Gosh, do I love the holidays. I love the decorations, the cheer, the excuse for client outreach (holiday cards are in the mail, I promise).

I love shopping, I love spending time with friends and family and I love the inevitable end-of-year rush that ensues as brands and agencies hustle to execute seasonal campaigns and finish year-long initiatives.

It’s a hard season to find a moment for reflection, but as marketers, we’re obliged to stay one step ahead of the trends.  Here are three useful articles to review, eggnog in hand, as you plan for the year ahead.

1. A Complete List of Cultural Trends to Watch in 2015, HubSpot
This article includes a fantastic Slideshare with such cutting-edge trends as esports, fog computing, single-source products and warm technology. It will definitely get you thinking.  Read it here.

2.  60 Content Marketing Predictions for 2015, Content Marketing Institute (CMI)
CMI bravely collaborates with industry experts to compile predictions about the state of content marketing in 2015.  I say “bravely” because people make bold, specific claims, i.e. Robert Rose, CMI’s chief strategy officer declaring: “Google will acquire Twitter.”  Read it here.

3.  10 Digital Marketing Predictions for 2015, ClickZ
Spoiler alert: mobile, smart data and content strategy.  Author Michael Della Penna explains it a bit more eloquently.  Read it here.

P.S.  I’m penning a piece about my own 2015 marketing predictions for iMedia Connection, set to publish early next year.  Stay tuned.

By Jacqueline Lisk