 |
     |
|
|
Chosen to attend the presentation by Cliff Kurtzman (CEO and Chief Soothsayer) at ADASTRO Inc. ADASTRO seems to be a futurology organization and part consultancy that helps add value to the clients' futures. Cliff is a rocket scientist -- really!
First step, before looking at the future, is to look at the past. Got some slides running through things from species loss in the great extinction -- and later rise well beyond what was there previously -- through tulip-mania (1630s) and one-way marketing communication (1900s).
Six key areas for brand building in the future. Demographics. Globalization. Workplace. Interactivity (mobility collaboration and augmentation of capabilities). Accessibility. Interconnectivity (social Webs and the bringing together of diversive people in unexpected ways). From a quotation attributable to an HP marketing person: According to an HP study 30% of a corporation's stock value is attributable to its brand.
The way to brand is changing: FROM one way mass media; awareness; positioning; advertising; public relations TO interactive and interconnected; accessibility and visibility; differentiation; supply chain communication; and strength of relationships and community. Going through the scenario-planning critical areas of Society Technology Environment Economy Politics and Legal as crucial factors for planning how to develop a brand.
Now Tim Smith, self-defined as independent investor/entrepreneur. Trying to think about process for how to think about looking at the future. Noting a few trends that may have an impact on the world: things like power shifts, disintermediation, time-shifting, etc. Tim's moving real fast to allow time for questions, so it's a little hard to keep up with all the ideas.
Funny: the target market a.k.a. "sheeple."
Talking about "Evolution of a consumer" moving to: control (consumers are now controlling the message that's getting to them; they are "active" participants); collaboration (p2p interactivity, e.g., IM, is letting consumers collaborate with each other to support one another in the advertising paradigm); creation (people are creating valuable assets and resources for each other separate and apart from the typical communication model we know now).
Concept: "the ambient Internet": it's just there, like electricity. Between hot spots, personal area networks, and so forth, there will be many always-on spots that will let us move back and forth through and among connections. Well presented and entertaining, but this meme is nothing new. Tim acknowledges that some of his slides are dated -- but still relevant. Showing an interesting pie chart that shows how linear (broadcast) and non-linear interactive can and will have to holistically work together. [Feeling good: this is our story for Fetch.] His ultimate point is that it's crucial to know the story and the flow of how the consumer interacts with the brand through the day and "be there" for them at the next step. Makes sense.
Posted by Grayson at May 24, 2004 01:20 PM