Mitch Joel's Blog: Six Pixels of Separation, page 170

The Frightening Ramifications Of High-Frequency Advertising

If you think that creativity will be safe from the automation of everything, you are wrong.

It's not a question of "if" creativity and advertising will be automated, it is a question of "when." Whether we like it or not. There is a certain speed that the business of advertising has entered into, and it's going to shift from areas like the time we spend on finding the right media placement and pricing, down to the actual ad creative itself. Our industry is not prepared for how fast the technology is evolving (don't feel bad, most industries are woefully unprepared), but it is happening.

Programmatic and retargeting is just the beginning.

Conceptually, it's easy to look at what's happening with both programmatic and retargeting technology and draw a direct line to the actual creative messaging that goes into those boxes, but that's not how this is going to evolve. Did you know that Facebook has been using external data brokers to build much more expansive profiles of people like you, me and our customers? In December of last year, Business Insider published the news item, Facebook is quietly buying information from data brokers about its users' offline lives. From the article:

"...the tech giant gives users little indication that it buys far more sensitive data about them, including their income, the types of restaurants they frequent and even how many credit cards are in their wallets... Facebook's site says it gets information about its users 'from a few different sources.'
What the page doesn't say is that those sources include detailed dossiers obtained from commercial data brokers about users' offline lives. Nor does Facebook show users any of the often remarkably detailed information it gets from those brokers."  

What happens when you couple this kind of data into a world of machine learning?

It's not hard to imagine two massive technological innovations that are about to collide and change the landscape of advertising forever. It's easy to dismiss this notion, and think that creativity can never be the work of computers, but think on this a little bit more.

Massive technological innovation number one:

Facebook mixes your daily usage, these external data sources and your social graph using machine learning. Suddenly, the idea of "targeting" a specific audience or segment seems quite elementary and wasteful. Push that thinking further: think about your user activity, online sentiment analysis and more. A system this realistic (from a machine learning perspective) is just around the corner.

Massive technological innovation number two:

Artificial Intelligence takes the machine learning and is able to create the right message for the right user at the right time. The key message here is "the right message." With so much individual sentiment already in the system, think about the machine learning system's ability to know, understand and dissect mass trends and cultures on top of that. Just stop and imagine what this really means. The system knows what is getting people motivated and can find the right way to deliver that message to an already analyzed and understood consumer. 

Scared yet? Now, let's think about the speed...

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to be one of the first non-Googler to take a ride in one of Google's self-driving cars on an open/public road. Every fear that you can imagine was present and mixed with real excitement. Within five minutes of the drive, I never wanted to be in another car with a human driver (including myself). We could no longer be trusted. Once you see/understand just how many inputs and decisions that the car is making - without human emotions like frustration, being tired, mind on something else, etc... - it becomes abundantly clear that it's "doing the job" of driving in a much safer and more pragmatic way than human cans (you should see how far out into the distant the car was able to see/analyze). Why can't the creative part of advertising be the same?

We're humans. We're storytellers. We're emotional. We're not computers.

All true. But, how long will it be before computers understand so much about us (at a level we can't even comprehend)? How long will it be before our true roles at work will be about how we nurture and help these computers to learn and do more? How long will it be before computers can put ideas and cultures and messages together in a way that a great creative never could (literally, a new language of communication)? It's easy to be dystopian about this. It's easy to say that we're decades away. It's easy to be pragmatic about this as well. Right now, creativity is held in a small group of individuals. What if the entire world of creativity was a part of these computer systems, and they had the ability to parse, create and target? It's scary (no doubt about that), but it would bring on a type of advertising that we're currently seeing in the high frequency trading space. The smartest financial analyst can't possibly understand the market, see the trends, trade and react with the same layers of data, speed and technology that these system possess.

I, for one, welcome our high-frequency advertising overlords... but only because it seems more realistic today - than ever before - that this is where advertising is headed. What do you think?

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The Easiest Way To Navigate This Media Minefield

It turns out that nobody knows what's what when it comes to the media anymore.

Who do you trust for your news and media? Now, picture that media outlet. Which way does their news slant? Left? Right? How partisan are they? How much of their content is fact-based reporting verses editorializing, panel discussions and slanted perspectives? Do you really know what "fake news" is (and, if you're not sure, please read: Words Matter. Definitions Matter More... Or The Problem With Fake News)? What types of advertisers do they have? Do you think that these advertisers might influence their content? Can you clearly tell the difference between their news and what could be content marketing? How much true reporting are they doing, instead of tagging on to an already developing story from another news source?

The questions are boundless. Many people (even media professionals) hardly pay attention to these questions. 

We are all becoming more biased because of the news filters that exist. That, coupled with our increasing time spent using social media to get our news (mostly Facebook and Twitter), is pushing us further into these filter bubbles. It matters. It's important. There was a hope when the Internet first became commercialized (that's close to two decades now). The hope was that our world views would expand. The hope was that we would be exposed to many new voices, from many new areas, that we could have never heard from before. The hope was that individual voices would rise and create audiences of their own (think about the early days of blogging and podcasting). The hope was that these independent and connected voices could now reach and engage with larger audiences than the ones that were accessible by the biggest traditional media channels (TV, radio, print, etc...). The hope (maybe the biggest one) was that because of comments and unfetered access to these platforms, that we would hear divergent voices in powerful discourse - a true mix of opinions and insights. Of course, this would make us more human, more connected, more understanding of other's perspectives... and, of course, this never happened. We (and yes, this is all of us), started filtering out the type of content that we didn't want ("just give me sports, entertainment and business in the morning"), and we then started filtering out (by no fault of our own) voices that differed from our own. We starting following and liking and connecting to "friends." Whether these were real friends or pure acquaintances, it didn't matter. Still, this one action has now cascaded into a world where the vast majority of people on social media are only seeing content from those with a shared world view. Not good. Not helpful.

It's a small world, after all.

The issues and challenges of media started long before the last general election campaign in the United States of America. The outcome of that election simply crystallized the problem: it's not just a divided nation, but we live in divided times... and we can all see it now. It has been frustrating for many (if you don't believe me, check out my conversation with media theorist and journalism expert, Jay Rosen: Media's Massive Problems With Jay Rosen - Six Pixels of Separation - The Mirum Podcast - Episode #544). Candidly, there are days when I find myself shaking my head in total disillusionment about the state of our world and what individuals believe to be true or facts, based on how we interact on Facebook in regards to the news we share, post and comment on.

How do we navigate the media in these complicated times?  

In a word, we must be: Open. There are types of news and content that may not be aligned with your values or beliefs, but it is important - now more than ever - to expose yourself to it and expand your own belief systems. Few know how to make this happen. In fact, we all do know how to navigate the current state of media, we just have to think about the lessons we learned from our parents while we were very little kids.

Look both ways before you cross the street.

That's it. Look both ways before you cross the street. Nobody wants to get hit by a car. Nobody wants to get hurt. Nobody wants to wind up in the hospital. Nobody wants to be a burden on our society. Apply this lesson to your media consumption as well. As the rhetoric ratcheted up during some of the bigger newsworthy moments of last year, I started alternating between CNN and Fox News. In fact, it matters not which channel you prefer. By watching, listening and trying to understand both sides, I was able to look both ways before making my own judgement calls. At first, it was not easy. I found myself, literally, shouting back at the TV (or satellite radio). It felt like one side was lying, using words and intonation to slant the meaning or delivering news with mannerisms that change the message's intent. Then, slowly, after spending more time, my mind cleared. Both sides were just that... their own sides. I was able to see "across the road" (instead of just looking left and right), after making sure that the coast was clear. Another interesting layer that can (and should) be added on to this model it to also grab a different geography's perspective. Being Canadian, I would also look for sources up north, here, to better understand how the "outside world" was reporting on these, specific, news items.

It's not foolproof, but it will open up your mind and change your perspective.

The result of looking both ways before you cross the street has manifested into many strategic by-products. Personally, I'm intentionally looking for these other sides in everything from business ideation to client-specific work. Meaning: we will review some strategy/data from a client's upcoming initiatives. It's easy to take the data as it is being delivered. Now, I'll look both ways before crossing the street. A deeper evaluation, listening to the skeptics and the outliers to better understand "why" they're thinking this way, and not "what" they're thinking or saying.

So, look both ways before you cross the street!

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Uber's #DeleteUber Mess, Starbucks Is So Good At Mobile That It Hurts And More On This Week's CTRL ALT Delete Segment On CHOM 97.7 FM

Every Monday morning at 7:10 am, I am a guest contributor on CHOM 97.7 FM radio out of Montreal (home base). It's not a long segment - about 5 to 10 minutes every week - about everything that is happening in the world of technology and digital media. The good folks at CHOM 97.7 FM are posting these segments weekly on iHeart Radio, if you're interested in hearing more of me blathering away about what's going on in the digital world. I'm really excited about this opportunity, because this is the radio station that I grew up on listening to, and it really is a fun treat to be invited to the Mornings Rock with Terry and Heather B. morning show. The segment is called, CTRL ALT Delete with Mitch Joel.

This week we discussed: 

Uber has a political and business mess that percolated up this weekend. So, what really is behind this #DeleteUber issue (and how right/wrong is Uber) in this mess?
Do the super-rich and tech-advanced of Silicon Valley know something that we do not? They are a growing group of "preppers" coming out of there - people who are getting ready for some kind of local or global apocalypse... and they're not joking, according to this The New Yorker article.
We have often talked about just how smart (and good for business) the Starbucks mobile app is. Maybe it's getting too good for them to handle?
What will the iPhone 8 bring? Lots of rumours, speculation and even fake images floating around. No surprise. One of the more interesting rumours is a bendable screen. This would be a huge innovation and a massive step forward for technology.
App of the week: Headspace or OMG I Can Mediate!

Take a listen right here.

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Teach And Grow Rich With Danny Iny - This Week's Six Pixels Of Separation Podcast

Episode #551 of Six Pixels of Separation - The Mirum Podcast is now live and ready for you to listen to.

I know Danny Iny as a kind-hearted, gentle and generous soul. Many others know Danny as the founder of Mirasse. We first met when he was putting his book, Engagement from Scratch! in 2011. Slowly, over time, we would meet for coffee and talk about our growing businesses. To watch Danny's business grow has been a true joy. Mirasse helps people build better courses online. Not those shoddy ones... Danny and his team are all about true quality. This is Danny's passion. With his team of 30-plus people, he is on a mission to support his very special global community of 50,000+ loyal and inspired entrepreneurs. Danny is the host of the Business Reimagined podcast. He has also written the books, The Audience Revolution and the recently released, Teach and Grow Rich. Enjoy the conversation...

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via iTunes): Six Pixels of Separation - The Mirum Podcast #551.

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Global Perspective, Different Perspectives And Many Opportunities

How much do you really know about China? How much do you really know about Alibaba?

Here's a thought: You don't have to do business in China to appreciate, understand and capitalize on what is going on there (even if you will never sell there or speak the language). You don't have to use Alibaba to appreciate, understand and capitalize on their business model (and thinking) to help your business grow. Recently, Davos hosted the annual World Economic Forum. It's an event that gets a lot of scrutiny (some fair... some unfair), but there is no doubt that when the business leaders congregate, we get some fascinating conversations to take shape. Below you can watch an incredible interview with Jack Ma. Ma is the founder of Alibaba. The company was founded in 1999 and has a market cap of close to $250 billion dollars. To put that into perspective, Alibaba reported sales of over $14 billion on China's Singles' Day in 2015, and in November of last year, the e-commerce giant set Singles Day records by generating close to $18 billion. These numbers are so big that they are - truly - numbing to try and comprehend.

Why does Alibaba matter to you?

Lately, I've been playing with media hopping. I, literally, hop media channels (from CNN to Fox News to CBC to BBC, etc...). It has been an enlightening experience. You don't just hear how different sides have different angles on the same story, you wind up learning stories (that do, in fact, have partisan slants) that are not heard on the other media outlets, in other countries and beyond. All stories (from all sides) are created (in text, images, audio and video) to sell their own macro-perspective/leanings. For those who do not study, understand and create media, it can seem like nothing is happening at all. For those who are more media literate, the slanting and language used is fascinating. Alibaba is similar... but it's not. Ma has his own perspective on globalization (versus populist thinking). His perspective on what the US chooses to do in business (and the results of that effort) paint a very different narrative than the one most of know in North America, because he is Chinese. I was struck by how well-known narratives on business and economics here - where we live - are largely driven by our geography and the leaders in those regions.

There is no right or wrong, but there is perspective. 

It's easy to look at any business outcome and discuss the winners and losers. What we often don't do, is look to others (those who are not like us) to get their perspective. Is Alibaba just like Amazon? Not even close. Ma says that Alibaba is a data company, not an e-commerce one. You may feel that it is not, but watch, listen and learn from Ma, as he discusses how very different they are... and why both models should be embraced and leveraged. We often think that we have one course to get things right in business. If you study Alibaba, listen to Jack Ma speak and then think deeply about business models, opportunities and new markets, it becomes abundantly clearer that more perspectives will lead to more opportunities... and many more ways to win in business. This is a very inspiring conversation between Ma and Andrew Ross Sorkin (author of Too Big To Fail, New York Times columnist, co-creator of the hit TV show Billions and more).

Watch, listen and learn... World Economic Forum - Davos 2017 - An Insight, An Idea With Jack Ma.

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Six Links Worthy Of Your Attention #345

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (BitCurrent, Year One Labs, GigaOM, Human 2.0, Solve For Interesting, the author of Complete Web Monitoring, Managing Bandwidth: Deploying QOS in Enterprise Networks and Lean Analytics), Hugh McGuire (PressBooks, LibriVox, iambik and co-author of Book: A Futurist's Manifesto) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person "must see".

Check out these six links that we're recommending to one another: 

So You Want to Flee the City and Become a Farmer - CityLab - The Atlantic . "This week, the election news settled in, and a lot of people started talking about what to do. California wanted to secede, particularly with the federal government, saying it would pull $1B from the state for its sanctuary cities. Lots of people wanted to move to Canada, so we politely grew a hedge. Some folks wanted to be self-sustaining -- which sounds nice when you care about your carefully-sourced, hand-picked Third Wave espresso. But what's it really like? 'We wouldn't do it if we didn't love it, but it is backbreaking work for little pay.' This is why there aren't more farmers." (Alistair for Hugh).
Doomsday Prep For The Super-Rich - The New Yorker . "Okay, maybe hard work and early bedtimes aren't for you. More of a Mad Max type? Think you could be Jason Bourne, Krav-Maga-ing deer for your food? Perhaps three years at Burning Man made you feel like you could live off the grid? Well, you're not alone. 'My current state of mind is oscillating between optimism and sheer terror'--this from Tim Chang, Managing Director of VC heavyweight Mayfield." (Alistair for Mitch).
Seymour Hersh Blasts Media For Uncritically Promoting Russian Hacking Story - The Intercept . "Legendary investigative reporter, Seymour Hersh, is ... legendary. He was probably always a grumpy old man, and even more so now. What does he think of this whole Trump/Russia thing? He thinks the press are lazy for parroting CIA assessments with no proof. He's no fan of Trump though, and says we haven't seen such a (verbal) assault on the media from governments since the 1930s. But, on the other hand, he thinks that Trump may have exploded the Democratic party, which might not be such a bad idea. So, Russia is overblown, Trump sounds like a 1930s dictator, and the threats to democracy have never been greater. Yay us!" (Hugh for Alistair).
Proof that life is getting better for humanity, in 5 charts - Vox . "I'm the resident pessimist in this trio (with lots of fodder these days!). But, it's good to remember that data shows us that at least some things getting better, much better. Who you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?" (Hugh for Mitch).
How statistics lost their power - and why we should fear what comes next - The Guardian . "Maybe the data does lie? Here's a fascinating (and long) read about the state of statistics in a world where the data can't (really) understand humans and our strange(ish) behavior. The good news is that big data might be able to save the statistics world. The bad news is that big data is big business for many growing private companies. So, what are you going to do when private companies know much more about you than government (hint: they already do, but this is going to scale and it's going to be scary). This is either really good... or really bad news. Place your bets." (Mitch for Alistair).
How Being Bored Out Of Your Mind Makes You More Creative - Wired . "Staring into space. Staring at the tiled wall in the shower. Having nothing to do as you wander the local mall. It's easy to feel like you're not getting much done. It's easy to think that the most successful people that we know are busy, busy, busy. Stop. Stop. Stop. 'Lean into being bored'... you may find your best ideas loafing around there." (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

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New Platforms + Meager Results = Same Old Song And Dance

Explosive growth on a platform does not (often) come with great marketing results for brands.

If brands love one thing, it's the ability to insert themselves into a space where an audience gathers. The assumption is that because people have gathered, it will be easier to get their attention (wrong). This is hardly ever the case (sadly). In the early days of digital marketing, brands would be completely confused why their advertising was not performing, when there was such a large and growing audience online. In fact, those who were around back then (can I get a show of hands?) remember the always-present debate with brands that went something like: "if all of these people are online and the advertising is so highly interactive, why don't our ads perform for us as well as our TV spots?" In fact, I still hear remnants of this argument with certain industries, to this day (just replace "tv spots" with some other kind of traditional advertising). For me, this debate would set my hair on fire (who am I kidding? I was bald back then too). Different platforms, different media, different user experiences, etc... etc... Still, the debate raged on. It was never an apple to apple comparison.

The debate about the efficacy on digital media channels intensified.

You would think that as the Internet took hold, that this sentiment would dissipate. You would be wrong. It moved from the Internet - as a whole - to specific channels. For years, I would listen to brand leaders complain that search advertising doesn't work for them. The same was said about email, banners/display advertising, and so on and so on. Once the formats become validated (it was hard to argue that search and email are not effective marketing channels), the discourse shifted to specific platforms. Facebook advertising doesn't work, YouTube is not as effective as TV, and so on and so on. In the past, my general feedback to marketers was always the same: [insert specific/popular platform name here] works great for advertising... you're not advertising effectively on this platform. Brands would (obviously) rather blame the channel and platform over their strategy, creative and execution. That's a human thing... that's a real thing. It's probably still true (in most cases). Brands struggle with understanding these channels and platforms. It is hard for them to figure out how to best connect and communicate with these audiences, that are no longer passively consuming a form of media and fine with the interruption of advertising messages.

Digital is a much different beast.  

With that, there should be no surprise that these types of allegations still make headlines in this day and age. Two days ago, BloombergTechnology, posted an article titled, Facebook, Snapchat Deals Produce Meager Results for News Outlets. Here's what's going on...

"Media companies are frustrated that Facebook restricts the number and type of ads in Instant Articles, making it harder for them to make as much money as they can selling ads on their own websites, where they can better target readers... Some publishers have also started to put less emphasis on Facebook Live, in which media companies create live video that's hosted on the social media platform... While some outlets have started testing ads in Facebook Live videos, others express concern over Facebook's 'lack of success in creating large-scale audiences around live events,' Digital Content Next said. The group concluded that, for many publishers, Facebook Live 'has yet to scale or prove a revenue model.'... Several media companies have dedicated staff to create content for Snapchat, hoping to reach younger audiences that use it. Yet so far, Snapchat 'holds little to no short-term financial interest' for publishers."

It's (really) just the same old song and dance.

Whether it's a publisher trying to monetize content or a brand trying to sell more stuff by advertising or creating content on their own, one thing is clear: the ads and the content are not resonating with that intended audience. But that's not all. It could also mean that this is still early days. While there are lots and lots of users and usage on these channels, this branded content (publisher's content, brand's content and advertising) is simply not ready for this channel, as this channel still tries to figure out what - exactly - it is. Millions upon billions of snaps flapping through Snapchat doesn't automatically mean that a publisher has mastered the right content or ad for the flow... and the same should be said about advertisers.

Size of audience and growth does not guarantee brand success.

It may, in fact, simply be "too soon" for brands and publishers to try and inject themselves into these developing, emerging and growing channels. And, let's face it, if you own the channel (or you're the publisher or brand), this is not what you want to hear, because it means that the money has not found a clear, reliable and effective stream... yet (not sure this is true? Read this article from AdWeek: Snapchat Is Now Selling Ads Against Nielsen's TV-Like Ratings System). So, yes, it's new, it's exciting and everyone is talking about and using it. So, no, it may be too soon for ads, and your brand won't get the same results that it would get in another channel or platform. Don't blame that channel and platform.

Review the strategy, review the creative, review the analytics and appreciate that you may, simply, just be a little too early.

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Digitize The Physical To Win At Business

Should we even call anything "digital" anymore?

Senior marketing professionals love writing op-ed pieces calling for the death of using the word "digital" in front of anything. "Let's not call it Digital Marketing anymore." The sentiment is a pragmatic one: "everything is digital!" The sentiment is a romantic one: "we're not doing it, but if we kill that saying, we can claim that we do it all." It's a smart play. Brands do believe that a strong marketing agency should have strong digital marketing chops. As much as specialized shops continue to grow and be acquired, clients would much prefer one centralized agency (full-service much?). And, the battle rages on between specialized shops and full-service agencies. It's clear where my heart lies: I believe in digital. I believe that full-service is a hard promise to deliver on. The battle rages on.

But what about brands? How should brands think about their physical products and services as digital channels persist?

For years (and this ideology was a cornerstone of the thinking in my second business book, CTRL ALT Delete, from 2013), I have been saying that one of the biggest missed opportunity for brands today is the shift away from an advertising-driven marketing mindset to a digital product/service-driven marketing mindset. Instead of advertising to consumers, create digital products, services, applications and tools that can add value to your consumer's experiences. An app that is so valuable that a consumer would download it, use it (with frequency), have it on their smartphone homescreen and tell others about it. It's a tall order. It's not obvious. It's an opportunity. This thinking can be extended. Let's say that you're a retail brand. Why just sell physical goods online? Why not create digital assets that you can sell as well? Why would a major department store not sell digital goods and digital subscription services online as well?

Every move Amazon makes.

There is no doubt that Amazon does a lot of this right. They are digital, but will launch physical stores. They are digital, but will launch a POS system to bridge that and remove friction at the retail level. With that, have you seen their Dash buttons? When launched, everyone thought it was some kind of April Fool's joke. Amazon Dash Buttons are physical buttons (hardware) that consumers can place all over their home/office. Dash buttons allow customers to reorder an individual product that they are running out of (Laundry detergent woes? Place a Tide button next to your machine. No more condoms? Place a Trojan button in the top drawer of your night-table. Need more snacks? Place a Slim Jim button in the kitchen pantry). Since launching in 2015, over 200 brands are available, and consumer are using it.

Digitize the physical. 

While it may seem obvious, Amazon is now testing a digital version of the Dash button. The buttons are customizable. They can be re-arranged. They can appear in both the Web and mobile versions of Amazon. They can be created automatically by Amazon, based on what the consumer orders on a more frequent basis, and added to the customization view. These virtual Dash buttons could be created for millions of products on the fly. Dash buttons could even be created as an option during the check-out phase. Think about a dedicated Amazon Dash button dashboard - as a homescreen default. In theory, these could prove to be so successful that it might force them to stop developing the physical Dash button program. Amazon is thinking - deeply - about how to digitize physical products and services to increase their business, loyalty and service to their customers.  

What this does?

They make it easier to buy from Amazon. 
They make it easier for repurchases. 
They remove all friction. 
They remove the need for shopping lists or stressing over the day-to-day items to run our households and offices. 
They encourage impulse buys. 
They make it work through customization and merging both consumer behavior with their own knowledge of purchases. 
They will use this to encourage more usage of their Subscribe & Save model. 
They grab a consumer's attention. 
They are an engine of branding for the brands that are taking part (they look like little action-oriented banner ads). 

It's not just for Amazon. It's for your brand too. Digitize your physical goods to win more at marketing.

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Connect The Dots Marketing

Are we seeing the bigger picture?

There are three disruptive technologies that are emerging. Candidly, there are many more. Candidly, they may have already disrupted our society, but they have yet to impact brands and marketing. That will soon change. The big winner at CES this year was Amazon's Alexa technology. In short: voice. Voice as navigation. Voice as control. Voice as search. Voice as OS (operating system). However you slice it, the implications of consumers using their voice to connect, create and share content changes the playing field, as we have seen it to date. Have you read the news? In October of last year, MediaPost published the article, Gartner Predicts 30% Of Searches Without A Screen In 4 Years. The news item says: 

"About 30% of searches will be done without a screen by 2020. Technology such as Google Assistant for Home, Amazon Alexa for Echo, chatbots and software development kits from Microsoft, Soundhound and others will make this possible. The Gartner predictions, released Tuesday for 2017 and beyond, show a fundamental shift in the way consumers will find information. The trends examine three fundamental effects of digital innovation: experience and engagement, business innovation, and the secondary effects that result from increased digital capabilities."

Will it surprise you that, according to Business Insider, Amazon is flirting with paid search on Alexa? This has massive impact on many areas of what we consider smart marketing. Ultimately, the impact on ad dollars (from spend to strategy to creative) is going to be pervasive. While voice seems like a far-away marketing challenge, it is happening at a faster click than most realize. Searching and getting information (content, etc....) without a screen is going to become commonplace. No longer trying to figure out which keywords and text will get people to click, but rather how to buy media and engage against voice-initiated searches will create an entirely new industry in marketing.

Chatbots are becoming foundational to a brand's marketing strategy. 

If voice isn't on your list of marketing "must-haves," maybe you're thinking about chatbots? Matt Schlicht over at Chatbots Magazine may have a vested interest in seeing chatbots hit the mainstream, but his alarmistly-titled article, How Bots Will Completely Kill Websites and Mobile Apps, makes several valid points. In short, messaging apps are growing at unheard of pace. Currently, messaging apps are being used more than social media. Facebook Messenger has over one billion users, and it is growing faster than Facebook. "If messaging apps become the #1 way people communicate, then every business is going to need a way to engage on these platforms," Matt writes... and, he's right. If messaging apps are where consumers are spending their times, brands will deploy chatbots as a form of customer service, sales and marketing. This is happening already in more mature messenger app markets (Google Line's app in Asia to see countless examples of how many brands live and breathe with chatbots in these apps... and how much money users are spending in-app).

The Internet of Things is coming with unprecedented speed and force.

If it plugs into a wall, it should be connected. Correction: if it plugs into a wall, it should all be inter-connected. Correction: it doesn't even have to be plugged into a wall... anything can (and will) be inter-connected. Big stuff (like cars) to small stuff (like a glass in your kitchen). Information will flow from it, connected to other devices and powered/controlled by you (and your smartphone, for now). The ramifications here are dramatic, as it changes the economic landscape of our physical world. Self-driving cars are big connected devices. This impacts everything from logistics and the automative industry to Uber and your efficiency in (and outside) of the office. The devices that are/will be connected will be in the billions... and growing. It's no longer a computer, tablet or smartphone that will be the gateway to connectivity. It will be everything.

Bring it all together.

This is, truly, what brands need to think about. Sadly, we tend to look at these massive technology disruptions in isolation. We should not. We tend to think about them in terms of our brand innovation labs, instead of core changes to how we do operate our business. Chatbots will, increasingly, rely less and less on text and more and more driven by voice. Voice is currently the core to massive adoption of the Internet of Things. 25 Million More Voice Assistants Coming This Year; Amazon, Google Dominate, says IOT Daily via MediaPost yesterday. More and more of our connected devices will daisy chain to the voice assistant technologies as well. There is something profoundly powerful, as you see how these three, independent shifts (voice, chatbots and the Internet of Things), will merge, intersect and change the dynamics of how people, shop, buy and connect with brands. 

Three become one. One of the biggest challenges that brands will face this year... and moving forward... if we can just connect the dots.

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"Alternative Facts" Are Not Facts, Netflix Dominates Our Lives And More On This Week's CTRL ALT Delete Segment On CHOM 97.7 FM

Every Monday morning at 7:10 am, I am a guest contributor on CHOM 97.7 FM radio out of Montreal (home base). It's not a long segment - about 5 to 10 minutes every week - about everything that is happening in the world of technology and digital media. The good folks at CHOM 97.7 FM are posting these segments weekly on iHeart Radio, if you're interested in hearing more of me blathering away about what's going on in the digital world. I'm really excited about this opportunity, because this is the radio station that I grew up on listening to, and it really is a fun treat to be invited to the Mornings Rock with Terry and Heather B. morning show. The segment is called, CTRL ALT Delete with Mitch Joel.

This week we discussed: 

What is "fake news"? We live in strange times. Just because someone doesn't like what a news media report, it does not make it "fake news." I wrote a long article about it here: Words Matter. Definitions Matter More... Ot The Problem With Fake News. Plus, just yesterday, the newly-minted President is now using terms like "alternative facts." This is a big challenge, especially as so much news is now happening live and online. 
Netflix. Is there any chance that anyone can compete with Netflix (Apple? Amazon?). They just released their numbers and, well, it's staggering. 93.8 million subscribers. "The company added 7.04 million subscribers in the fourth quarter, a new record, and far more than the 5.59 it added during the same period last year. The vast majority of that came from international growth, which amounted for 5.12 million of those new members. Total revenue was 2.48 billion, up 36 percent from the same period last year." The real money is in original content... and this is where they are dominating as well: "It's producing two-thirds more original programming than it did last year, but spending just 16 percent more. At this point, the only TV network spending more on content is ESPN." Netflix will spend close to $6 billion on content in 2017.     
App of the week: Evernote is new and improved.

Take a listen right here.

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