My friend Spencer Chen, CMO of BRD and Blockset, blew up Twitter a while back by observing that many hot tech companies have apparently borrowed their logos from previous designs. While there is a finite set of possibilities specifically for logos based on a single character, the resemblances are striking and uncanny nonetheless. Furthermore, the logos of Airbnb, Beats, Flipboard and Medium all seem to be based on designs featured in a 1989 design book, “Trademarks & Symbols of the World:…
Frost & Sullivan: The Rise of “Generation Novel” aka Gen N and the Novel Economy
Frost & Sullivan recently presented a Webinar Week Series, consisting of five days of 30-minute virtual presentations designed to help participants generate effortless and efficient customer experiences. On Wednesday, June 17th Brian Solis, Global Innovation Evangelist, Salesforce, shared his insights and predictions about The Rise of Generation Novel aka Gen N and the Novel Economy. Read on for a summary of his key take-aways and heartfelt advice about letting go of the “old normal,” and looking ahead to new ways…
Employing an AI Futurist To Navigate the Post-Corona World
What does the world look like post-COVID? It’s an interesting question because the answer is limited to our own imagination and ideas of what was good and what wasn’t in the world before COVID (BC). As a contributor to Singularity University, I was excited to join Kris Østergaard on his Corporate Innovation Podcast for SingularityU. In this thoughtful episode, we explored a new concept I’ve been pushing to employ the role of an AI Futurist to navigate the Post-Corona, aka the…
This is not the new normal or the next normal: that’s for everyone else
We talk about the ‘new normal’ or the ‘next normal’, but for world-renowned digital anthropologist and author Brian Solis, ‘normal’ was part of the problem. In this powerful talk, he explains how the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation for the better and paved the way for disruptive innovation with technologies like 5G. Now more than ever, we need new ideas, partnerships and mindsets that unlock creativity and imagination to deliver sophisticated new experiences for business customers and consumers. I recently…
The Future Needs a Hero
My friend Nick Davis leads innovation and customer experience at Reaching the Future Faster and faculty chair for corporate innovation at Singularity University. Late in 2019, Nick and I were talking about his upcoming book, “Future Ready: A Changemaker’s Guide to the Exponential Revolution.” When I read the draft, I immediately had an idea for a foreword. We agreed. My request was that I could share it here with upon release. Future Ready is a how-to guide for changemakers who are…
How I Help Business Audiences Embrace Innovation, Disruption and Change to Lead the Way Forward
We live in an era of #DigitalDarwinism. These are disruptive times and they challenge everyone…leaders and executives…employees, customers, and partners…and, you and me. AI, Crypto, Quantum Computing, Blockchain, AR/VR, facial recognition, wearables, IoT/IIoT, 5G, automation and 20 other disruptive technologies will only continue to change everything as we know it. Digital transformation, innovation, and new leadership are needed to survive and thrive. The future either happens to us or because of us. I’ve spent my entire career as a digital…
It’s Time to Upgrade the RFP for Mobile Only Customer Journeys and Experiences
An unpublished research interview with Erica D’Aloia, Manager of Ecommerce Traffic for Godiva Chocolatier. The topic explored the idea of upgrading RFPs for CMOs to consider the mobile customer journey uniquely. Special thanks to Mike Grehan of Acronym. How are micro-moments and shift in mobile behavior shaping the RFP process (or not)? How are micro-moments changing marketing strategies? The word ‘Mobile Behavior’ initially threw me off – where I think of this more as use and importance of a device. I…
What’s important for CX executives and marketers to consider in 2019?
A dear friend of mine asked if I would share my ideas for a new report that explored marketing’s role in driving business growth and shaping the future. The answer was, “of course.” If I can be straightforward, marketing for the sake of marketing is exasperating. The elite, but promising marketers know this. They’re focusing on two things that matter to businesses in an era of digital Darwinism, 1) business growth and not decline and 2) the customer’s experience (note…
Customer journeys start with smartphones, but brands still don’t get mobile
Customers are not going to wait for brands to get the mobile journey right…they’ll move on and find someone else who gets them. Customers are increasingly and overwhelmingly mobile-first. For the most part, many brands are still learning how to optimize traditional e-commerce experiences let alone mobile sites and apps. The Amazons of the world don’t make it any easier to keep up. Yet every day, customers are reaching for their smartphones to learn about what to buy, what to…
The Importance of Experience Design and the Future of Brand
Customers today are accidental narcissists. Tomorrow is an entirely new game brands, CX strategists and marketers. Disruption is a gift either given to you or by you. Knowing this, we are still making mistakes in creating meanignful experiences to a new generation of connected, impatient and demanding customers. We get stuck in legacy thinking, playbooks and metrics rather than innovate and disrupt to fully capitalize on new digital opportunities. Following my presentation at Adobe Summit, I had the opportunity to…
