No industry can afford to stand still and future advertising trends were hotly debated at Advertising Week Europe.

Here are my top three ones to watch:

#1 Advertisers collaborate with musicians

Music is often at the end of a long line of considerations for agencies and their clients when developing a new TV or video campaign. But it’s becoming harder to make an impact with a catchy jingle.

Spotify highlighted how the tables are starting to turn. More musicians market themselves just like a brand, as they look to better monetise their work. The rewards for brands and musicians who collaborate can’t be denied – the use of music in marketing can drive up to 30% better performance for brands.

With more artists inclined to view an advertising campaign as just another way to sell their work, agencies will be looking at how they can jump on this opportunity to create deeper connections with audiences through lyrics that tell a story or a riff that stirs emotions.

#2 Storytelling

As far as our advertising trends go, storytelling is less of ‘one to watch’ and more of ‘one to act on now’.

For some time we’ve been talking to our clients about the power of storytelling and it’s made its way through some of our latest campaigns from GH Sheldon’s telling the story of its family heritage on its packs to Sharps new flagship store design which takes shoppers on a journey through the story of its brand values.

Storytelling is as valuable in advertising as it is in many other areas of our lives. Stories are the reason we can’t put down a book or stay up late to finish a box set. They engage and motivate more than most other methods of communication.

Of course brands shouldn’t focus on any old story. They need to look to their DNA, their values and objectives to find a story to tell that evokes their core brand.

#3 Creativity in out of home advertising (OOH)

New technology has made OOH one of the most creative spaces we have to work with in the world of advertising. The number of screens is expected to increase significantly and forecasts by the Advertising Association predict spend to grow nearly 5% this year alone.

Amplification of an OOH campaign requires integration. Applying it alongside mobile and social is one way to deliver impact and engage audiences. The Share a Coke campaign in Times Square is one example of expert execution. The billboard featured fun facts about the first names of consumers who had tweeted to the sign. A webcam snapped an image, which was tweeted back to the consumer, encouraging more shares.

It’s a given that to unlock the true potential of OOH, advertisers must keep on top of the pace of change, but creativity should also be a key consideration. The best campaigns will be those that balance creative concepts with understanding of the medium. What does OOH mean for your specific advert, how can time, place and location come together to deliver the best results?

To talk to us about how we could help you with your next advertising campaign, please get in touch

Dorina, D’Ambrosio, Creative Director, The Behaviours Agency