Written by Marcela Balart

We all thought life would go return to normal post-pandemic, but it would appear ‘constant change’ is the new normal.  

With just weeks until we close the door on 2024, IMPACT CEO, Nicole Webb, sits down with Chief Operations Officer Victoria O’Neill, Strategic Communications Director Marcela Balart, and Account Director Trish McGee to reflect on the key takeouts from the year that was.  

A transforming world 

Deloitte has aptly coined the state of constant change post-pandemic the new ‘transforming world’. Whether it’s change from a technology perspective or how we communicate with each other, the team agree that change will be a dominant theme heading into 2025.  

Brands will need to consider the level of fatigue when engaging audiences, acknowledge and adapt to shifts in consumer behaviours and act with authenticity to achieve cut-through.  

Influencer marketing 

Trish discusses the key trends identified in IMPACT’s 2024 Influencer Pulse Check, including the rise of TikTok as a preferred content platform, increasing demand for User Generated Content (UGC), engaging micro-influencers. Marcela speaks to the opportunities and growing appetite for brands in the B2B space as a way to demonstrate who they are as a brand more authentically.  

The big issues 

Victoria reflects on how the cost-of-living crisis has impacted consumer choices and the approach that organisations and brands have taken when it comes to the environment.  

“Just because people have been taking a cost-conscious approach to their purchasing, it doesn’t mean that they’ve switched off their ears and their eyes to what’s happening to our environment. I actually think it’s made people more discerning. Rather than thinking less about the environment when they are making a choice, they are actually applying a much richer lens to what they think of when they think of sustainability than they perhaps were before,” she said.  

2024 was also a rocky year for diversity. However, for 2025 to be a success, organisations need to re-prioritise it, particularly if they want to drive innovation and build resilience among a multi-generational workforce.  

The power of message and its delivery 

The ever-evolving digital landscape has touched every facet of business and the platforms used to connect with customers. 

Trish, Marcela and Victoria discuss the relevance of affiliate PR and SEO, the tricky business of backlinks and, of course, living in the AI generation.  

However, in an industry steeped in understanding language, words have never been more important.  

Victoria says brands are increasingly seeking support to better communicate with their customers in order to better understand the drivers and barriers to engagement.  

“The key thing for us is that it’s not just based on gut instinct, it really has to be steeped in research. You need to go out and do the work and you need to test what you’re changing to make sure it’s going to cut through and resonate with your audience,” she said.  

To find out how IMPACT can help your brand connect with customers in a ‘transforming world’ in 2025, contact Nicole Webb at: nicole@impactagency.com.au