Posted July 30, 2009 by Tara Durham

Has advertising gone trendy?

Advertising trends are varying every day because marketers are always in search of new and effective ways to reach their target market before the competition does.  While watching the news this morning I was shocked to see one of our so called “competitors” advertisement for a new development at Trinity River.  I began to wonder about whether the traditional forms of media were making their way back into the mainstream, and what the trends for advertising in 2009 are?  (Please see my predictions based on some research below).
In regards to Real Estate, it’s important to also note who’s doing the advertising, I found an cheeky blog that breaks down how the real estate profession is changing: http://citylakes.blogspot.com/2008/12/changing-realtor-demographics.html.  If you don’t believe that “Old-Timers” dominate the Real Estate profession you haven’t been to an MLS meeting. In a city like Dallas where the population is approximately 1.2 million and the median age is 31, these stats made me question whether television, magazine, and newspaper advertisements are effective in reaching a Realtor's target. 
Here are my predictions for the shift in advertising trends for the remainder of 2009:
1. Availability of advertising funds will be decreased and the trend will be towards online marketing.
2. Traditional media (Newspapers, Magazines, Radio) will see the most decline in advertisement spending.
3. The internet will continue to grow, but at a more conservative pace than previous years.
4. Social Networking sites will see an increase in user’s.  Websites like Facebook and Twitter will see an influx of “super account holders” who pay to advertise on your page (see  http://www.facebook.com/advertising/?src=aw05 &  http://be-a-magpie.com/twitter-advertising).
5. Paid “Reviews” and Blogger branding will become more prominent in 2009.
In my next blog I will be discussing why Realtors have to be creative (and sometimes cheesy) in order to survive this economy.  Stay posted.

• Categories:
• advertising,
• blog,
• Mass Media,
• Real Estate trends