Ten Key Trends to Watch in 2018

We’re well into the new year. But that doesn’t stop us from looking forward. What are the some of the hottest trends that will emerge in 2018? Here we’ll be looking at some of the key trends in advertising that will make this year one to remember.

1. Cloud-based ERP. Enterprise Resource Planning software is crucial to your agency’s success. More and more creative groups are turning to cloud-based solutions, which promise easier upgrades and consistent remote service.
2. Structured Archiving. Your agency needs structured archiving. Commerce relies upon it. Last year the structured archival industry was worth $287 million and growing at a rate of 10%.^[1] We should only expect that number to grow in 2018.
3. Agility. The Agility Era is Forbes’s term for the current ad agency paradigm. Now more than ever agencies are called upon to ditch Agency-of-Record relationships for flexible, project-based engagements. We should only expect to see this increase this year.
4. Project Management. Agencies are becoming more agile. Because of this focus on flexibility, the importance of project managers will continue to increase. Because of this trend, project managers need customized ERP solutions.
5. Blockchain. Digital currency is hear to stay. And, while we won’t see a wholesale adoption of it this year, its impact will only increase. Successful agencies will be those who take notice and follow suit.
6. Digital Transformation. Like the rest of the world, agencies are becoming more and more digital. We’ll see only more in the way of digital trends like AI, IoT, could solutions, and retailers’ expansion into tech  ^[2]. These trends will have profound effects on the ways audiences will be engaged.
7. The ‘90s. As many look forward, others look back. Agencies are taking note of the return of shows like Roseanne or Full House. Clearly, those of us who grew up in the ‘90s have grown nostalgic. These trends should only grow stronger in 2018.
8. Glocal. Advertising continues to embrace mixes of international and local. Boutique beer brands are an example of this: highly “local” but often appealing to globally refined tastes.
9. Getting Political. Remember the embarrassment that was Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi commercial? ^[3] Even though it failed, we should take this as a sign of things come. 2018 will see more politics in advertising.
10. Self-care. Agencies know that care of the self is not only a part of appealing to clients and audiences. It’s also important for us to live it. Take, for instance, Bizjournals’ 2017 CFO of the year Virginia Hines, who starts her day by simply being present with her family