In an oversaturated digital world, with everyone being online and aware of the scarcity of time and attention, consumers will become more selective and more critical of content, based on relevance to themselves. Here, authenticity needs to shine, and AI will need to leverage it to provide less-polished, less-edited content that can be trusted and thereby scaled.

The debate is not short-form versus long-form. The opportunity lies in how the two work together. This article explores how brands can build connected content journeys that use short-form for attention and long-form for trust, depth and retention.

Influencer marketing is no longer a narrower marketing tactic. It has evolved to become a broader, cross-ecosystem professional function. And in the same way that Influencers have evolved to become Creators, the IAB SA Influencer Marketing Committee has broadened its mandate and been re-named the IAB SA Creator Marketing Council.

AI is no longer a future trend. It's here now. In its commitment to bringing global standards, frameworks and best practices to the South African industry, the IAB SA Connected Commerce Committee has launched the IAB SA's Guide to AI in Retail & Commerce, developed in alignment with the latest guidance from IAB Europe. This Guide represents Phase 1 of the initiative, with Phase 2 being launched later this year.