Branded contentĮngaging with consumers through content creation will be another growing opportunity for brands in 2014. In 2014 companies will need to understand their role in this powerful movement. For instance, Airbnb has topped 10 million guest stays since launch and now has 550,000 properties listed worldwide. The phenomenon of consumers co-creating content and products, sharing ideas and resources with each other is on ascend. Open, collaborative economy will create a real disruption for businesses. This will start an era when we no longer search for things, but they search for us and location-based marketing becomes ubiquitous. Imagine smart objects surrounding us in smart homes, offices and streets everyday objects and appliances that can monitor their environment, report their status, receive instructions, and even take action based on the information they receive from our PCs, smartphones, and tablets. Business Intelligence forecasts the number of IoT enabled objects to go from just under 1.85bn in 2013 to over 2.5bn in 2014 and 9bn in 2018 when they will account for half of all internet enabled devices. The Internet of Things and all of the devices associated with it are set to explode in 2014. And marketers need to be prepared for the always-on consumer. But not only mobile devices will surpass desktops in terms of traffic, they will excel them in enabling people do so much more on the internet: anytime, anywhere. John Lewis is predicting that 2013 will see the UK's first 'mobile Christmas' with traffic from mobile phones and tablets overtaking that from desktops for the first time on Christmas Day. It is no secret that we are deserting desktops for tablets and smartphones, and following tablet gifting bonanza this Christmas, mobile traffic is set to overtake desktop in early 2014.

Mobile devices will not ONLY 'replace' desktops

Mobile ad spend is expected to nearly double again in 2014 to almost £2.26 billion (32% of total digital). UK mobile ad spend is expected to pass the £1bn mark in 2013, according to eMarketer, reaching £1.2bn (19% of total digital) - a 126.1% YoY growth.

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