The House of Marketing is the proud organizer of the Yearly Marketing Survey. This year’s edition has been organized with the support of Sortlist and Bloovi. Over the years, this survey has become the reference in the marketing community and a source of inspiration for many marketers.
Bloovi is proud to be a part of the Yearly Marketing Survey. In this interview, founder Marnik D’Hoore shares his thoughts and findings.
WHAT ARE FOR YOU THE KEY TAKEAWAYS OF THIS EDITION OF THE YEARLY MARKETING SURVEY?
Marnik D’Hoore: These results make me feel very optimistic about the future of marketing. First of all, new technologies are being adopted far faster than ever before. Think about the marketing tools that were only just being acknowledged two years ago. Such as ‘marketing automation’, which is not just a buzzword any more. Customer data is finally being managed and used appropriately.
Second, customer-centricity is growing. I’m happy to see that marketers are starting to realize the importance of building long- term relationships, by putting customers first throughout the customer journey. And last but not least: companies are making smart investments to stay ahead of their competition. Such as attracting new talent and how they are increasing their ad spend.
DO YOU THINK THE RESULTS WILL IMPACT YOUR INDUSTRY? IF SO, IN WHAT WAY?
Marnik D.: Ad blockers are the first thing that comes to mind. This phenomenon has become very popular over the past couple of years. There’s nothing unusual about that. Ad blockers are a problem many advertisers and media companies are facing. But here’s the thing: they’re not actually a problem. The company is, at least it is if it’s holding on to an outdated business model. It demonstrates a lack of creativity.
HOW WILL TECHNOLOGY AND MARKETING AUTOMATION IMPACT OUR LIVES, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?
Marnik D.: I’ve been active in the Internet business since 1998. So I think it’s safe to say I’ve seen many evolutions take place over that time. I’ve seen marketing from all sides and angles, like the way direct marketing became democratized and eventually replaced by e-mail marketing. Or the way Google changed the advertising landscape with its AdWords approach. I’ve also seen the rise of social communication sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. And all of a sudden, companies and their sales and marketing departments were no longer in the driver’s seat. Marketing has become a whole new ball game. Throughout this evolution, numerous marketing tools have been introduced, enabling marketers to gather data from users and customers and to make communication more measurable. I believe this evolution is good news for marketers, companies and consumers, who will finally get the chance to enjoy personalized targeting. Advertising will be a lot less annoying to the reader. And with automated ads, marketers can target specific users at the right time and at the right place. If we manage to do all of this in a sustainable manner, I can guarantee you it will not only warm the cockles of my marketing heart, but also the cockles of my human heart.
