Navigating Marketing Trends in 2024

Entrepreneurship is booming in 2024! “A projected total of 5.5 million new business applications were filed in 2023, continuing at an elevated level compared to pre-pandemic (U.S Small Business Administration, 2024).” As a business owner, it's crucial to stay ahead of the curve in marketing. But in an ever-changing environment where it feels like you need PhDs in social media, design, data science, and software engineering, it can feel impossible to keep up with the changes. This blog aims to give you a few long-term tips that have proven results in business growth. Let’s explore four ways to keep your marketing efforts relevant in 2024.

1. The Power of a Brand Identity Refresh:

Your brand is the heart and soul of your business, and it's essential to keep it relevant and appealing, but more importantly authentic. Investing in a brand identity refresh can breathe new life into your company's image. In 2023, major companies including PepsiCo, Twitter (now “X”), Burberry, Nokia, and Jell-O all initiated some impressive brand updates.

Pepsi, an iconic global brand, embarked on a significant brand identity refresh in 2023 (PepsiCo, 2023). The update included a bold typeface, a signature pulse, and an updated color palette, including the introduction of black to highlight Pepsi Zero Sugar. This transformation marked Pepsi's 125th anniversary and exemplified the brand's commitment to evolving while maintaining a connection to its rich heritage. By embracing modern elements while paying homage to its history, Pepsi demonstrated the power and relevance of a refreshed brand identity in a consumer market that demands newness.

Pepsi before and after the 2023 brand refresh and logo redesign. (Source: PepsiCo)

Similarly, Burberry, with over a century of history, recently went through a rebranding process (again) having first redesigned their logo in 2018, to now almost entirely undoing that redesign again in 2013. This change was driven by a strategic shift under a new Creative Director, Daniel Lee. Lee recognized the value of history and the brand's DNA, leading to a return to the original Burberry logo with a more modernized color palette (Burberry, 2023). This move showcased the importance of maintaining a connection with a brand's roots and heritage. By leveraging brand codes and emphasizing its English roots, Burberry successfully communicated its identity to consumers, reinforcing its timeless image.

Burberry logo before and after the 2023 logo redesign. (Source: Mumbrella)

Finally, the U.S. Army introduced a new brand that redefines what it means to "Be All You Can Be" for a new generation. This rebrand showcased a re-engineered five-point star logo, removing the box to reflect the limitless possibilities in the Army. The return of the popular "Be All You Can Be" tagline reinforced the brand's commitment to providing opportunities for youth to explore their passions and become the best versions of themselves. This transformation demonstrates the power of a refreshed brand identity that aligns with a changing audience's aspirations and values (U.S. Army, 2023).

The 2023 U.S. Army brand refresh came along with a revised campaign strategy where the campaign also implemented new photography and slogans. (Source: Siegel + Gale)

A brand update can be a polarizing topic. In a modern world where social media is the town square, people can now weigh in publicly about their opinion of a brand’s new visual identity, coupled with their critique or admiration. No matter the feedback, brands can take a page out of the celebrity handbook by approaching the conversation with the “all publicity is good publicity” mentality.

2. Embrace Data-Driven Design:

In 2024, data-driven design can be an absolute game-changer in learning about your business’s target audience and their marketing preferences. Gone are the days of shooting from the hip, trying to guess what type of content your customers want to consume. Businesses that leverage social media (Longhurst, 2023), website analytics (Scondac, 2023), or better yet, conduct their own or hire outside consultation to conduct their consumer research (Behere, 2023) have a distinct advantage over those who don’t. Businesses need to understand the needs, preferences, and pain points their consumers are having before they set out to produce any marketing collateral. Crafting a marketing strategy, ad campaign, and website that caters to these consumer insights will establish a quantifiable rubric that enables your business the measure the effectiveness of each design campaign.

Website analytics can quickly reveal the success or failure of any marking initiative and spark new conversations about areas of the business that need improvement — just like Rennacker Studio did when redesigning the Synergy West Website. (Source: Rennacker Studio)

Data-driven research and design also involves leveraging analytics to refine your marketing efforts continually. By analyzing consumer behavior and campaign performance, you can make more informed adjustments to the campaign, ensuring that your strategies remain effective and relevant.

3. Enhance Website Design and Accessibility:

Your website is often the first interaction customers have with your brand. In 2024, it's imperative to ensure it's user-friendly, appealing, responsive, and compliant with the latest accessibility regulations. Modern consumers expect personalized, seamless, omni-channel experiences (Levine, 2022), and a well-designed website is the linchpin for meeting these expectations and the hub where those omni-channel efforts should direct your audience.

Investing in responsive design means your website adapts effortlessly to various screen sizes, from smartphones to desktops. In December 2023, mobile devices generated 66.02% of global website traffic. (SimilarWeb, 2023) Additionally, 73.1% of web designers believe that a non-responsive design is the top reason why visitors leave a website (GoodFirms, 2021). ****Moreover, compliance with accessibility regulations ensures that your website is inclusive and accessible to all users, regardless of disabilities (Gokulnath, 2023).

4. Optimize SEO and Invest in SEM:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and investing in Search Engine Marketing (SEM) have been and will remain critical components of a successful online presence in 2024. However, it's equally important to discern genuine opportunities from the chaff of unsolicited emails that flood business owners' inboxes, often originating from foreign countries and making baseless claims about improving your website's SEO.

SEO and SEM are pivotal components of online visibility with distinct characteristics. SEO focuses on organic traffic, optimizing your website to appear in search results naturally. It's a long-term strategy, offering sustainable growth over time. In contrast, SEM relies on paid strategies, instantly placing your website at the forefront through methods like PPC advertising. SEM provides immediate results but comes with costs. SEO's traffic is organic, while SEM's is paid. SEO involves effort and expenses for content optimization, while SEM has direct advertising expenses. SEO's visibility endures, while SEM's is tied to ad campaigns. Balancing both strategies can yield optimal results depending on your objectives, timeline, and budget, offering sustained growth and immediate visibility in the digital marketing landscape (Dhiman, 2023).

Arete Financial and Legal Solutions needed digital SEM ads that could be promoted for tax filing season and business legal solutions. (Source: Rennacker Studio)

One of the most straightforward yet powerful elements of an SEO strategy is simple yet relevant blog writing. Regularly creating and publishing high-quality blog content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience can significantly boost your search engine rankings (Cortes, 2023). Blogs provide an avenue to incorporate relevant keywords, demonstrate industry expertise, and engage with your audience. Moreover, each new blog post presents an opportunity to attract organic traffic and earn valuable backlinks, further strengthening your website's authority. By consistently offering valuable insights and information, your blog can become a dependable source of traffic and a vital component of your SEO success.

As you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of branding and marketing in 2024, remember the power of a refreshed brand identity, data-driven design, an accessible website, and robust SEO and SEM strategies. These four pillars will not only help you stay competitive but also drive your business to new heights. Partnering with the right design, marketing, and advertising agency can be the catalyst for achieving your goals and ensuring a successful year ahead. If you’d like to discuss how Rennacker Studio can help you bring any of these strategies to life for your business, fill out the contact form below and a member of our strategy team will reach out to schedule a free consultation.