and virtual reality generated by AI. Influencers will also be increasingly utilised in personalisation, and the use of micro- and nano-influencers will increase. The role of data is critical, but it will be used more responsibly and with an emphasis on own data. 

The quality of marketing for leading brands will improve as more attention is paid to marketing performance. Creativity and the relevance of marketing communications will then be emphasised.

The amount of greenwashing will decrease in marketing as green claims will be regulated more. ESG, in turn, will force marketing buyers to take responsibility for the entire supply chain and also to look at their own way of tendering and ordering work. We will see more campaigns that influence our behaviour.”

Katariina Harteela, Executive Creative Director, Reaktor

“Google's cookie changes over the next year will force brands to come up with new ways to find their target audience. This means, for example, that influencers' channels, brands’ cooperation and events, games and services will play an even more important role in the media palette.

Brands need to identify where the phenomena and discussions that are of particular interest to their audience are taking place and come up with a relevant way to jump onboard.

When it comes to reaching consumers through new types of experiences, marketers need to come up with new ways to build awareness that suit the brand. Fancy visual identifiers and outdoor advertising examples from a brand book do not get far when it comes to creating an immersive festival experience or a TikTok content series made on an influencer's terms. The smartest ones do not use new channels only as media surfaces, but create unique ways of doing joint projects that are inspiring for all parties.”

Erno Reinikainen, Co-Founder, Creative, Erma & Reinikainen

“This is more a wish than a prediction. I hope that Finland would take a consistent approach to building brands that appeal to emotions, promise something to their customers and actually act in accordance with that promise. Currently, there are too many disconnected campaigns or brand actions that do not systematically build on the underlying brand platform.

Very few promise anything to the consumer, and if they do, it is often not a very unique or emotionally appealing promise. Few are the brands that understand or dare to turn their brand claims into action that would guide everything they do. I therefore encourage every Finnish marketing decision-maker to think about what their “Just do it” would be and how it could be brought to life through creative marketing. Why? Because strong brands always succeed – no matter what the situation is in the world or the market.”

Leena Koskinen, Head of Marketing, Sanoma B2B

"In the midst of all the hype about AI and technology, successful marketing and marketers remember the person – the person whose thinking and behaviour we want to influence. I would argue that the basics of marketing have not changed and will be properly valued again – let the renaissance of the Four Ps begin. In the coming year, more products and services will be bought. There has been talk of a new rise in hedonism, but buyers are prudent and reputable brands win. I myself have stopped buying products from companies that are still active in Russia.

The cheapest price is not the deciding factor, rather, it is the product with the best value. Visiting the online stores of ultra-fast fashion companies may increasingly gnaw at the conscience of Finns. It is preferable to go to second-hand stores or invest in a long-lasting product that retains its value.

The logistical loads of e-commerce are starting to provoke concern, and the number of group orders is growing. Walking to a brick-and-mortar store is beginning to be seen as useful exercise, and purchases can be handled all in one go without needing to return anything. In counterbalance to negative news, optimistic, humorous and warm-hearted advertising messages are noticed more. It is my heartfelt hope that the importance of high-quality and emotive advertising content will be understood again. Short-term quick profit optimisation will fall behind, and consistent brand building will be truly valued, not just in celebratory speeches.”

Juha Halmesvaara, Head of Strategy & Insight, dentsu

“2024 will be characterised by a constant need to increase efficiency as inflation continues to raise prices and the recession depresses demand. This will result in marketers having to achieve better results than before with less investment than before. While simultaneously acting more sustainably so that there is something left of the planet for our children. By efficiency, I mean greater effectiveness, not maximum short-term ROMI. The winner is the one who dares and is able to invest in long-term mental image work.

As you need to be able to get more with less, interest in advertising attention will grow even more in marketing circles. By eliminating unnecessary junk and focusing on advertising solutions that are genuinely noticed, the marketer can reduce both their wasted money and their carbon footprint. The change will be quite big. In Finland, more than 400 million euros are spent in a year on advertising which does not receive any attention. If we used this money wisely, we could easily achieve more with less.

I understand that you cannot write about trends without commenting on the past year's solution to everything, that is, artificial intelligence. I believe that AI will move to a stage where the unnecessary hype disappears, or at least diminishes. Generative AI is starting to move us in medium-sized steps towards more efficient and impactful activities. There will certainly still be some early attempts and misses, but if there is a technology that can sway the dominance of big players like Meta and Google, AI might be it. Skynet is probably not a concern for the time being, but a big change in working methods is just around the corner.”

Katariina Uljas-Ahl, CBO / Digital, Dagmar

“In the marketing year 2024, we will look to the future with the bright eyes of sustainability, we will suffer from an AI hangover, we will agonise over growing cost structures, we will believe in the growth of retail media and our mantra will be to optimise brand marketing and short-term tactical advertising.

Sustainability challenges us to update our marketing strategy and to think more broadly about our media choices beyond the holy trinity of effective repetition, reach and contact price. It makes us measure the carbon footprint of digital marketing, consider the ethics of data and ask if AI has morals. AI is transforming the daily life of marketing, certainly bringing ease and efficiency, but in the spirit of Charles Darwin, the winner is not the one who has the most AI tools at their disposal, but the one who adapts and responds best to constant change. In the uncertainties of economic forecasts, change requires courage, focus and, yes, also investment in technologies, data and new skills to succeed. Easy and cheap is an illusion that will turn out to be expensive in the long run. Optimisation should be done in more than just long-term brand building and fast, short-term marketing. Success stories also know how to balance new experiments with the old and functional, domestic and international.”

Veli-Pekka Ääri, director, marketing and communications Tokmanni

“I believe that marketing trends are related to what is happening in the market. The decline in consumers' purchasing power is reflected in the content of marketing communications, and price-driven communication is emphasised.

Consumption decisions are influenced by the price image and selection image. Sustainable operations and related questions will be strengthened. Consumers value Finnish operators and matters relating to sustainability.

Marketing communications will increasingly become marketing as a service. In the digital world, phones and mobile applications play a key role. Mobile services will become the remote control of brick-and-mortar stores, through which every customer will receive personal service.

I'm a cross-media man. For us, Sanoma’s mobile cube is the key to audiences, but print material will not be going anywhere. While a digital ad is under your finger for a few seconds, a print ad can be on the kitchen table for 15 minutes. You should not let go of traditional channels. Only stories can make an impression, as Mister Tokmanni shows.”