Technology is causing society to develop new behaviours and change existing habits. This changes the way marketing and communications need to be packaged and distributed. Practically everyone agrees that as technology evolves so should our marketing and communication methods. Yet doing this well is not as simple as engaging with new channels whilst reducing emphasis on old ones. It means understanding the fundamental societal and psychological drivers behind audience shifts in order to target messages and content in a way that will get you desired attention and engagement. The goal is not reach but psychological and behavioural change.

Technology has also decentralised distribution. Gone are the days of mass media. Or when a front page ad would net you a high percentage of the population. Todays consumer is fragmented over a variety of platforms and increasingly difficult to reach. Entire social demographics are going 'dark', as they move into communities such as Netflix or Spotify where they are free from the reach of classic 'interruption' interventions such as Ads.

Robust strategies take all of this in to consideration as well as position organisations well for trends likely to occur in the future.

Historically companies have sought to centralise control of their brand expression and experience whilst also producing the highest quality content possible. The last decade has seen significant societal shifts demanding less expensive and polished content, and more entertaining, relatable, accessible and shareable content. The definition of 'quality content' has been redefined, and with that has opened a door of possibilities.

The good news is that content has never been easier or more affordable to create and distribute. However capitalising on these trends can involve challenging some traditional approaches to how marketing and communications is managed. To the company who navigates this well lies audiences eagerly desiring increased connection.

There is a current irony in marketing. On the one hand, there are more channels to market through than ever before. Yet on the other, many are finding it harder than ever to be seen and heard over the increasing quantity of companies fighting for brain real estate.

At the same time, populations are becoming increasingly desensitised to traditional marketing techniques. And to make matters worse, entire social demographics are going 'dark', moving into communities such as Netflix or Spotify where they are free from the reach of classic 'interruption' interventions such as Ads.

This further saturates existing distribution channels.

Whilst it's easier than ever before to quantify marketing spend, it's more difficult then ever to ascertain which professionals to trust. With the rise of digital marketing is have become easy for large and small businesses to offer marketing and communications services.

Yet stories of wasted marketing spend and ineffective communications abound.

Weak and outdated marketing uni degrees, the rise of digital nomads, rigid business models, the assumption digital natives understand social media,

Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology and even Political Science have all made significant contributions over the last century to better understanding what drives human decisions and behaviour. And are these not most commonly the end goals of successful marketing or communication interventions? Yet it's the rise of modern medical imaging that has brought the ability to, for the first time, 'see inside the brain'. For centuries humanity has nurtured theories about how perception is formed, how people make decisions, and how influence occurs. Neuroscience has given us the ability to no longer guess but test. The insights from this over the last decade alone have been staggering. For marketers and communications specialists, staying abreast of these developments and applying the learnings is crucial. It is surprising how many professionals still run on outdated debunked tactics, techniques and strategies.

Although not unique to marketing, commercial strategies are often surprisingly homogenous. Each company trying to make similar claims - just a little better.
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Consumers more than ever have the desire and ability to avoid advertising - and they are happy to spend a little for the privilege.

In the modern digital age, users have increasing choice to fine tune their experiences and feeds as they desire. And more than ever, consumers are choosing to curate that experience by avoiding ads.