Marketing Trends Analysis

Customer Success Managers who only manage relationships will be replaced. Customer Success Managers who manage value will become irreplaceable. That’s the shift happening right now. For years, CS was measured on: -QBRs delivered -Tickets resolved -NPS scores “Strong relationships” But here’s what’s changing... Executives don’t want activity. They want durable revenue. Now, Customer Success is being pulled closer to: • Net Revenue Retention • Expansion targets • Gross churn reduction • Lifetime Value And AI is accelerating this shift. - Reporting? Automated. - Health scores? Automated. - Usage dashboards? Automated. So what’s left for the CSM? 1. Translating customer behavior into revenue strategy. 2. Quantifying risk before churn happens. 3. Identifying expansion paths tied to business outcomes. 4. Feeding product and pricing teams with monetizable insight. This is the rise of the Value Manager. Not a relationship coordinator. Not a reactive firefighter. Not a post-sale support buffer. A revenue strategist embedded in the customer lifecycle. Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: Relationships open doors. Value keeps contracts. The CSMs who thrive in the next 3–5 years will: • Speak in retention impact, not sentiment. • Frame feedback in revenue exposure, not frustration. • Model expansion opportunities, not just suggest them. • Influence product and pricing with financial language. Customer Success is no longer about being liked. It’s about being financially indispensable. So the real question is: Are you managing accounts… Or governing predictable growth? #CustomerSuccess #RevenueRetention #NetRevenueRetention #SaaSLeadership #CSLeadership #ValueRealization #ExpansionRevenue #B2BStrategy

Every sales leader I talk to at the moment is struggling with some version of the same issue. The symptoms are different, but the underlying cause is the same. - Sales cycles elongating - Deal slippage - Prospects not showing up to meetings - An uptick in ghosting - Poor forecast accuracy - A drop in deal volumes - A drop in conversion rates What's actually happening out there in Buyer land? I've been delivering win-loss reviews for B2B companies around the world since 2011 and I'm seeing buyer behaviours I've never observed before... Let me break down some of them quickly for you and share some guidance on how to use these lessons to your advantage: Trend #1: Risk has jumped up the decision tree in order of importance, to the very top of the list for many clients, even more so when it's a new vendor. Action: Go deeper on risk in your discovery conversations, recognise that risk is both organisational and personal...find ways to better manage, mitigate and share risk with your clients...Be the low risk option. Trend #2: Value for Money, Responsiveness and Cost are consistently selected as the most important decision criteria by many clients. Action: Responsiveness should be an easy one to get right, but many sellers are stretched too thin right now...do less, but do it better. Trend #3: Change in Strategic Direction is the most frequently cited reason for customers coming to market for a new solution at the moment. Action: Try to reverse engineer this reason, to understanding what caused this change in direction and what it actually means for the business. These are your keys to the kingdom, when building a rock solid business case. Trend #4: Feedback from Peers and Colleagues has emerged as the most trusted information source for almost all respondents. Action: Case studies and customer references are losing their luster...find ways to tap into the trust which prospective clients have in their own peer network, as a way to unlock deeper connections and build trust. Trend #5: Customers are demanding more detail in the proposal documents, tender responses and business cases which they are receiving. Action: Put in the work, avoid the cookie-cutter responses, find your win themes and weave them in, share the detail they need to make an informed decision. I haven't got a crystal ball, so I can't tell you if/when the pendulum will swing back the other way, from a buyer behaviour perspective. What I can tell you with a high degree of certainty is that prospective customers have raised the bar, in terms of their expectations from their vendor partners. It's our job now to to elevate the preparation, patience and professionalism of B2B sellers everywhere, to meet these changing needs and maintain our relevance to the customers we serve.

Curious about how I’ve been leveraging the latest digital marketing changes to drive success for my clients?👇 As we move into 2024, I see the digital marketing landscape undergoing significant transformations. Here are some key trends that businesses need to watch out for: 1. AI-Enabled Chatbots: Having AI-enabled chatbots on websites is revolutionizing customer service. Many American companies, such as H&M and Bank of America, leverage AI like ChatGPT to provide users with a seamless experience. I recently implemented ChatGPT-based chatbots for one of my clients, resulting in a significant improvement in customer satisfaction and conversion rates by offering instant, personalized responses around the clock. 2. Voice Search Optimization: With the rise of smart speakers, optimizing for voice search is paramount. By focusing on natural language processing and long-tail keywords, I helped an e-commerce client optimize for voice search, leading to a substantial increase in voice search-driven traffic. For example, Domino's Pizza saw a 5% increase in orders through voice search optimization. 3. Personalized Marketing Strategies: Today’s consumers demand bespoke experiences. I always use data-driven insights to craft highly targeted campaigns. For instance, analyzing customer behavior for a B2B client allowed me to develop a personalized email marketing strategy that resulted in a marked increase in engagement and lead generation. Amazon's recommendation engine, which uses personalized marketing, accounts for 35% of its sales. 4. CGI Integration: CGI is becoming increasingly important in digital marketing. I have catered to numerous clients seeking high-quality CGI for their campaigns. By leveraging cutting-edge CGI technology, I help brands create visually stunning and immersive ads that captivate their audience. Companies like Audi and BMW have seen significant engagement increases by incorporating CGI in their marketing. 5. Social Commerce: Social media platforms are evolving into comprehensive shopping destinations. Features like Instagram Shops and Facebook Marketplace are pivotal in driving sales. I assisted one of my clients in setting up and optimizing their Instagram Shop, resulting in a significant increase in social media-driven sales and customer engagement. Brands like Nike and Zara have successfully utilized social commerce to boost their online sales. #DigitalMarketingTrends #MarketingInnovation #BusinessGrowth

TRENDING - The next decade of FMCG growth won’t be driven by better products alone. It will be driven by understanding consumer shifts before your competitors do. As I research the market, I’m seeing a new generation of commercial trends emerge. These aren’t just marketing buzzwords—they’re changing how brands should think about innovation, pricing, packaging, promotion and Revenue Growth Management. Here are 12 shifts every FMCG leadership team should be discussing as they build their 2027, 2028 and 2029 growth plans. 1. Snealing (Snacking + Meals) Consumers aren’t just snacking—they’re replacing meals. The opportunity is to win more eating occasions. 2. Proteinification Protein is moving into almost every category. The question becomes: Which products can successfully command a premium? 3. GLP-1 Shopping Changing eating habits may reshape pack sizes, pricing, merchandising and portfolio strategy. 4. Premiumization vs. Value Polarization Consumers increasingly trade up where they see value and trade down where they don’t. 5. Functional Foods Everywhere Health benefits are becoming purchase drivers, not just product attributes. 6. The Death of Traditional Grocery Categories Consumers don’t shop by aisle anymore. They shop by occasion. 7. AI-Designed Products AI can generate ideas at incredible speed. The competitive advantage comes from validating those ideas with consumers before launch. 8. Hybrid Meals The lines between snacks, beverages, meals and desserts continue to blur. 9. Convenience Inflation Consumers increasingly pay for time-saving solutions—but where is the willingness-to-pay limit? 10. Retail Media’s Next Evolution Retail media is becoming a commercial intelligence engine, influencing assortment, pricing and promotions—not just advertising. 11. The End of “One National Price” Regional pricing, local demand and direct-to-consumer channels are making pricing strategies far more dynamic. 12. Micro Innovation Winning brands aren’t always making bigger bets. They’re making smarter, faster, lower-risk decisions and learning continuously. What connects every one of these trends? Each creates new questions: * What will consumers actually buy? * What claims matter most? * Which pack size wins? * How much more will they pay? * Which innovations deserve investment? * Which ideas should be killed before launch? Those are exactly the questions Rapid Conjoint is built to answer. The brands that lead 2027, 2028 and 2029 won’t simply react to these shifts. They’ll measure them, quantify them, and turn them into competitive advantage before everyone else. Over the coming months, I’ll be diving deeper into each of these trends and exploring what they mean for commercial strategy, innovation, Revenue Growth Management, pricing and consumer insights. Which trend do you think will have the biggest impact on the FMCG industry? #FMCG #CPG #ConsumerTrends #RevenueGrowthManagement #RGM #ConsumerInsights #PricingStrategy #Innovation #RapidConjoint #RetailMedia #Packaging #AI #GrowthStrategy #Marketing #CommercialStrategy #CategoryManagement

🗣️ "Should we launch our product in Spanish or English for the US Hispanic market?" 👀 After helping launching 10+ tech products in this market, here's what the data actually shows: 📱 Language Preferences by Generation: 👨 👩 Gen Z & Millennials: ▶ 76% prefer English for tech products ▶ BUT 82% want customer support in both languages ▶ 91% appreciate bilingual marketing 👴 👵 Gen X & Boomers: ▶ 65% prefer Spanish interfaces ▶ 89% need Spanish support ▶ 72% make purchase decisions in Spanish 🔑 Key Insights: 1️⃣ Interface ≠ "Support Your product can be in English", but support MUST be bilingual. 2️⃣ Marketing = Both Campaigns should run in both languages, with cultural nuance. 3️⃣ Documentation Hierarchy: ▶ Technical docs → English ▶ How-to guides → Both ▶ Customer support → Spanish first #HispanicMarketing #ProductStrategy #Localization #TechInclusion

We’re in a moment where the best strategies aren’t just about being creative, they’re about being smarter, faster, and more intentional than ever. At Hawke Media, we’re tracking the trends that are actually moving the needle and helping brands stay ahead of the curve, not catch up to it. Here’s what we’re seeing and where it’s all heading: 1. 𝑨𝑰-𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝑮𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑯𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 Generic segmentation is dead. Today’s consumer expects you to know where they are, what they care about, and when they want it. With AI-powered tools, we’re seeing brands drive serious ROI by tailoring offers in real time based on location, weather, and behavior. 2. 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓 Brands that integrate sustainability into their messaging and product offerings will have a competitive edge. Sustainability isn’t just a marketing angle, it’s a trust signal. And the brands that get this are already separating themselves. 3. 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍-𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑾𝒊𝒏—𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 People are craving connection again. But they also want convenience and innovation. The best approach? Experiential campaigns that blend physical and digital: pop-ups with AR components, tactile demos with QR integrations, product launches that feel like events. 4. 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔, 𝑩𝒊𝒈 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕 The influencer landscape has shifted, again. And it’s not about follower count. Micro and nano-influencers are delivering higher engagement, more trust, and better conversions. UGC is also outperforming branded content in a lot of verticals. Bottom line? The more authentic, the better. 5. 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒘 TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram are not just discovery platforms anymore. They’re the checkout line. Shoppable content, live demos, and one-click purchases are removing friction like never before. If your content doesn’t convert directly, it’s not doing enough. 6. 𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝑺𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒐𝒏 𝑬𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝑴𝑺 Everyone loves talking about new platforms, but email and SMS are quietly doing the heavy lifting. With the right segmentation, visuals, and timing, these channels are still delivering some of the highest ROI in marketing. They’re direct, they’re fast, and they work if you do them right. 7. 𝑳𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒂 𝑳𝒐𝒕 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑴𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 Retention is the name of the game. And the best brands are treating loyalty like a relationship, not a points system. Exclusive offers, curated subscription boxes, early access, and personalized perks are how you keep customers coming back. Make them feel like they’re part of something, because they are. — The brands that stay ahead are the ones that read the data, test aggressively, and never get too comfortable.

The landscape of digital marketing is rapidly changing, with 2025 poised to be a significant year. Staying ahead means not just keeping up with trends but anticipating them and adapting your strategies. Over a decade of experience navigating the intricacies of this industry has taught me one thing: brands that innovate, embrace change, and keep their audience at the center of it all thrive. Trends in digital marketing for 2025 👇 👉 AI-Driven Personalization AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore—it’s the foundation of hyper-personalized experiences. From dynamic email content to tailored ad campaigns, leveraging AI tools will be the key to creating deeper customer connections. 👉 Voice Search Optimization With the continued rise of smart assistants, voice search is becoming integral to how people find information. Optimizing for natural language queries and local intent will separate the good marketers from the great ones. 👉 Interactive & Immersive Content Think AR filters, VR experiences, and shoppable live streams. Consumers crave interactivity, and brands that offer immersive experiences will build stronger engagement and loyalty. 👉 Sustainability Messaging Gen Z and Millennials demand transparency and purpose from brands. Marketing campaigns emphasizing sustainable practices and ethical choices will resonate deeply. 👉 Creator-Led Campaigns The creator economy isn’t slowing down. Brands that partner with micro and nano-influencers will see more authentic engagement and higher ROI than traditional ads. 👉 Zero-Party Data Strategies As privacy regulations tighten, collecting zero-party data directly from customers through interactive polls, surveys, and quizzes will be critical for building trust and personalizing marketing. 👉 The Rise of Niche Communities Large platforms are fragmenting into niche communities. From Reddit forums to private Discord servers, marketers must learn to engage in these micro-ecosystems authentically. 👉 Programmatic Advertising Evolution Automation in ad buying is getting smarter. With AI-enhanced programmatic platforms, advertisers can optimize campaigns in real-time, ensuring higher precision and better ROI. 👉 Social Commerce Boom Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest are intensifying their e-commerce features, leading to a blurring of the boundaries between social media and shopping. Shoppable posts and live shopping will become even more impactful. 👉 Video SEO & Searchable Video Content As search engines get better at indexing video content, optimizing video for search (keywords, transcripts, thumbnails) will become a game-changer for discoverability. 2025 is the year of smarter, more human-centric marketing. Success lies in staying agile, embracing innovation, and keeping the customer at the heart of everything you do. Which of these trends do you think will have the biggest impact? Follow #socialJJ for more marketing posts. #digitalmarketing

Recent headlines suggest CRM is disappearing. But what does that really mean? A good week-end reflection. Over the past year, vendors like Salesforce, Microsoft, and HubSpot have begun embedding AI directly into collaboration tools employees use (Slack, Teams, or email). Users no longer need to open the CRM. This is supposed to make traditional CRM interfaces obsolete. Some recent examples: - Salesforce: AI in Slack allows users to query customer data, update opportunities, and generate summaries directly within conversations. - Microsoft Dynamics 365: Integration with Teams and Microsoft Copilot captures meeting notes and updates CRM records automatically. - HubSpot: Emails and meeting transcripts are logged automatically, keeping CRM records up to date in the background. Consulting and analyst perspectives reinforce this trend. McKinsey and Accenture call it “workflow-embedded AI”: Insights and actions happen inside the tools employees already use. What this looks like: Traditional CRM: User → opens CRM → updates record → continues work AI-embedded CRM: User → works in Slack / Teams / email → AI updates CRM automatically The CRM remains the system of record. But its interface gradually disappears from daily work. How I see it: 1. This is more than a usability improvement. It is a platform competition between collaboration platforms (Slack, Teams), AI assistants, and CRM platforms. Whoever wins may control the enterprise customer ecosystem. 2. This all makes sense. People spend most of their day in collaboration tools and communication platforms, not inside CRM systems. Adoption may finally improve if users no longer feel like they are feeding a system. 3. Customer processes may become less transparent: If interactions happen primarily through AI agents and collaboration tools, visibility into the sales process may become harder. Organizations need even stronger discipline around data quality, data models, governance, and AI supervision Executive takeaways: 1. CRM interfaces may become less visible, but architecture, data quality, and governance are more critical than ever. 2. Executives should evaluate collaboration platforms as part of their CRM and AI architecture strategy. Not as standalone tools. 3. Organizations must remain cautious about overdependence on AI and collaboration ecosystems, to avoid new forms of vendor lock-in. #CRM #salesforce #AI

TikTok dropped its 2026 predictions. If you work in social or create content, here are 3 things worth paying attention to. Trend 1: Reali-Tea. Audiences want honest, unfiltered, behind-the-scenes content. Polished still works, but connection matters more than production value now. Brands sharing learning moments, experiments, and real stories. They're building actual trust. Trend 2: Curiosity Detours. Curiosity is the new currency. Platforms are rewarding content that helps people explore new interests and niche communities. Stop trying to appeal to everyone and speak directly to your specific audience using their language, their references, and their real problems. Trend 3: Emotional ROI is everything. People buy, follow, and engage based on meaning and belonging, not just price or features. The question is why does this matter to me? 2026 is all about how people want to feel. Connection is outperforming perfection. The brands that get it will grow the fastest. If you're planning your next content sprint, save this for later. 

African Culture Is Exploding and It’s Creating One of the Biggest Untapped Food & Beverage Opportunities I’ve been saying this privately for years, but it’s finally becoming mainstream news: African culture isn’t “coming.” It’s here! In 2023, Burna Boy sold out the London Stadium the first African artist in history to do so. That same night, Beyoncé was performing across town. Two icons. Two stadiums. One message: Africa is no longer on the periphery of culture. The Grocer just reported a major surge in British shoppers looking for West African foods. For me someone who grew up in South London surrounded by jollof pots, suya smoke, puff-puff after church, none of this is surprising. The biggest untapped opportunity in UK consumer goods right now is African food & beverage. The Pattern Is Clear: Every Global Cuisine Breaks Through the Same Way Culture → Curiosity → Street Food → Restaurants → CPG → Category Leader Korea did it. Japan did it. Mexico did it. The Middle East did it. Now it’s West Africa’s turn. The difference this time? The cultural wave is faster, the diaspora is younger, and the gap between cultural relevance and supermarket presence is the widest I’ve ever seen. A Huge, Underserved Market Hiding in Plain Sight The UK’s African community is not small: ✅ 1.5 million Black African people ✅ 250k mixed Black African ✅ Together, similar in size to the British Indian population And the wider market is curious: ✅ 65% of Brits say they’d try West African food ✅ 57% have never had the opportunity The demand is there. As someone who builds CPG brands, I see this gap every day: ✅ High cultural momentum ✅ High consumer curiosity ✅ Low shelf presence ✅ No dominant brands This combination does not come around often. When it does, it creates category-defining winners. The Signals Are Everywhere, the Industry Is Waking Up 1. The Grocer Confirms Rising Interest in African Frozen Foods 2. UK Retailers Expanding African SKUs 3. Michelin Stars Leading the Way 4. Festivals, Street Food & Gen Z 5. Diaspora Convenience Demand This is the “Itsu moment” for African cuisine. Add the demographic reality, by 2050, 1 in 10 children globally will be African and you start to see how big this really is. This isn’t a wave. African culture is global culture. When culture moves, consumer behaviour follows. When behaviour shifts, categories transform. And the runway ahead is long, wide, and wide open.