Over $595 billion dollars was spent on brand activation marketing in 2016. Brand activation refers to marketing that both builds a brand’s image and drives a specific consumer behavior or action.

PQ Media in partnership with the ANA conducted a comprehensive analysis of brand activation, an organized assessment of brand marketing, by platform, channel, and consumer segment. The research also projected that by 2020 activation spending will be over $740 billion outpacing advertising and trade promotion spending.

rand activation encompass focuses on six platforms that connect and interact with the consumer: promotion marketing, experiential marketing, retailer marketing, relationship marketing, content marketing, and influencer marketing. Each platform includes 32 different channels.

Interestingly, 60% of all overall marketing spend is placed on integrated traditional and digital strategies with relationship marketing as the largest brand activation marketing platforms used in 2015. Relationship marketing channels includes direct mail, catalogs, list management, database marketing, marketing information and big data analysis, email and search lead generation marketing, loyalty programs, mobile marketing apps and proximity services.

The study identified that consumer brand activation accounted for 59% of all B-to-C spending ($332B) while B-to-B spending accounted for 41% or $229B. Automotive is the largest industry vertical to spend on brand activation. Importantly successful brands are using a combination of brand activation methods to effectively target audiences.