Let’s talk about the future. Because we all have to live in it.
Without a doubt, things will be pretty different – not just different from today but also different from what we expect them to be.
But some things seem obvious these days:
A few years from now, cars will drive autonomously. If you’ve recently been in a Tesla then you’ve already gotten a taste for that.
We will pay for everything with our phone. Just look at China, where 92% of the urban population uses mobile payments. As well, one of our own customers successfully sells high-end luxury items – some with price tags of over a million Euros – through mobile apps.
We will primarily talk to digital devices. If you have kids and a smart speaker you’ve seen it for yourself.
New iconic symbols will hit us harder and faster than ever before. Had you heard about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez just a year ago? Or Greta Thunberg?
Playing online games will become very serious business. The Fortnite World Cup has made some teenagers very happy.
Surfaces will turn into smart screens. The Times Square phenomenon is spreading everywhere – to public spaces, retail stores, subway stations, trains, and even our homes.
Our digital surroundings will instantly adjust to us. It’ll be just like that famous scene from Minority Report – but hopefully more useful than creepy.
We’ll be able to get any service in our own language. Because the most important thing is to be understood.
Rising collective awareness will change global behavior. Think about those movements: #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, #FridaysForFuture, #GreenNewDeal
Superior customer experience will disrupt markets. Most people never move their bank account. But with N26 in Germany, Revolut, and other mobile banks providing superior customer experience that will change. And Apple Card will take it to the next level.
Escalating customer expectations will put more pressure on every company. First it was three-day shipping, then two-day, then one-day, and now one-hour shipping. The companies that can provide even faster service will win.
Being iconic will be priceless. Forbes has named Kylie Jenner the youngest self-made billionaire in the US. All she needed was an iconic brand, seven full-time employees and four part-time helpers.
So, are you ready? Because the future is now. In fact, according to William Gibson, “The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed.”
And with that in mind comes my recommendation for marketers: To compete, brands need to be AGILE, FAST and ICONIC.
Because the pace of change will only accelerate. The world of business will spin even faster, information will be exchanged quicker, and trends will emerge more rapidly.
What this means is that CMOs need to have plan to enable their marketing team to become faster, more agile, and focused on iconic concepts that make a big impact.
They’ll need to foster the right mindset and culture. And they’ll also need the right tools.
Which is where CoreMedia comes in. We provide brands with the right tools to allow them to become agile, fast, and iconic. Because that is the future we have built CoreMedia Content Cloud for.
If you're at DMEXCO this week in Cologne, come see us! Our iconic booth is in Hall 7, Stand C018. I'll also be participating in the BVDW panel discussion on power shopping: Sept. 11 at 5 pm.
