As true digital natives, millennials are far more open to experimenting with the new technologies of content marketing and it will be their enthusiasm or lack thereof that may determine the tide. This is especially important because, from a psychographic standpoint, the adoption of a technology or social network by the millennial generation is immediately labeled as “trending” but more importantly synonymous with “popular, cool, young, fresh.” Regardless of any age-gap, there is a significant portion of the world that not only wants to relive its youth but also envies it. What better way to do that than to partake in activities signed off on by the generation that leads the pack.

Early adopters and influencers will determine which emerging tactics stick and which fade out. This is why content marketing will encounter five trends in 2017.

Virtual Reality

At GITEX 2016, we executed a Virtual Reality project for ASUS, which aimed to demonstrate the gaming processing power of their systems. Needless to say, it was a thriving success, primarily for standing out from the remaining activation’s around our stall but also for managing to match the expectation-experience of the participants when it came to VR. This clutter shattering alternative to Augmented Reality immerses participants in the world within which their eyeballs are meant to perceive. The brain’s neocortex is plunged deep into an ocean of visual emotions, highs, and lows. The memorability factor, an experience tied to the brand, is not only taxing to express but it’s also a cherished memory.

Consumer electronics companies around the world are investing in VR, with functionality trumping brand, and headset options being available in a range of prices. Your brand will need to be present in this one to one eyeball space, developing VR content and events.

Invisible, a new VR series from Bourne Identity director Doug Liman, is gaining wider distribution. In sports, Fox Sports and LiveLike VR will start broadcasting 20 highlights from Super Bowl LI in virtual reality through the Fox Sports VR app.

Entertainment

As options for places to hang out have expanded, movie theaters and cinema’s have lost their footing with the millennial generation. To bring this back, some theaters have inked deals with the likes of Netflix in which original films from the producer are shown in theaters the same day they are released online, if not earlier. The social viewing experience of the cinema just cannot be replicated even with the best surround sound in home experience, a fact given the throngs showing up for the theater Netflix experience. Content marketing for movies is usually Hero Based, but how will companies switch with TV shows that have movie production quality episodes like Westworld. ABC’s forthcoming “Marvel’s The Inhumans” will premiere with IMAX theaters worldwide before debuting on digital TV, another tactic for bringing not just the footfall back but also introducing a new, mass-social collective experience in watching TV shows. How will your content marketing team partake in this alternative experience?

Health

As Innovation Protocol’s founder has repeatedly said, brands need to create a voice that matches what their customers want to believe in and want themselves to be. With the way it executes content marketing, buyers of Nike products feel like athletes even if they may well not be. Apple users feel creative because of what their minds have been brainwashed to self-imagine and what others may perceive. In knowing this, consumer beverage brands may want to borrow some brand equity from eastern wellness philosophies and launch detox soul cleansing products with packaging that is Instagram-able. In doing so, allow consumers to feel like they are taking part in a higher life experience but also participants in an active lifestyle.

Sports

It’s revenge of the nerds with eGaming taking on the world of video consumption. From YouTube to live events, digital content is being consumed in the billions for watching other people play video games. You read that correctly. Advertisers have the opportunity for first mover advantage in the Middle East, to be seen as the brands that support eGaming and resonate their brand messaging to the energy, drive, focus, passion and dedicated synchronized with eGaming. Consider that Blizzard’s new Overwatch League is on the verge of landing a TV deal. Will you brand be the first “partner” beverage that the players start and end a match with? In doing so, it would become a staple must have for the remaining 100 million players the world over to also down the same drink before and after a match. Consider that the game is played every day. Do the math. With city based teams of eGaming across over 100 game options, some violent some light, taking over the viewing sphere, content marketers will need to embrace platform and community building tactics to stay relevant.

If your mass market product is intent of becoming a brand, it will need to tap across a segmentation system of mindsets including digital (behavior), early adopter (psychographic) and millennial (demographic).

It’s time to step up your content marketing game.