For the last three years, I’ve made it a point to attend Vidcon, even if that meant missing the prestigious Cannes Lions. Why? Because the roots of shifting consumer behavior, trust and influence are evident to those paying attention. For those who are tracking what’s next, the future of entertainment and engagement is taking shape online and live in Anaheim every summer. Thousands upon thousands of young adults, children and supportive parents convene upon Vidcon every year in the hopes…
Customer Experience is Defined by the Experience Customer’s Have, Remember and Share
The funny thing about customer experience is that, for all of its good intentions, it is a bit ironic. Many businesses talk about the importance of customer experience (CX). At the same time, many are prioritizing investments in new technologies and touchpoints to improve engagement. But, when asked about their understanding of modern customer behaviors, expectations, preferences and which experiences in their life they love and don’t love…you get crickets. All too often, customer experience doesn’t really start with the…
Business Innovation, Culture 2.0 and the Importance of Shared Experiences
Leo Bottary is a well-known author and keynote speaker. He’s also a long-time friend of mine. For several years, I had the opportunity to tour the Vistage conferences as they toured the U.S. I nope to experience the opportunity to meet CEOs and senior executives on their home turf and hear their challenges and accomplishments again soon. Since I last spent time with him, Leo has launched a popular podcast, Year of the Peer, that explores the latest trends driving…
The Construct for Digital Transformation and Business Model Innovation
Digital transformation is the new black. It is one of those catch-all terms that seems to describe any investment in trending digital technologies and modern processes and philosophies. Depending on the role, department and mindset, digital transformation means many things to many different people But, digital transformation is much more than just “digital.” It is also the construct for the future of business. I recently appeared on CIO Talk Network with host Sanjog Aul and Steven John, Global CIO of H.B. Fuller, a…
Social media gave everyone a voice, on the other hand, it also gave everyone a voice
We live in a world where where information and misinformation is prevalent and weighted equally all too often. As human beings, we are learning how to use social media effectively to communicate and connect. At the same time, we’re drowning in abundance, complexity of choices and and unfortunately, the misappropriation or misdirection of influence. Concurrently in professional realms, many leadership teams are overwhelmed with trying to keep up with the sheer scope and scale of the digital evolution. For many…
The Future of Brand, Tech and Business is Experience
If you’ve never attended the Next Conference in Germany, plan for the next event. It combines elements of SXSW in a festival, city-wide format where people, technology, music and art converge into an experience that’s anything but a conference. I’ve had the privilege of presenting at Next over the years. In 2016, I was invited once again (I think for the third time) and I jumped at the chance. Well, actually, I flew to Hamburg, but you know what I…
Contrary to Its Name, Digital Transformation is not Digital-First: An Interview with Steve Snyder of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
“To thrive in a digital economy, create a safe and empowered environment for employees to learn and take risks.” Technology may be at the core of digital transformation, but it’s severely limited in its promise if it’s not influenced by human beings. Yet, every day, companies invest in digital transformation strategies and roadmaps that are absent of human-centered insights and perspectives. On this episode of Digital Outliers, I sit down with Steve Snyder, CIO, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority to talk…
Breaking the Digital Fourth Wall Through Experiential Storytelling
The fourth wall is the space that separates a performer or performance from an audience. A character, actor, author or storyteller “breaks the fourth wall” when they address the audience directly. As an analyst, author, blogger, podcaster and creator, I am by default, in the content business. Dedicating time to produce my work matters not if no one happens upon it. But once someone discovers my work, it must convincingly pierce the fourth wall between the medium and them to…
It’s not the End of Retail, It’s the End of Retail As We Know It
Retail, like every industry, faces digital Darwinism as technology and markets evolve and disrupt. This isn’t new. But what is clear, executives are not prioritizing bold strategies and investments that save them from their “Kodak Moment,” that moment when consumer behaviors and values evolve beyond brand recognition. If you read about the state of retail today, you’ll see dramatic descriptors such as “apocalypse,” “the end…,” “dying,” you get the picture. While doom and gloom and disruption is inherent in every…
Brand Innovation and Customer Experience Design: An Interview with Comcast’s Chris Satchell
The potential for breakthrough innovation is at its greatest when there’s purpose. And in an age of disruptive technology, humanity is becoming a killer app. Often in my research on digital transformation and innovation, I find the most compelling catalyst for finding purpose and accelerating change and improvement is customer experience (CX). Think about it. Who owns the customer experience? Yes. The customer owns it. That might seem like one big “duh.” But, believe it or note, many organizations are…
