digital living

The future isn’t what we thought it would be. We don’t walk around in silver suits, travel to colonies on Mars or drive in flying cars. Instead, we dress casual, take selfies and communicate in 140 characters.

Earlier this year, I was interviewed about what women want from digital technology. (Thanks to Robin Raskin, Maria Bailey, and the team at MommyTech TV for the interview!) I’ve studied the topic ever since my years heading up brand and strategy at Sony Electronics. 

In two articles on HBR the role of branding in the digital economy is discussed.
(Unfortunately behind the HBR paywall)

In this first article Itamar Simonson and Emanuel Rosen argue that in many categories customers now acquire knowledge and competence about a product before purchase. This diminishes the effect of traditional advertising and marketing, where the brand is largely communicated as a function of emotion and preference (“the story”).

Millennials (those born from 1980 onward) are a key target for many brands and marketers. Whilst older groups are still the largest media audiences these under 35s have unique digital consumption habits. As they get older, these habits will only become more mainstream. So understanding more about this audience, and how they use digital tools and technologies, is critical for any brand.

When I posted my Christmas cards, it turned out I wasn't alone. In an era of text messages, Tweets, emails and short videos, research for the Royal Mail found that 78% of UK adults would be sending Christmas cards via the post, and each person would send an average of 17 cards. 

The selfie has emerged as one of the defining modes of self-expression of the smartphone era. Sometimes, it seems like half of all photos uploaded to Facebook or Instagram each day are selfies. While it’s easy to view these “selfies” as just another example of how technology is turning young members of the Millennial generation into narcissistic, self-absorbed individuals unable to maintain any intimacy in their relationships, maybe there’s another explanation for the popularity of the selfie.

Guest Post by: Jason Miller

Do you check to see how many likes your Instagram photo has every 5 minutes? Do you remove vowels from words in your Tweets? Have you checked in at your local Starbucks more than anyone else? Your answers to these questions will determine whether or not you have an unhealthy relationship with social media.