The media landscape shifts faster than a viral TikTok trend, but some trends have staying power. These entertainment trends to watch have the potential to shape how consumers perceive and interact with their favorite media.
Gen Z is flocking to short-form video content platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Music-streaming platforms have a strong hold on younger audiences, and esports is attracting attention from a diverse audience.
Immersive Virtual Experiences
Immersive virtual experiences allow users to immerse themselves in a world that replicates reality. This technology uses virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, and mobile apps to transform digital content into interactive experiences. It’s a powerful tool that’s being used across a variety of industries to help people learn and explore new environments. Its benefits include increased engagement and the ability to create a sense of presence in a virtual environment.
VR applications can be a great way to connect with customers and increase sales. For example, a company could create an immersive virtual tour of its facility to give potential clients a better understanding of what it offers. In addition, VR can be used to train employees for real-world situations. This can help reduce employee turnover and improve customer service.
The VR market has been growing exponentially. In the future, it will likely continue to expand into more industries. Moreover, immersive technology can help brands stand out from competitors by creating unique user experiences. It can also provide a more comprehensive understanding of complex products and services. Moreover, it can help businesses grow their consumer base and improve brand loyalty.
Immersive experience can be categorized into three different types: sensory-motoric immersion, cognitive immersion, and emotional immersion. Sensory-motoric immersion occurs when the game elicits a physical response in the player, such as a feeling of weightlessness or motion. Cognitive immersion involves a complete mental immersion in the simulated world. Finally, emotional immersion occurs when the simulated world causes a positive emotion, such as fear or joy.
There are many ways to use immersive experience in a business, from marketing to training. For example, Adidas is using VR to prepare its employees for Black Friday sales. The company is also using augmented reality (AR) to demonstrate product features and benefits to customers.
Moreover, immersive technology is being used in the automotive industry and architecture. It can be used to create virtual tours of buildings before they’re built. It can also be used to simulate a disaster situation or a fire drill in an office.
Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms have transformed the way billions of people communicate and engage with each other online. They allow for community building and sharing of important information, but they’ve also been criticized for damaging adolescents’ mental health, spreading misinformation, and providing an opportunity for child sexual abuse and exploitation. Regardless of their critics, they remain one of the most popular and influential ways for people to connect with each other and build brands.
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp are the top four most used social media networks worldwide. Facebook’s popularity may have suffered from its privacy scandal and political censorship in recent years, but it remains a vital marketing tool for businesses and creators to reach consumers across the globe.
Almost half of US adults get their news from social media, but only 22% get it directly from websites or apps. With more than 5 billion social media users around the world spending an average of over two hours a day on these platforms, it’s no surprise that this is a crucial market for companies to tap into.
YouTube is the second most popular platform, with over 2.49 billion monthly active users (MAU). It’s a key hub for video content and a great platform for brands to promote their products. Australian clothing brand Bassike, for example, regularly features their products on the platform in ecommerce posts that include links to buy them.
TikTok, owned by ByteDance, is the fastest-growing social network, with over 1.56 billion MAU. It’s a great option for brands looking to engage with younger audiences around the world, and is often used for storytelling.
Other popular social media platforms include Twitter (now X), Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky, which are designed to provide social networking without corporate control. These decentralized options are an appealing choice for users concerned with internet privacy and security, as they offer more autonomy over user data and interactions.
Gaming
Gaming is a popular form of entertainment that appeals to a wide range of audiences and demographics. It has risen to become one of the most profitable sectors in the entertainment industry, generating more revenue than movies and music. With new innovations in technology, gaming is expanding its horizons and becoming more immersive than ever before. From esports to social interaction, gaming is having a massive cultural impact worldwide.
While the gaming industry continues to grow, it’s not without challenges. The popularity of gaming has led to concerns about its effect on health and society. This includes repetitive stress injuries, addiction, and social distancing. These issues have prompted game developers to implement features that promote healthy gameplay and positive social interactions.
The growing complexity of video games has also introduced challenges to the business model. While gaming has become a global phenomenon, many companies struggle to compete with large publishers and major retail chains. Consequently, the industry is seeing a rise in free-to-play (F2P) titles that offer players access to content without paying for it. These games are typically supported by microtransactions or other forms of monetization.
Another emerging trend is the shift from console to PC gaming. While console games are primarily developed on dedicated hardware, PC gaming is more flexible and supports a variety of platforms. It has become more popular as high-performance computers have decreased in price and became more accessible. As a result, many gamers have switched from consoles to PCs and are using platforms such as Valve’s Steam and Epic’s storefronts to shop for games.
With the barriers between consoles and platforms becoming softer, gamers can expect more cross platform gaming in 2024. Already, major studios are releasing games across multiple platforms. For example, Playstation is bringing its flagship PS4 games to PC through its Playstation Plus service, while Xbox is making its titles compatible with older consoles and desktops through its Project Scorpio and Xbox Play Anywhere initiatives. This gaming trend is also accelerating as the release of 5G and cloud computing technologies make it possible for game consoles to stream games from data centers instead of local servers, reducing the need for powerful hardware.
Esports
Esports are a fast-growing area of the gaming industry with dedicated fans and an engaging ecosystem. While it may not have the scale of traditional sports, its concentration of young, engaged fans makes it an important trend to watch for marketers.
The esports industry consists of multiple components including video games that are played competitively, leagues and tournaments that organize these competitions, digital platforms such as Twitch that broadcast the events, and specialised media that cover news and trends within the space. In addition, a number of brands that sponsor teams and players are active in the market.
eSports has gained popularity due to technological advancements and rising investments globally. Its audience reach has also expanded with increasing internet connectivity across the globe, allowing for multiplayer online gaming and creating a world where gamers can compete in live tournaments.
While esports has grown in popularity, there are some social and economic issues that need to be addressed. For example, esports betting is a growing trend that comes with serious risks for some viewers. NBC News’ Erin McLaughlin recently shared the story of a 28-year-old man who developed gambling problems and ended up in debt after placing bets on his favorite video game. While he was able to overcome his addiction, this is not an uncommon occurrence.
Another concern is the sponsorship of esports competitors by companies such as energy drinks. Popular streamers often promote these products on their streams and social media accounts. This can influence the consumption habits of children and young people who might be unaware of the potentially harmful effects of too much caffeine.
Despite the challenges, esports is still one of the fastest-growing entertainment sectors. It’s a unique opportunity for brands to reach younger audiences and create engaging content that will keep them coming back for more. However, the smartest strategies don’t chase hype and instead focus on what’s working today: authentic creator partnerships and mobile-first engagement. Pinar (Pia) Arslan is the Digital Marketing Manager at Gameplan. She blends her professional expertise with her passion for gaming to drive growth for clients in the esports, influencer, and gaming sectors. She has a Master’s degree in Sociology from Yeditepe University, where she studied gamer behavior and community dynamics with a dramaturgical and Goffmanian lens.
