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Advertising Week XII, “the world’s premier gathering of marketing and communication leaders” was held recently in New York and revealed some interesting statistics and facts about the future of the marketing industry.

Here are 9 of the most interesting highlights from the event:

 1. Millennials spend nearly 4 hours per day listening to music on platforms like Pandora and Spotify 

Music platforms like Pandora have not only changed the entertainment industry they have also revolutionised the marketing industry by providing a new way to reach audiences.

Millennials are highly engaged on these types of music platforms and many of them sign up for free subscriptions, which allow the placement of ads. Many advertisers have seen the benefits of using these platforms and they are only likely to become more popular in the years to come.

2. Since February 2015, Facebook has seen a 25 percent increase in ad buyers, bringing their total to 2.5 million advertisers

2.5 million advertisers regularly spend money on Facebook ads and this number is only set to grow as the platform continues to deliver pleasing results for businesses both big and small.

Social media has definitely changed the face of online marketing and Facebook continues to be one of the key players. Although there has been some speculation of the future of Facebook, seeing as the main user base are in their late 20’s, it still remains to be an effective way to reach audiences and target markets.

3. Ad blockers are taking their toll on publishers 

Popular blogger and CEO, Rich Jaworksi from joyofbaking.com stated that ad blockers are estimated to block at least 10 percent of their ads, and they are not alone.

This may be because users have grown tired of pop up ads and other forms of invasive advertising, proving that users are perhaps looking for a different experience.

4. Nielsen reported that consumers have more trust in advertising on TV than on online video

63 percent of consumers were more likely to trust an ad on TV as compared to 48 percent who would trust an online video more.

These statistics show that while TV advertising is not yet a dying art, online video seems to be catching up in terms of reputation and trust.

It is likely that consumers are still more trusting of TV ads due to the fact that they are more costly and not as rampant as online videos, however this statistic also shows that close to half of consumers still have trust for ads they see online.

5. 32 percent of marketers plan to utilise LGBT dating apps which total 14 million users, over the next five years

Apps designed to connect those in the gay, lesbian and transgender community are growing in popularity and currently have a user base of close to 15 million. This number is only set to rise and it seems that some forward thinking marketers are already planning on using these platforms to reach consumers.

The apps that marketers particularly have their eyes on include Grindr and Jack’d and Scruff, which have proven to be some of the most popular in the industry.

6. 80 percent of Tumblr’s 550 million monthly users view the platform on mobile devices

“The shift to mobile has already happened”, commented Carolyn Everson, Facebook’s VP of global marketing solutions and this trend is obvious on platforms like Tumblr.

As one of the most popular social media sites today, Tumblr has reported that majority of their audience use a mobile device to access their site, which has drastically changed how they approach their business.

Mobile devices are expected to trump desktops in the coming years and Tumblr is the perfect example of this movement in action. Now is definitely the time to be thinking about mobile.

7. The annual music festival, iHeartRadio, clocked 7.3 billion impressions across social media 

The annual music festival which happens in September garnered over 7.3 billion impressions across its Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tumblr and Flickr accounts.

This not only goes to prove the success of the festival, but also how the company tied in social media to help expand their business and build a brand. This is a perfect example of how the iHeartRadio app was able to engage users during and after the festival in order to stay relevant.

8. The median age of those using online streaming TV apps like Hulu and Netflix is 37

Netflix, Hulu and other digital streaming apps have changed the way viewers watch TV and movies. This trend is only expected to increase, especially as Netflix is now available in Australia.

What is interesting however, is that the average age of those using these services seem to be in the late 30’s, proving that these platforms are not just for millennials. In fact as it appears, apps like Netflix seem to have Universal appeal as they are easy to use and cater to a wide range of demographics.

While most of these platforms remain ad free, it is interesting to think about how these services may be changing the landscape of TV ads forever.

9. New Startups Lack Diversity and only 1 in 12 are led by women 

Research released by Vision Launch during Ad Week found that less than 1 percent of US startups are led by Latino or African Americans and only 1 in 12 are led by women.

This lack of diversity in the industry could definitely leave some big gaps for marketers that may only be noticeable further down the track. What is also interesting is that both women, Latinos and African Americans make up a huge percentage of the population, leaving a lot of room for creative marketers and startups to fill the void.

In Australia where the startup scene is not as prominent, it may also be interesting to observe diversity in the workplace and how this may impact on marketing and audience engagement in the near future.

Trends in the online marketing space are always interesting to observe because they are changing so rapidly.

Especially as more technology and platforms are introduced, marketers and advertisers alike are going to have to keep ahead of the trends in order to stay relevant and continue delivering results to consumers.