New technologies are emerging all the time that give media agencies greater control over how and when consumers are exposed to brand messages, but there are still huge challenges surrounding how to connect plans across media silos and how to reduce and make sense of digital data complexity. Creative agencies have a more exciting box of tricks and ad formats to play with than ever before, but telling a coherent, consistent, and connected multiscreen and multimedia story across different audience generations is no easy task.

With many marketers increasingly placing the machine in control, programmatic buying can result in smarter targeting of messages based on location and behavioral learning, yet there remain many questions about whether programmatic campaigns can add up to a meaningful brand-building story. Will programmatic and brand building simply compete, or can they potentially complement and enhance? Finally, there are more planners keen to place the consumer in control, ensuring that brand messages fit neatly into their consumer’s lifestyle and that the brand is there for their consumers whenever and wherever they choose to reach out.

At the center of these silos are brand marketers looking to build their brand’s differentiation for the long term, steering a steady course through new and unchartered waters. We hope these predictions help you make sense of the changing digital and media landscape for 2015 and beyond so you can remain on top of the latest important trends without being distracted by every shiny new thing.