Gartner’s 2016 Hype Cycle for Digital Marketing and Advertising Identifies Special Report Distills Insight from More Than 2,000 Technologies
Gartner’s “Hype Cycle for Digital Marketing and Advertising, 2016” reveals the key forces that are driving the evolution of marketing and advertising technologies. The convergence of marketing technology (Martech) and advertising technology (Adtech), event-triggered and real-time marketing techniques, personalization, and the use of contextual clues are the four key forces that point to a data-centric future for marketers.
For 2016, Gartner has combined the Digital Marketing and Advertising Hype Cycles into a single report. This reflects the growing need for marketers to consider advertising technologies as integral to, rather than segregated from, their main operational technologies.
Mike McGuire, research vice president at Gartner said, “As marketers embrace data-driven marketing strategies to improve customer experience through coherent content and messaging, and advertising adopts programmatic practices and real-time bidding markets, customers will increasingly expect consistency and coordination from all branded communications. Real-time and event-triggered marketing are a key focus for marketers and advertisers alike. As all forms of marketing look for greater efficiency and effectiveness, predictive analytics are rapidly gaining the attention of advanced marketers.”
The convergence of Martech and Adtech: Both have a growing dependence on data-driven strategies and tactics. At the strategic level, this convergence is the result of a continuing focus on delivering compelling and valued customer experiences, regardless of the market or the product or service. Product categories such as data management platforms (DMPs), marketing analytics, marketing automation and predictive analytics are increasingly shared in Martech and Adtech stacks.
Event-triggered and real-time marketing techniques: The drive to be able to react in the moment and move the customer or prospect along the path to purchase and advocacy puts the focus on mobile marketing and predictive analytics.
Personalization: Personalization and “personification” technology profiles are maturing at a rapid rate, as marketers look to create that one-to-one opportunity while balancing consumer concerns about privacy and security.
Contextual Clues: The use of the contextual cues signaled by consumer and prospect usage of mobile devices — cues such as the local weather, their presence near a mall or retail district — is driving marketers’ overall interest in proximity marketing, the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearables.
Gartner clients can read more in the report “Hype Cycle for Digital Marketing and Advertising, 2016.” This report is part of Gartner’s “Hype Cycle Special Report for 2016.” This Special Report provides strategists and planners with an assessment of the market hype, maturity, business benefit and future direction of more than 2,000 technologies, grouped into 11 topic areas. Learn more in the complimentary webinar “Gartner Hype Cycles 2016: Major Trends and Emerging Technologies.”
Hear more about digital marketing trends at the Gartner Digital Marketing Conference 2017, May 10-12, in San Diego, CA. Follow news and updates from the event on Twitter using #GartnerDMC.
