The Industry’s Future, According to European Marketing Students

May 24, 2013

This article is included in these additional categories:

Europe & Middle East | PR | Social Media | Television | Youth & Gen X

MediaSchoolGroup-Marketing-Industry-Future-May2013The next generation of marketers and advertisers have some strong opinions on where their industry is headed, according to results from a report by the MediaSchool Group. Based on a survey of more than 2,000 students aged 20-25 studying advertising, marketing communications, design, PR and events, the study finds that 70% believe that in 10 years, the marketing landscape will be “dominated” by content marketing and “PR thinking.” At that time, advertising’s job will be mostly to “entertain” rather than “sell,” according to 7 in 10. Recent survey results indicate that American consumers already believe that should be the case.

The European students almost universally see the importance of social media as an integrated marketing channel: 90% feel that it’s a channel that should be used by all practitioners, rather than a stand-alone discipline. As a result, 85% believe that in the next 10 years, social media and digital agencies will be integrated with other marketing communications agencies or be full-service agencies themselves.

In an industry where entertaining is more important than selling, 81% either agreed or strongly agreed that content marketing – where brands become publishers and creators of their own content – would be an essential part of their job 10 years from now. Meanwhile, “PR Thinking,” where word-of-mouth creation and trust in brands are paramount, will be similarly important, according to the students, with 70% believing that will be the primary way in which agencies respond to briefs.

And in a nod to TV, an excellent medium for story-telling, 70% disagreed or strongly disagreed that TV advertising would be irrelevant in 10 years.

Other Findings:

  • 70% agreed or strongly agreed that they are not digital natives. Instead, they believe that the generation a decade younger than them are the “true digital natives.”
  • More than 3 in 4 believe that Facebook is the most important social media platform a brand can use to communicate with them.
  • Only 4 in 10 agree that Twitter is not an advertising medium.
  • 86% said the agency they would like to work for would have to be as much about the creation of social good as about creating profit for brands.

About the Data: The students questioned hail from the UK, France, Spain, and Belgium

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