McCann EMEA: Let's End Reality TV & Be Transparent

I don’t think I’m the only one that lookied forward to wrapping up 2016 and starting a squeaky clean, brand new 2017. The interesting thing about next year is going to be the outcome of all the things that happened this year and how they are going to influence our industry. Trust and hope have been challenged, technology from the future is finally here, data is everywhere and our business is… well, evolving. So, with all that considered, these are the things I see happening next year: 

Enough about you, let’s talk about something else. 

Over the last five years we’ve been watching beautifully shot true stories of real people’s interactions with every single brand on earth. I can’t see how the avalanche of three minute testimonials are going to stick around much longer. In the middle of grim news and uncertainty about the future, people want to be entertained. Television is going through a golden era of scripted series after the dark ages of reality TV. 

Forward to the craft.

The shift out of the nimble documentary style into storytelling will be implicitly linked to focus on production values. Having said that, as much as history repeats itself, trends move forward and whoever believes that we’re going to go “back to the craft” is in for an interesting ride. The new craft is a lot more nimble, less about the one single shinny piece and more about the campaign – a collaborative effort rather than an individual thing. 

VR/AR everywhere.

It’s finally easy and affordable so everybody is playing with it. I’m not just talking about the individual glasses experience. The tech side has been figured out, the doors to different sides of storytelling have been opened and I’m sure we’re going to see great things next year. Another category at Cannes? Will the statue be designed with the Lion wearing Google Cardboard?

Words instead of images.

Amazon’s Echo, Google Home, Siri, Cortana… they are increasingly becoming part of our lives. Artificial intelligence, data and voice-activated devices will change how brands engage with consumers. It’s going to be a race to make apps for those devices. I’m fascinated to see how we’re going to reconcile a visual driven business with a non-visual, voice triggered action. “Alexa, get me an Uber” will be the challenge for all other companies within the category. I expect the same will happen across the shopping basket as well.

The internet of things is finally here.

We’ve been hearing that a lot over the last… decade. So I’m just going to include it because we’re getting there. Slowly.

Trust me.

Ever since Trump and Brexit there’s been the feeling of not knowing who to trust. Next year is going to be critical for platforms like Facebook and Google, as well as brands. People want to know what the truth is and they’re going to be looking at everything with a microscope. I do believe that it will push creativity out of the comfort zone of empty claims and beautiful visuals, towards more direct and conceptual work. I just hope we don’t end up in demo-land.

The model is there is no model.

Clients are getting tired of dealing with the limitations of the status quo and are engaging with the companies that they seem fit for their brand, without looking at the label. Production companies engaging directly with brands, media agencies doing production, clients building in-house studios, publishers doing creativity and production etc. The lack of a model across the industry will be the model next year.

Creativity is the only way to survive.

Not just in the work, also how we look at our industry and the way we live our lives. I don’t think this one requires much explanation. 

I’m sure we will see new platforms that will come and go, memes that we’ll all embrace, and work we’ll celebrate. I am keeping an eye on the numerous recipe videos that are being produced and wondering how much longer it’s going to take to reach the end of that side of the internet.