David Walsh, Chief Business Officer, Mindshare UK
It comes as no surprise that this quarter has seen a dip in growth, and until we have a clearer idea of our political and economic future, it’s likely that marketers will remain cautious with spend.
However, even in today’s uncertain climate, it’s encouraging to see that some marketers have remained proactive about building long-term brand equity, with the report revealing a slight upward revision to main media budgets.
It’s also heartening to see that marketers are continuing to invest in internet-based advertising, with search/SEO owning the lion’s share of growth. Recent research conducted by Mindshare for our Future of Search report found that two-thirds of UK consumers believe they conduct more searches than they used to before making a decision.
We found that this shift in search behaviour can be seen across multiple sectors. In times of lower consumer confidence it’s more important than ever that brands are discoverable at those pivotal search moments and planners must take an approach which puts audience behaviour at the heart of all media decisions.
Kirsty Giordani, Executive Director, International Advertising Association (UK Chapter)
Despite the negative outlook of the latest Bellwether report, there are still a number of positives. For example, spend in internet marketing remains strong and main media, digital and social have also been given another boost. The upward trend in these areas indicates a move towards longer-term thinking from marketers as they look to invest in channels and tactics that will support steady brand growth over time.
While we’re in an uncertain political climate, it is often tempting to focus on immediate performance metrics to measure success and allocate spend, but a bigger picture view is needed.
It’s important for marketers not to neglect branding activities that will drive continued recognition, and focus their budget on the channels (like digital, social and events) where consumer audiences remain engaged and receptive.
Mark Inskip, CEO UK & Ireland at Kantar (Media Division)
With consumers growing increasingly apathetic towards advertising – and 73% saying they see the same ads ‘over and over again’ – brands simply cannot afford complacency.
Despite no visible increase in budgets and a negative financial outlook, marketers must prioritise an approach that meets consumers on their terms, seamlessly fitting advertising content into the experiences their audiences are already enjoying across different platforms.
Accurate campaign measurement sits at the heart of that success – only by being able to accurately track audience responses and reactions across all platforms, whether paid, owned or earned media, will marketers be able to maximise their investments and truly demonstrate their ROI.
