The past couple of decades have witnessed many epic milestones in the AdTech landscape since the dawn of the first impression, to the growth of mobile advertising, the rise of programmatic, data driven advertising, content, influencer marketing, video and native advertising, all the way to user experience, immersive and AR adoption.

2023 alone has a lot more instore on that front; Here are few of the trends we will be heavily exposed to this year:

  • First party data – platforms and brands are doubling down on first party data, and it’s not only because of the cookie-less ecosystem we’re stepping in, but simply because it’s more secure, improves engagement, enables better targeting and most importantly because it’s personalized.
  • Exponential increase in AI adoption – in the past 6 months or so, we’ve all been blown away by Chat GPT and its ability to entertain highly complex conversations and perform tasks that only subject matter experts can perform; now picture AI adoption and machine learning in advertising, where the possibilities are endless with the effective use of data and targeting.
  • Rise of AR & VR – According to 6Wresearch, UAE augmented and virtual reality market size is projected to growt at a CAGR of over 55% during 2017-2023; online shopping will eventually be entirely consumed by immersive experiences; today ou are able to browse, flip, turn, change the clor and the size of a shoe using the hologram technology, and we’re just scratching the surface with AR ( Augmented Reality) and VR ( Virtual Reality) as the metaverse itself is a world created through the use of both technologies.
  • Incremental Growth in Programmatic – as per statista report, in the GCC region, 90% of digital advertising revenue will be generated through programmatic advertising in 2027; and this doesn’t come as a surprise in any shape or form as we will always witness a growth in automated advertising, now more than ever in tandem with the implementation of AI and machine learning.
  • And the most underrated trend and the least spoken of will be the rise of digital audio – a Goldman Sachs report indicates that by 2030, globally, streaming music users are expected to grow to over 2B; 2023 will be the stepping stone to the exponential rise in digital audio streaming which in return will result in an increase in adoption of digital audio as an advertising format and this is due to 3 main factors: 

1.Heavy Investments in audio streaming by global tech platforms and we’re not even speaking about the music streaming giants investments such as Spotify, Apple Music,Youtube music, tidal or Deezer, but the likes of Amazon also investing in music through its music streaming service, Amazon Music, and its music-related products, such as the echo smart speaker, which allows users to play music hands-free.

And TikTok fast becoming a popular destination for music discovery and promotion. Many artists have gained popularity on the platform through viral dance challenges and music trends, and the platform has invested in several music-related features, such as the ability to add licensed music to videos; according to a study conducted for TikTok by music-analytics company MRC data, 67% of the app’s users are more likely seek out songs on music streaming services after hearing them on TikTok.  

2.The digital advertising landscape will witness more brands wanting to be associated with music and emerging and/or established artists; simply because music can evoke emotions and memories in people. By associating their brand with a particular song, artist, or genre, brands can tap into these emotions and create a stronger connection with their audience. Also by associating themselves with music, brands can differentiate themselves and stand out from their competitors and create a unique identity that resonates with their target audience. Music can also help to reinforce a brand’s personality or values. For example, a brand that wants to be seen as edgy and rebellious might associate themselves with and edgy and rebellious genre such as rock or hip-hop.

3.The power of digital audio as an advertising format that delivers the brand’s message in a cost effective, contextual and personalized way optimized to reach their audiences in the right time, clutter freeand in screenless moments no other platform can reach them in, those precious moments of their day that make audio aseamless companion while the’re jogging, at the gym, cooking, studying, having dinner or even just relaxing with their headphones on and listening to their favorite tune.

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