"Buy the Way…" Insights on Integrated Marketing Communication

As companies compete for the eyes, ears, and hearts of audiences everywhere, they continue to push the envelope with their direct-to-consumer initiatives.  This is increasingly clear in the growing number of conventions targeting fans across the nation – and the world.  Arguably the one that receives the most publicity, possibly due to the insanely passionate fans, is Comic-Con International: San Diego which launches in just a few days and runs July 20-23, 2017.  At the annual Comic-Con convention, consumers receive updates on the latest content releases and are immersed in all-things pop culture, while also getting the opportunity to meet or “be” their favorite celebrities and characters.

The first Comic-Con was held almost fifty years ago in 1970, as a group of comic book, film, and science fiction fans wanted to get together to build awareness and raise money for a larger convention.  Only 100 people attended but the one-day event was considered a success and the show continued to grow until it reached its current attendance of roughly 130,000 consumers over a four-day period.  Comic-Con has become such a “must-attend” convention that local comic-themed consumer events have successfully been introduced in cities across the nation, giving fans the opportunity to get in on the cosplay action in their own neighborhood.

Trade shows, as the name implies, originally targeted the trade — retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and licensees — the professional side of a wide variety of industries as they convened on how to grow business and reach consumers.  The ‘trade show’ has evolved as company and consumer interests converge, and organizations leverage the benefits and opportunities of speaking directly to consumers — and consumers demand closer relationships with the business world through their active engagement and communication in the social media space.

Just as Comic-Con’s initial goals were to create awareness and launch fundraising initiatives, the objectives for fan-based conventions are similar today.  Additionally, consumers can get a “front row seat” to all-new company announcements and celebrity interactions, which they then share with friends on social media to boost awareness, build excitement, and spur engagement more organically.

This weekend is D23, Disney’s fan club that connects with Disney fans every two years near Disneyland in Anaheim.  Other favorites over the years connect trade shows for business and a day or two for the ‘general public’ such as with Toy Fair and BookExpo.  Whatever your passion or interests — from concrete to toys — there’s most likely a show coming soon to a town near year.

What are your favorite conventions?  Are you planning to attend any shows – either for business or pleasure?  

References
Comic-Con. https://www.comic-con.org
D23. https://d23.com
History of Trade Shows. http://www.trade-show-advisor.com/history-of-trade-shows.html
Top 100 USA Trade Shows. https://www.absoluteexhibits.com/top-100-usa-shows/

Something must be done about the way the Olympics are held. If the cost to host in Rio, Sochi and Beijing are any indication of the ramifications for hosting the spectacle, then the International Olympic Committee might just reconsider other alternatives, once again. The money spent to host the Games, particularly in developing countries, is shown to cause irreparable damage to the economies of not only the host cities, but in cases such as Athens in 2004, damage to an entire continent. Unfortunately, in doing so, host cities inevitably drive up the cost for future cities to host, as well, (Studebaker, 2014).  While it makes sense that cities in developing countries would want to host the games as a means of improving their reputations on the world stage, (W.T., 2013), it is increasingly becoming more and more difficult to justify.

The suggestions to change are as plentiful as the justifications for doing so, but the two that stick out most as plausible solutions would be to rotate among five different cities with the infrastructure already in place to support such an initiative, (Howard, 2014), or return to Greece permanently, and create a new Olympia, (Friedman, 2016).  And while the idea of returning to Greece for a permanent solution excites the senses in many ways, the disappointment in Athens in 2004 is not one of them. Should the financial aspect of such a decision be reconfigured appropriately, however, returning to the original home of the Olympic games could prove worthwhile – even if at times possibly rented from developing countries.

The more likely scenario would be to rotate the games between five developed cities, on five different continents, including Athens, representing the five interlocking Olympic rings, (Friedman, 2016). These cities could include Los Angeles, Athens, Beijing, South Africa, and Sydney, or some version that includes LA (one of the only host cities to actually turn a profit during the games in 1984, (Friedman, 2016), Athens, and representatives on the other three continents that are established in a way to positively host the games, without causing damage to its people. This is specifically regarding the summer Games, but the same could be done for the Winter.

Persons interested in supporting this cause could start a grass roots movement on social media through creative use of hashtags such as “5Rings” to begin being heard in unison about the possibility. Yes, there would likely be ramifications in making such a decision on all sides, but to return to a state of being able to focus on the games and the athletes themselves, as opposed to the financial situation of the host city could be just what the IOC and in fact the world need right now.

References

Studebaker, B. (2014, February 8). Developing Countries Shouldn’t Host the Olympics [Web log post]. Retrieved July 13, 2017, from https://benjaminstudebaker.com/2014/02/08/developing-countries-shouldnt-host-the-olympics/

Howard, R. (2015, August 05). Let’s just pick one country to host the Olympics permanently. Retrieved July 13, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/11779838/Lets-just-pick-one-country-to-host-the-Olympics-permanently.html

Friedman, U. (2016, August 05). What If the Olympics Were Always Held in the Same City? Retrieved July 13, 2017, from https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/08/rio-olympics-permanent-host/494264/

Rothschild, R. (2016, August 02). The worst Summer Olympic Games host cities. Retrieved July 13, 2017, from https://www.si.com/olympics/2016/08/02/worst-summer-olympic-games-host-cities

Summer Olympics: Should developing nations host the games? – Yes. (n.d.). Retrieved July 13, 2017, from https://thetowerphs.com/2016/09/sports/summer-olympics-should-developing-nations-host-the-games-yes/

W, T. “Why would anyone want to host the Olympics?” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 08 Sept. 2013. Web. 14 July 2017.

Whoever said there’s no such thing as bad publicity may want to revisit that concept, especially after the internet witnessed one of the most legendary and public meltdowns in recent online history. No, it’s not one Lindsay Lohan’s semiannual, self-inflicted disasters, but it comes close.  The owners of Amy’s Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro -Amy and Samy Bouzaglo – gained notoriety after they were featured on Gordon Ramsey’s “Kitchen Nightmares.” Turns out their behavior was so terrible and the couple such a “nightmare” to work with, Gordon Ramsey fired them himself, making it the first time in the history of the show the steely Ramsey walked off the set and said: “I can’t help these people.”

“Kitchen Nightmares” stars seasoned and ever salty Gordon Ramsay, a wildly successful chef and restaurateur whose restaurants hold more than a dozen Michelin stars, a mark of respected critical acclaim. The format of the show is that Ramsay parachutes into a troubled operation, at the request of the owner, gets into the middle of conflict, and persuades the owner to take his advice, after which the restaurant is expected to catapult into great success.

However, Gordon Ramsey has clearly met his match as the dynamic duo not only pushed him beyond the breaking point but their customers as well, who witnessed awkward scene after awkward as the couple yelled and swore at each other, took tips from the waiting staff and harassed customer customer after customer – berating them as they delivered constructive criticism of service. As the couple’s unusual and belligerent behavior progressively worsened customers took to social media on Reddit, Yelp and Facebook to post negative comments which incensed the two owners.

Despite claims of being open to constructive criticism, the couple loses any and all self-control and restraint as they begin to receive wave after wave of unfavorable reviews on social media, particularly Reddit – Amy’s Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro came under fire after Reddit discovered the episode of Amy’s on Kitchen Nightmares and began to lash out at the bakery, which eventually escalated to the restaurant’s Facebook page where customers were unrelenting in their scathing criticisms of the couple, the food and treatment of staff.

The Bouzaglo’s quickly jumped on Reddit, making fake accounts to reply to nearly every comment about their restaurant. Not only were their responses incredibly defensive, in all caps, but to top it all off – they directly insulted customers who posted unflattering reviews, thus facilitating even more discussion and backlash. Amy and Samy attempted to retract their comments and responses on Reddit and Facebook claiming their corporate social media accounts were hacked and they were coordinating with law enforcement officials to determine how it happened. However the blistering attacks continued as the “company” raised eyebrows again for an alleged blistering attack on someone who had written a poor review on Yelp, calling the person a moron and firing back, “Do US a favor and keep your ugly face and your ugly opinions to yourself and go back to the restaurant that you really work at!!”

Which begs the question: is there such a thing as bad publicity?

If you want to see how it all started, check out the episode here: Kitchen Nightmares Season 06 Episodes 15 Amy’s Baking Company. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/vF5wYg4qBiw

References

Bleier, E. (2015). Amy’s baking company is no more: Notorious kitchen nightmares restaurant closes after owners threatened to stab customer, stole from staff and broke iron-willed Gordon Ramsey. Daily Mail. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3225193/Amy-s-Baking-Company-closes-Arizona-Kitchen-Nightmares-appearance-continues-live-infamy.html

Clay, K. (2015). Lessons from amy’s baking company: Six things you should never do on social media. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/05/14/lessons-from-amys-baking-company-six-things-you-should-never-do-on-social-media/#91f06812f1d6

McClellan, J. (2015). Amy’s baking company in scottsdale has closed. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/2015/12/29/amys-baking-company-scottsdale-has-closed/71722292/

Before the recent demand for diversity in entertainment, I would drive on Sunset Blvd and see tons of billboards that predominately featured white men in films that explored their story lines and no one else’s.  Across decades, films like Rocky, Forrest Gump, and Braveheart were awarded with tremendous box office success regardless of their casts not reflecting the ethnicities of society.  With American demographics changing every year, there is a demand for a change in the way images are portrayed.

Ultimately, people want to see themselves represented where they are spending their money.  Recently, a report from the Motion Picture Association of America showed people that consider themselves Asian/Other is the ethnic group that goes to the movies most often.  McNary (2016), concluded that minorities are over represented as audience members and underrepresented in the cast of feature films.  The recent demand for people to see themselves represented where they spend their money makes studios ask themselves what are they doing to diversify their casts, crews and audiences.

Representation of minorities is below 9.6% of what their overall population is in society (Smith, Choueiti, & Pieper, 2016).  Although Asians account for a large number of ticket buyers, more than half of storylines across all entertainment platforms have zero speaking parts for Asian characters (Smith, Choueiti, & Pieper, 2016).  When it comes to lead roles, minorities are underrepresented by a 3 to 1 ratio (McNary, 2016).  In the age of remakes, superheroes and animated films Hollywood has forged its way into a more diverse future.  According to the MPAA, the film with the most diverse audience was The Jungle Book.  Fifty seven percent of the tickets sold for The Jungle Book belonged to minorities, with Latinos account for 22% and African Americans accounting for 18%.

The expectation of how animals will interact is clearer than the interaction expectations of humans.  For example, when a shark appears in front of a clown fish the threat is present but can be turned into comic relief because the shark is in the process of being a vegetarian.  On the other hand, when people see interactions on screen it makes them reflect upon their own experiences.  Based on a potential audience member’s recall, they may not be inclined to see certain films.  Animated films make casting a diverse cast much easier because convention does not apply.  In The Lion King, a world was created where James Earl Jones was the father of Jonathan Taylor Thomas and that film was the highest grossing film of the year.

Big Hero 6 is an example of a diverse cast of talent that was modified from its original all Japanese cast.  When asked how he would approach diversity and creativity, Williams said “It’s not a story set in the historic past.  It is very present and now and it’s futuristic, actually, and it should reflect the now.” (Carter, 2014).  Big Hero 6 went on to make over 650 million dollars at the box office and win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.  As studios and actors continue to challenge unspoken rules about who can play what roles, the public’s overwhelmingly positive response to diverse material is encouraging.

References

Carter, K.L.  (2014, November 4).  “Big Hero 6” Is Disney’s Most Diverse Movie Yet.  Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeed.com/kelleylcarter/big-hero-6-is-disneys-most-diverse-movie-yet?utm_term=.any0w755o#.hwj0O6AAK

McNary, D.  (2016, March 22).  Hollywood’s Diversity Problem Potentially Costs Industry Billions (Study).  Retrieved from http:variety.com/2016/film/news/hollywood-diversity-report-industry-losing-billions-1201714470/

MPAA.  (2017).  Theatrical Market Statistics.  Retrieved from http://www.mpaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/MPAA-Theatrical-Market-Statistics-2016_Final

Smith, S. L., Choueiti, M., & Pieper, K.  (2016).  Inclusion or Invisibility?  Comprehensive Annenberg Report on Diversity in Entertainment (Comprehensive Annenberg Report on Diversity, pp. 1-27, Rep.).  Los Angeles, CA:  Institute of Diversity and Empowerment at Annenberg.

Think for fifteen seconds and try to remember the last commercial you’ve seen on a television set. Can you remember it? No? Why is that? The reality is, most consumers are connected to their mobile devices a good portion of the day for business or personal entertainment purposes (Watson et al., 2013). Knowing this, can it be said that the advancement of mobile technology as a primary form of communication, glued to our hands, ears, or wrists, has negated traditional advertising’s ability to entice consumers to purchase a product or service?

Consider television. The ability to control what we are watching on services such as Hulu and Netflix WITHOUT commercial interruption on premium subscriptions is a popular choice for consumers leading busy lives where traditional programming hours are not convenient.

No commercials mean zero advertising. For those using streaming services instead of watching television have reduced their exposure to advertisements significantly, except of course for product placements in some of our favorite streamed shows…cue in House of Cards on Netflix, a scene where a government official slides his finger on an obvious Samsung tablet, transferring a map wirelessly onto the clearly visible Samsung television…the magic of sneaky advertising! (Check this scene out HERE)

Aside from that, traditional television marketing would otherwise stay nowhere to be found in streaming services.

Another aspect of television people forget is DVR devices. These allow consumers to record television to watch at a later time. The problem with these devices, for advertisers at least, is that end-users have the ability to ignore commercials by skipping them…this is in addition to the fact that ratings are not always accurate for programming since reporting is incomplete due to DVR devices…causing programs to be canceled prematurely…remember Arrested Development?

Consider radio. You might say advertisements remain the same, and yes they do, but do you recall the premium radio service called SiriusXM, offering music with no advertisement interruptions? Couple SiriusXM with Apple Music’s streaming radio service and that leaves consumers with several options to listen to music any time of day without a single advertisement. Think to yourself, when was the last time you heard a radio advertisement?

Over 50% of average American consumer use their smartphone at least occasionally to follow breaking news events, share pictures, or learn about community activities (A. Smith, 2015).  Essentially, people are often on their smartphones, not including other mobile devices like laptops and tablets, which leaves advertisers with the challenge of engaging consumers in these formats instead of traditional media.

While watching live television, what is the FIRST thing you do when a commercial comes on? Do you grab your phone and ignore the commercial? Distractions from mobile devices are ensuring that the dynamics of advertising are changing, but does this fact indicate a trend in traditional advertising methods becoming obsolete and mobile advertisements becoming the primary form of advertising? Is this necessarily a bad thing?

Firms are now having to fight for marketing real estate in several platforms in order to achieve the greatest amount of exposure. Creativity in advertising must be used in order to grab the attention of consumers that are now more distracted and busier than ever.

References:

Watson, C., McCarthy, J., & Rowley, J. (2013). Consumer attitudes towards mobile marketing in the smart phone era. International Journal of Information Management, 33(5), 840. doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2013.06.004 0

Smith, A. (2015). U.S Smartphone Use in 2015, Pew Research Center, Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/01/us-smartphone-use-in-2015/

The Power of Emotion

About a month ago, The University of Phoenix released a powerful commercial promoting women in IT that encouraged women to “Rise” and consider enrolling in their bachelor’s of information technology program (University of Phoenix, 2017).  The commercial is gaining traction with nearly 7 million views on YouTube to-date.  The sixty-second commercial prominently featured the iconic Rosie the Riveter poster with the slogan “We Can Do It” throughout the ad as a source of inspiration for the commercial’s protagonist, a single mother who has been laid off due to factory automation (Oster, 2017).  A close friend of mine mentioned that she cries everytime she sees the commercial, because the messaging of the commercial strikes such an emotional chord.  Comments for the video on YouTube suggest the same.

On the Other Hand…

However, there are times when the sentiment toward for-profit institutions of higher education is not as favorable.  In a blog post with the provocative title “Is Higher Education a Bubble/Fraud/Conspiracy/Ponzi Scheme, Part 2” written for the Chronicle of Higher Education, Carey (2011) among various points of discussion mentions that “a lot of institutions are out there making money selling degrees that purport to signal certain valuable qualities but really don’t” (p. 1).  For-profit institutions have been under governmental scrutiny for concerns about completion rates, deceptive advertising and job placement (Carey, 2011; Oster, 2017).  The University of Phoenix is accredited by a reputable accreditor, The Higher Learning Commission which also accredits institutions such as the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and University of Wisconsin-Madison.  The University of Phoenix was literally “put on notice”, but was ultimately removed from notice after the Higher Learning Commission found the university resolved issues that threatened its accreditation (Higher Learning Commission, 2015).

Stories of Success

While there exists a certain level a skepticism toward for-profit institutions, not all outcomes are bad.  Not all institutions of higher education, whether they are non-profit or for-profit, are created equally.  There is a duality as it relates to successful outcomes for college graduates during and after the recruitment process.  Universities must be honest about the job placement and degree requirements during the recruitment and prospect phase.  Prospective students and their families must also do their due diligence when researching the institutions that meet their needs (financial, curriculum, work/life balance, etc.).

My brother received an MBA in healthcare management from the University of Phoenix five years ago.  He informed me that the degree has opened doors both professionally and financially.  He was already working in the healthcare profession and looked at programs at local brick-and-mortar institutions as well as their online outfits.  Overall, for him, the University of Phoenix was a better fit as a full-time working husband and father of two young children.  He also says that his pay jumped $25K-$30K as a result of his degree.

Integration

While a healthy dose of skepticism and scrutiny is absolutely warranted for all universities, it will be interesting to see if the University of Phoenix can sway positive public opinion in its favor.  They are already off to a start with the “We Can Do It” campaign.  After I watched the commercial directly on the University of Phoenix website, they connected across media by showing the ad later that evening while I was browsing another website. Also, from the university’s main website, a link to the video is featured at the very top of the page. Social media sites which can be found on the university homepage all either connect back to the ad or show viewers how to contact or apply to the institution.

References
Carey, K. (2011, May 16). Is Higher Education a Bubble/Fraud/Conspiracy/Ponzi Scheme, Part 2. [Web log post]. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/is-higher-education-a-bubble-fraud-conspiracy-ponzi-scheme-part-ii/35342

Higher Learning Commission. (2015, June 25). Public disclosure notice on University of Phoenix. Retrived from https://www.hlcommission.org/download/_PublicDisclosureNotices
/University%20of%20Phoenix%20PDN%206-15.pdf

Oster, E. (2017, May 23). University of Phoenix taps WWII icon Rosie the Riveter to inspire working moms: 180LA pays homage in ‘We Can Do IT’. AdWeek. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/university-of-phoenix-taps-wwii-icon-rosie-the-riveter-to-inspire-working-moms/

University of Phoenix. (2017, May 22). We Can Do IT (:60) – University of Phoenix [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TTd2FmYr0g

Overly sensitive or inadequately created? Recently, Snow White has gotten in a bit of trouble. In a recent marketing campaign for the animated film “Red Shoes and the 7 Dwarfs,” many critics have expressed their sheer disgust for the portrayal of the two Snow White characters. So much so, that the characters voiceover artist, Chloe Grace, expressed her position, “I have now fully reviewed the [marketing] for Red Shoes, I am just as appalled and angry as everyone else, this wasn’t approved by me or my team.”

Based on the creators of the film, the story is about “a Princess who doesn’t fit into the celebrity world of Princesses — or their dress size.” Although the film promises that the main purpose is empowering women, however, some have disagreed and have labeled the marketing as body shaming.

In your opinion, do you think the marketing communications went too far?

References

Rottenberg, J. (2017, May). Chloe Grace Moretz addresses body-shaming controversy over Snow White movie. Retrieved from URL. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-may-chlo-grace-moretz-addresses-1496270279-htmlstory.html

About six months ago, I hit a milestone. I turned 50.  A few weeks before the big day, I received a letter from the non profit, social welfare organization  AARP encouraging me to register  so that I could take advantage of discounts and member benefits. The letter made me feel uncomfortable. I tore it up. I faced my upcoming birthday by making jokes with my other Gen-X friends about joining the  American Association of Retired Persons.  

Ha, me, an AARP member?  Unfathomable.  I am not ready for AARP. I am nowhere near retirement; I do not have white hair: I do not have aches and pains; I do not do jazzercise, nor travel around the country in an RV. At least not yet.

50+ Stereotype

Am I  brand stereotyping?  You betcha.

Good news. AARP is working on changing their image.

The transformation started with a report commissioned by AARP  about the impacts of aging on society.  One of the key takeaways from a communications standpoint was that society has a negative understanding of aging and that new tools are needed to remove the stigma associated with life after 50.   

In an effort to shift perceptions of its brand,  AARP invested an estimated $25 million on a media campaign which launched at the Grammy Awards in 2013.  The “Real Possibilities” campaign is anchored by a new slogan, integrating  website tools, Facebook, Twitter, print and digital media spots that support a perception realignment of life after 50. This YouTube vignette featuring millennials, who meet active older adults, is really interesting. 

The company aims to re-position as an ally in aging and empowerment.   The re-branded acronym is now “An Ally for Real Possibilities.”  They are also moving away from A-A-R-P to just “arp” (rhymes with harp).

Under the leadership of CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, the organization is working to improve their image and  promote that  age is just a state of mind.  According to Jenkins, people need to stop worrying about getting old and instead think about living.

This is a concept that I can sink my teeth into.   After all, I am currently in the middle of a graduate program at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.  I am eager for positive messages about life after 50.  I want to be a part of an organization that will help me re-calibrate into the next chapter of my life.  It’s very appealing to be “Active”,”Appreciated”, “Rewarded” and “Positive” about the future. I think I will join. Can you imagine the possibilities?!

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By the year 2020, we’ll be seeing the next phase of the digital revolution: an internet in every device (even on your face) and a world where we interact through mobile social channels instead of browsers. According to Dillon Baker at Contently, a content marketing company, the media technologies that will dominate in 2020 will be 5G internet and the internet of things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, and the consolidation of social platforms. “The numbers suggest that many marketers will let these trends go by, says Baker, “but you shouldn’t be one of them”.

5G Internet and the IoT

Why didn’t smartphones take off in the early 2000’s like they have in the past few years? Simple: wireless data was expensive and trying to do anything other than get directions or check the weather was difficult. Nowadays we have 4G and Wifi everywhere and that makes it a lot easier to use data intensive apps. Just as the auto industry would never have happened without the creation of the highway system, smartphones are useless without the internet—“if it computes, it must connect. Otherwise it might as well be a brick”, says Matt Goddard, CEO of R2integrated. The internet of things, connected by a massively upgraded 5G (about 10 times faster than 4G), will be everywhere, connecting cars (especially driverless ones), homes and everyday devices. User will be able to “optimize” their daily lives by syncing all of their devices.  This means a lot more data for marketers. “The IoT is a marketing goldmine” says Goddard. The amount of investment by companies like Intel and Cisco show just how transformative they believe the IoT will be. For marketers looking to get ahead of the curve, the IoT should be a priority.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Have you experienced virtual reality yet? Marketers and media types are pretty excited about this new technology but the results have been mixed: either your mind was blown or you were disappointed. Many believe VR will take off when there are innovations in two important areas: control and content. “The ability to interact in an environment, especially using your hands—which is your natural method of interaction in the real world—is sort of the golden chalice of VR”, says Christine Cattano, executive producer of Framestore VR, a creative studio that specializes in creating VR experiences. Three devices released last year (HTC Vive, Playstation VR and Oculus Touch) are trying to meet this challenge. However, because of the hefty price tags (~$850 for all the components needed), this technology probably won’t achieve widespread market penetration until 2020 or beyond. You can compare early VR content with early film, which took years to evolve into its current form.  “The first film was a train coming into a station—super literal, right?” says Cattano. “Seven years later, George Melies is doing crazy things that could only be done film. It took enough experiments, wacky minds, and to be frank, enough balls, to do the stuff that is imaginative.”

Augmented reality (AR) is similar to VR, where a device is strapped in front of your eyes. The difference is the display is broadcast onto the world around you. Christopher Mims, Wall Street technology columnist, recently said “AR is the most exciting technology you’re ever likely to encounter. It’s the future, the dominant way we will interact with computers and the internet”. In last year’s Facebook F8 keynote, Mark Zuckerberg said AR could be as radical a transformation as mobile phones were: “a lot of the things we think about as physical objects today, like TV’s, will just be a one-dollar app.”

But here is where marketers have to be careful not to apply contemporary constructs to futuristic devices. “[Some marketers] keep bringing up this vision of wearing some sort of augmented reality device and you’re walking down the street and the cool thing we’re going to do is…we’ll just serve more ads”, said Cattano. “Someonw will definitely invent an ad blocker not long after.”

(Even More) Platform Consolidation

By 2020 is may be hard to understand the internet as anything other than a consolidated platform. “When it comes to where people go to read, watch, and listen to content—in other words, where marketers have to be if they want attention—major platforms will likely be in control. Leading the charge here in North America will be Facebook,” says Baker. It already controls a truly global social network and is extending its reach by offering Free Basics to developing countries. Even though the project was recently rejected in India, it is likely Facebook will continue to push it elsewhere. “When you consider that by 2020, 6.1 billion people are predicted to own smartphones, Facebook’s strategy to bring the majority of those users through a Facebook controlled platform should be fruitful,” says Baker.

eMarketer predicts that social platforms will only command 21.7 % of total digital ad spend, but this is where the money is flowing. “As marketers have increased their use of social media, their spending is also rising, and this shows no signs of slowing.” Baker says “even if marketers don’t fully embrace the platform takeover and shift their ad spend away from programmatic web display ads, users likely will.” He points out, “Eighty six percent of time spent on mobile is already spent on apps, compared to only 14 percent on mobile browsers. Considering that 3.5 billion people will own smartphones by 2020, that’s a huge amount of people who rarely use the internet on a web browser, assuming that ratio holds steady.”

Baker, D. (2017, July). What Media Technologies Will Dominate in 2020? Contently Quarterly: The Tech Issue, pp. 34-39.