Digital Asset Management Software Trends 2023

Around a decade ago, brand and creative teams shifted from the ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ vibe of basic file-sharing platforms to sophisticated Digital Asset Management (DAM) software. Talk to anyone managing a massive stockpile of creative assets and they’ll tell you how vital DAMs are as a system of management that allows people to find assets quickly and ring fence usage. But what’s next for DAMs? What shape will they take in a world with ever-shortening deadlines, huge content demands, AI, and the big one for 2023 – pressure to optimize resources?

1. DAMs Turbo Charge Automation

Automation isn’t new, but its use within DAM software is growing dramatically – not because we can – but because it’s essential. The sheer pace of asset creation demands we either staff up or get smarter tech. IntelligenceBank has a suite of tools using AI and machine learning that our clients already use to leverage efficiencies. In 2023 marketers of big brands should expect their DAM to automate:

• Accessibility
  Accessibility best practice should be a very quick win for brands. Digital Asset Management platforms serious about inclusivity compliance will have tools with the potential to flag possible breaches in current assets. As well as that, DAM providers need to offer a solution for non-compliant archived assets, (such as videos via Transcribe tool).
• Image Tagging
  Forget manually tagging individual assets. Tools that autotag assets by multiple criteria create granular searches accurately serve assets in a fraction of the time it would have taken before. They are absolutely a must, and to be frank, have been around for some time.
• Self-Serve Marketing Inbox
  Never send a logo again! DAM platforms will continue to automate responses to generic requests for logos, brand guidelines and standard lead times. They are fully customizable – so whatever repetitive task it is that drives your team crazy – chances are it can be automated!
• Assent of AI Art
  2023 will see AI generated art go mainstream – particularly in creative agencies when illustrating proof of concept. Having a DAM to keep track of what is likely to be a tsunami of content with all manner of categories will be a sanity saver.
• Image Enhancements
  AI that knows how to find the hero of your image and crops intelligently is embedded in IntelligenceBank’s Digital Asset Management Software. Whether it’s a person, object or landscape your DAM should be able to automatically crop it to any size spec you require while keeping the focus, (miraculously!), on the subject.

2. DAMs becomes the Marketing Hub

In 2023, as Digital Asset Management software matures, it will broaden to include smart campaign and brand management tools tailored to marketers. This means DAMs become the base component of a wider end-to-end Marketing Resource Management platform (MRM). One platform then becomes the source of truth for the brand and various campaign life cycles, rather than wasting resources switching between a slew of third party apps, uploading and downloading content while at the same time trying to maintain compliance!

This trend is in line with a shift to rationalization and consolidation across the entire global culture in 2023. Marketers will be expected to increase efficiencies and get as much ‘bling with as little ca-ching’ as possible.

Of course, finished artists will still need Adobe, Art Directors will still need Getty and marketers will still need Microsoft tools, but there will be an increase in DAM services integrating third party apps seamlessly within the one Marketing Operations platform. In fact, at IntelligenceBank, we spearheaded this move. Our award winning delivery joins the dots between branding, creative assets and operational workflows tools in one cohesive platform that can take you from planning to ideation and PIR.

Toggling between one platform and another throughout the day is not only a proven time waster, but a mental drain. Integrating multiple systems allows organizations to better collaborate because they can access and manipulate the same information in one place. As a result, processes are smoother and faster—meaning more work gets done with fewer resources. That translates into cost savings for your business.

3. DAMs become more flexible

While expansions in DAM capabilities and integrations are becoming the norm, not everyone has an immediate need or budget for a full Marketing Operations tech stack. That’s why it’s important to choose a Digital Asset Management system that allows you to cherry pick additional tools as your business grows… or as compliance becomes more of a headache. Take these IntelligenceBank add-on scenarios for example:

• Your DAM needs to include pre-loaded creative templates that team members, (with zero design skills), can alter while staying on brand and compliant
  ✔ Just add IntelligenceBank’s Creative Templates

   

• You have a back catalog of video and audio files that need to be closed captioned so they are accessible and searchable
  ✔ Just add IntelligenceBank’s Transcribe tool
• You have a rogue creative agency that doesn’t follow brand guidelines unless they are under their noses
  ✔ Just add IntelligenceBank BrandHub
• You have a sudden increase in compliance, (i.e. mountains of fine print), due to legislative changes
  ✔ Just add IntelligenceBank Disclaimer Engine

4. DAMs Speed up Creative Approvals

For a Digital Asset Management system to be competitive 2023 it must incorporate a robust workflow system designed to get good creative out the door quick smart. That means both a stepped workflow within the DAM itself, (i.e. the traceable process we all know so well – from briefing to mark-ups, versioning and approvals), and the workflow behind the scenes between your DAM and an infinite number of popular external workflow apps such as Slack, OneDrive, Trello and Asana etc. IntelligenceBank’s Handshakes tool establishes the connection, (yep, a handshake), that allows one app to speak to another. Handshakes work off a trigger and action system, so, when something happens in one program, Handshakes can make the action happen in another program. Gold! If that’s not deserving or a round of applause we don’t know what is!

5. DAMs becomes the Brand Compliance Platform

Gone are the days when having a PDF of basic brand guidelines with a logo, font and color palate was sufficient. In 2023 that simply won’t cut it. It’s becoming more commonplace for a dynamic, universal set of rules incorporating UI UX guidelines to be deployed with a brand’s Digital Asset Management system. With increased content production and brand collabs, embedding guidelines into creative briefs and approvals will ensure each partener produces content as expected while maintaining a clear representation of the brand identity.

6. DAMs extend to Websites and Emails

Digital Asset Management platforms to store URL links such as websites, emails and online docs. This will extend to proofing features too, with DAMs such as IntelligenceBank now offering proofing and approvals for websites and online emails.

How does your DAM stack up?

So as we begin 2023, how does your DAM system measure up? No matter where you’re starting from – a DAM already in place, just getting by with your current system or looking at a complete overhaul – make sure whatever platform you choose has plenty of integration and automation.

We’d welcome the chance to show you our 2023 roadmap and discuss how we can help bring your team along with us. Click here to tee up a demo.