When times get hard and budgets get tight, above the line ad spend in particular should be the first area to cut, as it is expensive and can potentially be difficult to measure and prove the return on investment. Next comes print and mailings - especially when looking at response rates against the cost of production and distribution. Then there's the pressure of the ‘environmental cost’ that the print sector faces.

Digital marketing spend however, is where the wise money is being spent - precisely because it is both measurable and can demonstrate outstanding ROI.

We now live in a new era where the target audience wants great content and brand message (value) delivered to them on demand and on their terms.  The “hope we find them” traditional models just won’t work. What will work is a personal brand message delivered to them where, how, and when they want it.  In the digital age, this means using online video, social networking, great content and the like to get the customer what they want at their time of want or need.

Trends to Watch during 2009

Below are the trends that I think we should look out for. It’ll be fun to look back at the end of 2009 and see how this year has shaped up.

• Advertisers will turn to “measurability” and “differentiation” in the recession
• Search will now be immune to the impact of the economy
• Social Influence Marketing will go mainstream
• This year mobile will get smarter
• Research and measurement will enter the digital age
• Web TV / Video will become the primary medium for commercial communication