I’d like to think of 2020 as we think about it with vision, 20/20, which means normal visual acuity. Marketing and CX in 2020 will be a lot like marketing and CX in 2019 (not a bad thing necessarily.) As we kickoff the new year, we’re already talking about hot new trends and how to integrate shiny new tech into existing thinking, processes and programs, doing cool things, without really changing the game. If 2020 can stand for something, make…
2020 Trends: Mobile, Voice, Mixed Reality and 5G Set the Stage for Next Generation Customer Experiences
My friends at Keap asked me to share my predictions for the annual, “2020 Small Business Marketing Trends Report.” I wanted to share my ideas with you here as well… Next Generation CX Must Be Designed as Native Experiences for Emerging Platforms Search and content are more important than ever when it comes to the customer journey. Beyond digital and social media, mobile was a complete game changer. But many businesses have yet to catch up with how mobile changed…
One Important Social Media Trend We Need to Think More About in 2020
It’s that time again where we explore what’s new and possible in the new year. My dear friend Lee Odden assembled a stellar panel of experts to share predictions and trends for social media marketing in 2020. While I’m not a social media marketer, I study how social media and digital trends are reshaping the human network and society online and offline. I’d like to share my thoughts with you here. I’d also love to hear your predictions and trends for the…
The Future of Fast Advertising is Born as Aviation Gin Saves the Peloton Wife in Clever Sequel
Bravo Ryan Reynolds! Bravo. A brilliant form of marketing is playing out right now from the likes of Ryan Reynolds and Aviation Gin on social media. It represents the next trend in advertising, or what I call “fast advertising.” If you’ve been following the Peloton marketing fiasco, then you will appreciate the ambitious (and/or audacious) marketing coup achieved by Aviation Gin’s new clever holiday commercial. Following Peloton’s release of its latest ad, “The Gift that Gives Back,” outrage instantly erupted over what consumers…
EA Puts Customers and Data at the Center of its Innovative Marketing Organizational Model
EA CMO Chris Bruzzo sees the direct relationships between customer experience, data, user experience and marketing as a new operational mode. That’s what I call X. Marketers who prioritize customer data in their work will find new opportunities to deeply engage their customers on a personalized level. And that’s what customers are now expecting from their favorite brands. But, marketers who simply use new technology to be on trend will find themselves limited to the same old thinking and results….
The End of Traditional Marketing and the Beginning of What’s Next
Congratulations to Carlos Gil on the release of his new book, “The End of Marketing: Humanizing your brand in the age of social media.” Carlos is a long-time friend and I was genuinely appreciative when he asked me to write the foreword for his first book. All I asked was that I could share the foreword with you upon the book’s release. I hope it helps you! This is the end of what was and the beginning of what’s next…
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…
Three Brand Storytelling Misconceptions That Are Holding You Back
Guest Post by Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio In the era of the connected digital consumer, brand storytelling needs to undergo a radical shift. For many companies, brand storytelling has become a buzzword, a way to support marketing campaigns or polished commercials. So much so, that we’ve lost our focus on the heart and soul of brand storytelling. It’s time we took the BS out of brand storytelling and focus on what truly matters: building the meaningful and relevant connections…
AI Marketing: The Next Big Thing
I recently had the opportunity to talk to SAS about a topic close to their heart and mine: AI Marketing. Why are we excited about this? Well, you can read more of our conversation here but in a nutshell AI has the power to revolutionize the way we market and how we shape the customer journey. In the Q&A I delve into the competitive benefits of AI marketing, the power AI has to reshape traditional marketing, the changes it will…
How true storytelling can save marketing (and more…)
I recently had the privilege to work on a very special project with my friends at GapingVoid and LinkedIn. We set out on a creative endeavor to explore the intersection of story, art, humor and candor as a means of fostering self-reflection and inspiring personal and professional change. The result is a something I’m very proud of…a new short and sweet but compelling ebook, Once Upon a Digital Time: How to be an amazing storyteller when everyone is a “storyteller.”…
