As we near the end of the year, we’re considering which trends will play a role in the evolution of the PR, marketing, social media and design industries in 2016. Here’s what we think… It’s all about the video and animation… From Jennifer… I predict that in instances where produced video existed, we’ll see an influx of real-time video. This also means video will be lower quality from a production standpoint, but higher quality on the authenticity scale. Consumers will seek real content for true influence rather than heavily marketed content and see flaws as part of a fulfilling experience. It will be used to bring people into the experience and project a sense of place for the viewer. Cute photos of birds eating from a feeder will be replaced with a live stream video of a bird flitting about, landing and leaving while viewers can be commenting, oohing and aahing in real time.   From Corinne… While stop-motion animation has almost always been cool in the creative set, this year it’s become more popular for brands, and I anticipate we’ll see even more of an upswing in 2016. It’s not only a great way to tell a story, it’s also cost effective, offers space to get really creative, and the short videos are perfect for mobile. Even some our favorite media friends are into stop-motion, like Lucie Fink from Refinery 29.   From Brenna… In 2016 I predict that Snapchat will begin to have a stronger marketing and PR component. Right now, top news outlets, major brands and prominent bloggers are adding Snapchat to their social media efforts, and we’ll see even more in 2016. Snapchat is a great way for brands to give followers a behind-the-scenes look, for bloggers to self-promote, and for publications to give breaking news in a personal and visually compelling manner.   From Aaron… I’m predicting 2016 will be the year the cinemagraph takes off with brands, especially in social media. Now that Facebook’s news feed supports animated GIFs, look out for an onslaught of these gorgeous animated visuals that feel like you’re really in the picture. Here are a few of our favorite cinemagraphs in use: For Netflix’s House of Cards and from Chanel.   And the way we work with media and influencers is going to change… From Angie… Getting earned media coverage for brands continues to get harder and harder, especially online, as nearly all blogs and social media influencers are requiring sponsorship dollars for every social post or blog mention. While we will definitely be budgeting for more sponsored content to work with relevant and influential bloggers on behalf of our clients, we will also be taking our own content production to the next level. This year we had great success in placing expert-authored blog entries on behalf of our clients, and predict this will be a winning strategy in 2016.   From Shauna… As our favorite bloggers and influencers have started slinging products for pay - sometimes as bad as maxi pads, coffee pods or cheap cosmetics - brands will strive to connect with the everyday influencers to build relationships and word-of-mouth marketing that still feels genuine. You know these people - it's your girlfriend who hosts monthly dinner parties, your brother who the family turns to for grilling advice and your favorite business contact whose managed to create a tribe of charged up entrepreneurs ready to network. An everyday influencer’s reach might be smaller than the YouTube star, but that's ok. Their endorsements are genuine and can't be bought, meaning they hold more weight with the people they do impact. So how will brands connect with them? Through content that is thoughtful and personalized. By hosting experiential events where they can converse 1:1. And by creating a brand persona and company that consumers can rally behind.   Which trends are you forecasting for 2016? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter