MILK's blog delivers emerging
perspectives on changing consumer
culture, trends and social influences:
Mobile innovation
There’s little doubt that mobile innovation will lead growth in the advertising industry, certainly Sir Martin Sorrell thinks so.
Perhaps a more interesting question though is what does mobile innovation mean for a brands role rather than just the ability to have an advertising presence? With over 350,000 apps available through Apple’s iPhone App Store alone, it’s arguable an app is not the answer.
Simply, the governing factors driving mobile innovation hold the answer which can allow brands to play a role if they are willing to step out of the preconceptions of what mobile marketing is.
Innovation on the one hand is being driven through the hardware formats and these hold true to two principles. 1, converge digital services through the device (a phone, email, web, video, camera…). 2, device innovation diverges against consumer usage occasion – The iPod Nano is an iPhone Mini waiting to happen, whilst the iPad2 with Facetime continues to shape the role of iPad as the social technology experience device of choice.
Innovation is also being driven by ‘The Cloud’ for a devices ability to provide connective experience on a near permanently online basis. For this reason connectivity represents a significant sponsorship opportunity for social brands.
Perhaps most critically for brands, there is the role of new content experience. So far this has seen brands integrating content through Apps enbedded within Ads on mobile content, or as Apple call, them iAds.
Beyond this, the content opportunity for brands could really look more like the platform developments we’ve seen in TV.
Branded films, shows and interactive content developed against mobile media channels. The question for progressive brands is how to own the channel rather than become a show, or even worse a feature of the show. Whilst TV networks have been first on the scene here, though it’s more likely it will be the likes of GoogleTV who could lead the category. The opportunity for mass culture brands is significant here if they act now and work with content producers and platform creators to own the space and establish consumer following.
And beyond content, brands may do well to engage in external IP product ventures to provide experiences around their existing brand social consumption occasions. The new Jawbone Jambox is one such device which would have been a perfect branded product opportunity for any brand looking to increase their social role in music experience and social connectivity.
Mobile is without doubt the most exciting and undefined media future and where there is low definition there is high opportunity.
Finally watch this to remember where it all started: First cell phone commercial
2010 The year of innovation.
The signs from budgeting and planning are clear, this year we should be set to see some genuine innovation in brand owning businesses, marketing teams and agencies alike.
Last year was about dealing with tough change, but this year is definitely about making the most of what you have and finding inventive ways to maximize opportunity.
Naturally here at MILK this is cool news. Being a company that specialises in cultural direction and how to develop new concepts to connect businesses or brands with consumers feels a good place to be.
The interesting thing is that the scope for developing concepts is broader than it has ever been. Whether it be straightforward brand strategy and proposition development, or NPD, or business diversification… the range is truly expansive.
We’re talking to clients and business partners about the different ways to innovate, sometimes with IP share on ideas and initiatives, sometimes working as an ideas creator, sometimes helping to drive innovation through business. Even the approach to innovation is becoming innovative!!!
When I used to work with T-Mobile, they had a slogan for their business philosophy: ‘Never stand Still’. It is certainly this mentality which will highlight the winners and losers in the year ahead, those brave and creative leaders will embrace this new era of pioneering and those that don’t just won’t be around for long.
Where do trends come from?
Much of the work we do at MILK is based on understanding changing culture and trends.
The interesting thing is that generally the preoccupation with trends focuses around: What is the trend and where’s it going? This has been fueled by books like Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point, focusing in on why something small fads become popular trends and others fade away without establishing themselves.
For us, the more interesting point to focus on is: What is the trend derived from and why? What in culture is changing to make something of interest bubble to the surface in general societal attitudes and behaviours?
One indicator we use as a point of reference is shown in the diagram above.
Just about anyone who’s studied or worked in marketing has heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but surprisingly few have come across Shalom Schwartz.
Schwartz took Maslow’s thinking and pushed it further to determine a map that demonstrates values states, it also proposes that these values sit opposite one another in a wheel like configuration.
Taking this simple reference point and applying it against society you can start to build a real picture of what makes us tick and more importantly why!
Now if you start to measure society’s values (like the smart folks over at Cultural Dynamics do!) then you start to understand the motivations and pressures driving shifts in values.
Understand this and you understand how trends form. Start to project values shifts based on known values movement and you can start to see how and if trends will grow!
For people in the communications industry or government this is like alchemy for ideas, it’s powerful stuff.
