Looking back on a successful week, we took to the virtual stage, running a post-Cannes webinar with exclusive interviews from TikTok, Google, Snap Inc. and The Marketing Society. This reflection session covers everything from privacy and augmented reality to authenticity and CTV, buzzwords that flooded the boardwalk at Cannes 2022

Hosted by Michael Ossendrijver, Incubeta’s CEO EMEA, and Jessica Jacobs, Incubeta’s Global Director, Partnerships & Growth we were joined by Jyri Kidwell, Head of Creative and Creator Partnerships at Tiktok, Paul Limbrey Managing Director of Global Client & Agency Solutions at Google, Gemma Greaves, Co-founder at Nurture and Cabal, and Fintan Gillespie, Head of UK Enterprise Business Solutions at Snap Inc.

Access On-Demand Recording Here

Fintan; The Power of Augmented Reality

Launching in 2011, Snap Inc. (SnapChat) was the first platform of its kind to use the camera as a method of communication, offering a new way to converse that was more visual, more engaging, and more opportunistic. Using the camera as a primary communication avenue allowed Snap Inc. to tap into the concept of Augmented Reality (AR), making it a core element of the way users interact with their platform, and revolutionizing the way brands advertise. Consumers use AR everyday, with over 250 million interacting with SnapChat’s AR features on a daily basis. This offers a unique opportunity for retailers, who can use AR to drive more personalized experiences for their customers – simplifying their path to purchase and driving performance for their brand. The power of AR allows consumers to access the level of engagement that physical experiences offer – virtually trying on shoes, makeup, accessories and clothes through the camera lens. And we’ve barely scratched the surface.

The future is very much now, and while the industry hasn’t fully absorbed what AR can mean for business transformation, we’re moving towards a completely revolutionized way of shopping. This was demonstrated at Cannes, with snap collaborating with vogue to bring luxury fashion to life in their exhibition, redefining the body.

Paul; Stacking Technologies & Getting Back to Basics

When you think about the Cannes 2022 theme, ‘Moments That Moved The World’, it’s hard to imagine, from a data and technological standpoint, just a single moment. It’s easier to consider it in terms of a number of ‘consecutive moments’ that have stacked on top of each other to build the world we live in. As an industry, we’ve been on a journey for a number of years, stacking technologies on top of technologies, allowing us to process large volumes of information and achieve amazing things. Multiple devices, multiple touchpoints, multiple innovations and multiple moments.

As technology changes, the way consumers interact with sight, sounds and motion also changes. And whether they’re searching for something, or completely oblivious to what they want, technologies have helped us access consumers in every way possible – reaching them at all stages of their journey. We just need to go back to the basics, taking the time to build out sophisticated infrastructures and core foundations to connect with consumers when it matters most. 

Jyri Kidwell; A Trust Fall into Authenticity

When we look towards H2, and 2023, the one trend we’re going to see take hold is authenticity, or more specifically authentic marketing. Consumers know what they want, and they know what they want to see from the brands they engage with. They want more from the ads they’re served, they want to relate with the brand, and they want to experience authenticity. This shift in behavior and demand, while uncomfortable for advertisers, will give birth to a more vulnerable side of marketing as brands build deeper, more loyal connections with their consumers. 

Looking at TikTok, and its current positioning within the digital space, we can see the role that authenticity plays contributing to the platform’s success – and this will only grow in the coming year. We’ll start seeing brands embracing a new approach to TikTok – collaborating with creators and connecting with their audience on a more personal level. We’ll also see a rise in TikTok commerce as the billion use hashtag, #tiktokmademebuyit continues to trend across the digital space. 

Gemma; Unlocking the Power of People

If you bring good people together, good stuff happens. When we think about the power of marketing, it’s important to consider how it can be used for ‘good’ and to instigate change. Marketing is a powerful tool, and if you combine that with the power of people the stuff you can achieve together is unbelievable. Most humans are inherently good, and if you unlock their power, bring them together, and add the power of marketing, you will build, and grow a community that can truly give back.

When we talk about marketing for change, it’s important to consider how far the digital marketing industry has come in the last decade. Topics previously hidden behind closed doors – gender bias, mental health, D&I – are now being addressed. And while marketing effectiveness and excellence are still important topics, we’re seeing once stigmatized topics being spoken about, encouraging people to be their ‘true selves’. We’re making conversations around mental wellbeing and diversity commonplace practice – changing the way the industry thinks, acts and markets. 

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With Cannes marking the halfway point to an already busy year, we’ve turned our thoughts to the second half of the year – reflecting on our initial predictions for 2022. Take a look at our latest whitepaper where we discuss 2022 so far, how our initial predictions have held up in the first part of the year, and what’s to come in H2.

Download Whitepaper Here