• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, December 31, 2014

Look for brands to bring mobile, online and in-store experiences together via strategic integration efforts in 2015. Those that do will get a jump on the competition, according to Landor’s 2015 Trends Forecast.

According to the WPP branding specialist, getting people to love your brand is less about product benefits and more about “creating unique, meaningful experiences at every possible touchpoint."

Case in point: Tesla Motors, which has a Hong Kong Design Studio that was built for “hands on adventure,” per the Landor report. “You won’t be able to drive off with your very own [but] you can do just about everything else to get the full-throttle experience -- from 3D car customization on touchscreens to sampling real materials to taking the sleek wheels for a spin.”

Next year consumer finance will enter the mobile age, the report predicts. “In 2015 we will see the rapid outcrop of innovative new apps and sites that help consumers manage their financial lives remotely.” Capital One, for example, is launching a new TV spot today to promote its new Wallet app, while promoting Apple Pay in the same ad.

Landor also notes the rise of sites like financial aggregator Mint.com and do-it-yourself wealth management planner Betterment.com. As a result, the report concludes, “brands will need to build a stellar collection of trusted financial partnerships, retool their engines with rock-solid data security, and revamp user experiences for intuitive, real-time transactions.”

Also, look for B-to-B marketers to jump headlong into the social media maw. Sites like LinkedIn and Twitter, among others, “will become increasingly powerful, go-to resources for the future of B-to-B," the report states. It cited global shipping container company Maersk, which it said has become a “surprising Twitter darling, sharing news, inspiration and stunning ship-in-action photos with its 112,000-plus followers, resulting in greater brand awareness and reputation."

The report also touches on the growth of personalized marketing which is becoming increasingly critical for many brands; the trend toward brands speaking in plain English, new packaging approaches that tap the Millennial fancy for all things artisanal and more. Additional findings can be accessed here.