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An unpublished research interview with Erica D’Aloia, Manager of Ecommerce Traffic for Godiva Chocolatier.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…
You are not a digital marketer…at least not yet
There are no shortage of books to help you become a modern or innovative marketer. At the same time, there is a scarcity of useful, actionable and thought-provoking content to actually help you excel. My good buddies Travis Wright and Chris J. Snook hope to change add value to your marketing ambition with their new book, “Digital Sense: The Common Sense Approach to Effectively Blending Social Business Strategy, Marketing Technology and Customer Experience.” The duo approached me to write the…
If we don’t disrupt ourselves, it will be a gift given to us by someone else
We all talk of change. But it’s a much different story when the need to change becomes our reflection in the mirror. It’s not easy. But if we are to affect any change around us, we must begin with ourselves. Disruption is a give given by you or to you. It’s a choice. Let’s go. We’re in this together. Brian Solis Brian Solis is principal analyst and futurist at Altimeter, the digital analyst group at Prophet, Brian is world renowned keynote speaker and…
The Art of Storytelling in an Era of Connected Audiences
Once upon a time, brands and agencies set out to tell the most engaging, transparent and shareable stories the world had ever seen. Little did they know, the audience would become storytellers in their own right. That signal, that certain spark to break the fourth wall to connect with audiences had since extinguished. The world moved on. Now, everyone was connected and everyone not only had stories to tell and experiences to share, there were devices, platforms and channels to…
