What Made 2024 Unforgettable?

2024 was the year marketing threw out the rulebook and went rogue. From the rise of Fake Out-of-Home (FOOH) advertising blending reality and imagination, to the audacious leap into emotional personalization, brands were all about shaking things up. Immersive experiences stretched beyond the usual sights and sounds, generative AI fueled both innovation and controversy, and wild, unexpected partnerships redefined what it means to go viral. Buckle up—this is the year that made us rethink everything we thought we knew.

Nobody's FOOH

People in the future (or time-travelers, natch) may look back on 2024 as the year brands embraced Fake Out-of-Home advertising which blends the real and the imagined. Cost efficient, potential for virality, and creative flexibility are all reasons that FOOH is on the rise. While innovative, some worry about brand authenticity, but there is still a trend (probably the same one every year) that tells us brands are moving towards engaging consumers in new and novel ways. Porsche and Balenciaga both exhibited interesting applications of the concept in 2024.

You Know How I Feel

The next wave of personalization technology is upon us, though nobody seems to know how to do it. It's not journey orchestration, it's emotional personalization - the dark horse of Personalization 2.0. Currently in use by only about 20% of businesses, emotional personalization is accelerating and, considering that most choices are made by emotion over logic, it is past time. By leveraging things like facial analysis and micro-expression detection, future systems could tailor content structure, substance, and delivery to a user's emotional state.

Beyond the 2 Senses

Well, here we are: It's almost 2025 and we are still only solving for two senses when we create immersive experiences: vision and hearing. Future-forward creators are leveraging new innovations to fill the gap including elements that change gravitational force, haptics that can simulate resistance, and multi-directional treadmills. Even as we take these steps towards addressing the forgotten two senses - proprioceptive and vestibular - we have yet to tackle tactility or smell in any notable fashion. Smell-o-Vision is still years away, it seems. Lame, 2025. Lame.

The Imbalancing Act 

Generative AI is here and it ain't going back in the bottle regardless of what some brands may desire. Brands are utilizing GenAI in haphazard and, IMHO, irresponsible fashions. Austen Mace, co-founder and CIO at Subvrsive, said that "While the power and promise of AI for brands to tell more stories at increased efficiency and personalization, it must be balanced with brand authenticity and safety." We're not going to solve the conundrum of authenticity today, but major brands like Apple, Google, and Microsoft all took steps to illustrate the contours of responsible usage.

Better Together (Like "a Raisin Covered in Chocolate, or a Monkey in a Cowboy Suit")

Brands are redefining partnerships by embracing bold, unexpected collaborations that break through the noise. "These pairings highlight a shift toward 'culture first'marketing, leveraging surprise and contrast to captivate modern audiences," said Subvrsive Executive Creative Director, Claudia G Aparicio Gamundi. Examples include: Liquid Death teaming up with Depend, an adult diaper brand, and Kith, a streetwear label, reimagining luxury with BMW. Crocs also dominated with odd pair collaborations including McDonald’s and Duolingo, emphasizing the power of aligning with cultural moments and values to create impactful, buzz-headline-worthy campaigns.