That quote from Niels Bohr is so true.
And even though I don’t
have big crystal balls.....steady!
I can’t
read tarots.
And I’m
not prone to visionary trances.
I'm going to have a go because I’ve
seen the future.
Or at least glimpsed it, as I hide behind the sofa of my daily life.
Guess
what – it’s not all hover-boards and self-tying shoelaces, as much as my kids
might wish it was.
The
future is what we’ve got right now.
Just, well, better.
Take
social media for example.
We get
it, we use it, and, in most cases, we like it.
That
doesn’t mean we always know exactly what to do with it.
Add
social media to events, and you get a marriage made in
heaven.
Think
about it – amplifying and extending the reach of your
content.
Letting
your attendees forge their own connections.
Listening. Responding.
Participating.
So for me part of
defining the future, lies in observing how we’re evolving.
All that
second screen business is now second nature to us.
The
technologists might call it the ‘convergence of screen-based media’.
I call it
‘getting involved’.
Look at
the biggest TV shows – X-Factor, Strictly, Big Brother. They invite
participation.
And we’re
no longer viewers; we’re directly involved in the outcome.
We can dig
deeper, or wade in with our opinion.
More than
anything, these shows are no longer just TV broadcasts.
They’re
live events with an unrivalled reach.
Soon,
corporate events will be using TV programmes, films and documentaries as viable
sources of content.
And vice
versa.
They’ll generate "long copy" content for consumers and trade content for live events.
They’ll generate "long copy" content for consumers and trade content for live events.
Rather
than buying in big names, the brands themselves with take on ‘small C’ celebrity
status.
That’s
how they’ll cut through the clutter and build deep engagement with both external
and internal audiences.
It’s a long time since marketing was about awareness.
It’s a long time since marketing was about awareness.
That’s
why advertising continues its gradual decline, and social goes from strength to
strength,
Our
audiences are no longer consumers.
They’re
colleagues, cohorts and co-conspirators.
The more
they feel empowered, the more they’ll get involved.
They’re
looking for entertainment and information.
More
importantly, they want real, human connections.
The
machines may be rising, but we’re still the ones in control.
And don’t
ask me who’s going to win the next FA Cup.
I’m sworn
to secrecy.