• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, December 29, 2022

‘Tis the season for predictions about industry trends unfolding and gathering steam in 2023.

Rebel Interactive Chief Strategy Officer BJ Kito offers his own set of observations about what to look for trend-wise in the digital marketing space, and just as importantly, what not to look for.

At the top of his list: “Mankind reaches Mars before the masses colonize the Metaverse - neither of which happens in 2023,” in which he likens the race to the red planet to the development of the metaverse.

Among his observations are the wildly divergent predictions about the value of the metaverse in just a few years. Will it be $800 billion by 2024 as one forecaster asserted or $30 trillion by 2030 as another suggested?

Usage trends also vary by quite a lot, Kito notes.

"The race for the new world is underway. Whether we're evacuating Earth or escaping its reality, billions of dollars are on the line as brands and corporations place their bets on the next frontier. In truth, it seems both efforts have a bit longer to go than their pioneers would like us to believe, despite the early strides in finding signs of intelligent life.”

Kito also shares his views on curated marketplaces, zero-party data, social media decentralization and other topics. Check out his full commentary here.

"What you do with a ‘trend’ is only as valuable as the execution team you have by your side," concludes Kito. "With the excitement of innovation at our fingertips and filling our feeds, it’s okay to go head-first, but it is also encouraged to tread lightly if what’s happening around you doesn’t fully align with where you are equipped to go."