Not every marketing trend gets its 15 minutes of fame.

While AI’s effects on marketing got plenty of hype in 2024, there are plenty of other tools and strategies that perhaps didn’t get the same amount of attention.

That ends now. We asked several marketers what they think are the most overlooked trends in marketing today to know what other marketers might be missing. Here are some of their answers.

Experiential marketing: “Audiences will continue to seek more authentic connections with brands. As a result, successful brands will be the ones that start to invest in experiential marketing and live events. We’ve tried this approach at Duolingo this year with our first-ever Duolingo pop-up and have seen some great results.”—Manu Orssaud, CMO, Duolingo

Community and customer feedback: “CX and community management as an extension of social media is too often overlooked. Don’t get me wrong; we love to make and share organic content, but the real magic is in all the little interactions, as this is such a powerful tool to unlock advocacy. But to do it right, you have to be authentically in lockstep with your target consumer—how you speak, when to speak, a comment back, a surprise case of product. It is a lost art and requires a willingness to dedicate real resources, but the ROI is undeniable.”—Andy Judd, CMO, Poppi

Continue reading here.—KH, AM, JS, RB, JN

Since it was founded in 2020, hair-care brand K18 has always tried to “stay scrappy” in its marketing, CMO Michelle Miller told us.

Looking back, Miller said K18 “was doubling down on TikTok when none of the other hair-care brands were doing it” and has since embraced TikTok Shop and developed a deep understanding of how paid media works on the platform.

The brand, which was acquired by Unilever in 2023, has recently begun experimenting with creators and celebrities, including a two-year ambassadorship with Simone Biles announced earlier this year and some short-term partnerships with creators including the “cucumber guy” Logan Moffitt and Alix Earle.

We spoke with Miller about how experimenting with “cultural relevance,” primarily on TikTok, has helped the brand grow and sell products.

Making (split) ends meet: At K18, all social media strategy, including owned media, influencer partnerships, and community management, is done in-house, Miller said. She said she views community management, including talking to customers and creators, as the most important social tactic for the brand.

Miller said she breaks down K18’s creator strategy into three categories: pro stylists (like Alfredo Lewis and Eric Vaughn, who are two of the brand’s 15 pro-stylist influencer ambassadors), nano-creators, and who Miller described as “culturally relevant” figures.

• The first category, she said, is important for education around using the brand’s hair-care products, while the second category is for introducing the brand to newer demographics, like Gen X.

Continue reading here.—KH

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Luiz Felipe Barros is global chief marketing officer at Channel Factory, a social media video advertising company. He’s also held high-level roles at companies including AB InBev and the Latin American e-commerce site Mercado Libre.

What’s your favorite ad campaign? I’ll go with an old classic that we revived during the Covid-19 pandemic at Budweiser: “Whassup?” It’s a simple and memorable campaign that strongly links with the brand. It’s timeless and entertains people. Whassup has everything that a great ad should have.

One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile: As the father of twin boys, I care very deeply about fostering a positive impact on the larger society. Yes, I’m incredibly passionate about marketing and the career I’ve had, and the ability to take that experience and carry out campaigns that can make a positive impact for both my children and the rest of the world is incredibly meaningful.

Keep reading here.