In 2008, several trends are expected to take place in the advertising industry that will impact digital advertisers' jobs. For example, employers will begin to offer unique job perks, such as flexible work schedules, in hopes of retaining their specialist workforce.

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	Competing advertising agencies will create partnerships with one another.

MySpace. YouTube. Facebook. All of these innovative websites have one thing in common: they forever changed the way advertisers approached their jobs. Sites such as these provided advertisers with communication channels that were never available before, giving them access to an unprecedented number of consumers. Want to reach 17-year-olds who are interested in Emo music and like to attend concerts on the weekend? No problem! Whereas before these consumers were difficult to reach through media besides TV or radio, the explosion of networking sites, file-sharing sites, and the prevalence of cell phones have created a pathway to consumers’ worlds and their pocketbooks.

Indeed, in this digital world the list of technological developments impacting an advertiser’s job continues to grow, not only in terms of programs or products available but in terms of the techniques and procedures that advertisers should use. To fully prepare for these trends, then, it is vital that advertisers are aware of how the digital advertising field will change in the near future.

Below is a list of the digital advertising trends that will impact your job in 2008.

1. Digital agencies will become extinct. A “digital agency,” which previously referred to any business that developed creative and technical programs for Internet-based products, will start to become less relevant in the coming years. Advertising professionals should be aware that many different types of agencies, including PR, direct, and design, are now creating departments that specialize in digital tasks. Thus, “digital” will soon become an area of expertise rather than a company function. Consequently, advertisers should strive to ensure that they remain marketable as potential job candidates by training and staying up-to-date on digital trends in the event that their job responsibilities change or are terminated.

2. Advertising will shift to an “earned attention” approach. Advertising agencies that have developed digital/direct media arms will begin to shift their focuses from a traditional “buying attention” advertising perspective to one that focuses on “earned attention.” Consequently, advertising professionals will need to understand the requirements and techniques of this new approach and train themselves appropriately to ensure that they utilize this approach in their jobs.

3. Advertising campaigns will become events. Advertisers will begin to stray away from previous advertising methods, such as developing traditional television advertising campaigns, and instead begin to create advertising “events” for consumers which they will film and air on TV. So the ability to develop new out-of-the-box campaigns is important to advertising career longevity.

4. Competing advertising agencies will create partnerships with one another. In the coming year it appears as though advertising agencies will be more inclined to create partnerships with competing firms. This will ensure that each is an expert in one area, instead of merely having middling knowledge in several. So instead of attempting to become a jack-of-all-trades, concentrate on one niche area and study it inside and out.

5. More advertising jobs in unique fields will become available. As advertising agencies continue to evolve, advertising jobs for individuals who fall into categories such as planner or technologist will be in greater demand. Their input will be requested at a much earlier time than normal, and they will most likely be consulted throughout the development process.

6. Employers will offer employees more unique job benefits. An inadequate number of specialist staff will force companies to provide unique advertising job perks. To retain those individuals who hope to maintain a positive work-life balance, for example, companies will start to offer options such as flexible working hours and the opportunity to gain experience in other disciplines in order to supplement a salary.

7. Advertising agencies will be impacted by globalization. The emphasis placed on global reach will continue to grow. Consequently, it is vital that advertisers develop their knowledge of local customs, values, and ways of life. The ability to reach a massive audience on a local scale is essential to ensuring success in today’s advertising world.

In the end, it is important that all advertisers make themselves aware of the trends that will undoubtedly impact their jobs, their careers, and their industry in the coming months and years.

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