WPP Media is out with an updated “Advertising In 2030,” report that crystal balls industry trends five years out, based on surveys and interviews with dozens of industry experts, most identified and handful who opted to remain anonymous. 

The good news: not only will advertising still be around, it will also “remain a critical plank of the economy,” the report concludes. “And not just for traditional media publishers, but also for retail, transit, and other sectors that are moving into the space.” 

The report also notes that “our respondents’ optimism is now tempered with a little more pragmatism. The expert outlook for 2030, viewed through the lens of the past five years, suggests a future where technological integration, particularly involving biometrics and AI assistance, continues its advance.” 

The year 2030 will “be a world of bot-to-bot marketing and more personalization. One in which the carving up of regionally or ideologically aligned blocs permeates regulatory affairs and we move farther away from a single, global approach to consumer privacy and identity.” 

The survey found more skepticism concerning permanent shifts in consumer behavior, “particularly when it comes to prioritizing ideals over price.” 

Most of the experts surveyed believe it is likely that biometric data will be widely used by 2030 to access, personalize and secure services. 

Most also believe that companies will rely on AI to produce a majority of creative content. 

And it is also likely, per the survey, that most interaction between brands and consumers will be “bot to bot” (such as personal agent to brand bot).  

What remains unlikely per the survey is that consumers will be able to easily eliminate “all exposure to advertising from their daily lives.” 

And it is also unlikely that sales of augmented reality glasses and virtual reality headsets will outweigh sales of smartphones and watches.  

More from the report can be found here.