Commentary

Total Transformation: Connections, Robots, and Audio

At this year’s transFORM summit in Cannes, Publicis Media celebrated the leaders and companies embracing transformation, whether it be personal, cultural, industry or business.  Moderated by Publicis Media’s Steve King, panelists spanning business, media, technology and entertainment industries all agreed: accelerated transformation has been institutionalized; brands and marketers that are best equipped to adapt—in terms of talent, technology, operations and delivery—will survive and thrive. 

Of note, these three themes are the ones to watch: 

Constant Connections: Connectivity has changed consumer and brand engagement.  As consumers are connecting with the world in ways we never could imagine, many brands are playing catch-up, striving to move fast enough to keep pace with their customers.  Thomas Friedman summed up these exceptional times by offering a quote: brands can “dance in a hurricane as long as [they] stand in the eye.” 

Rise of the Robots: Going forward, automation and robotics will change the workplace. It won’t be easy or linear, but automation will be applied everywhere and anywhere imaginable.  Artificial intelligence will also transform marketing.  Neural nets (in search and personal assistants) are getting better at understanding queries and voice commands.  They will be able to deliver relevant answers/results better aligned to consumer intent. To succeed in this new world, brands must possess content that aligns with that intent. 

The Power of Audio: Because of its distinct role in driving a sense of community and connectivity, radio provides a powerful connection medium. Digital delivery has empowered its continued relevancy and ubiquity.  Marketers should not discount radio as digital (like mobile) transformation has propelled its 10% growth.

 

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