Brian Solis
Solis said he sees a future in which artificial intelligence and machine learning permeate every marketing platform. He also sees data & AI ethics–as well as data & AI bias–as key trends to watch. His most provocative prediction, though, has to do with AI’s real potential: “Ultimately, AI can help brands become a lot more human.”
Another key topic to track? Using location data points to optimize physical experiences in real time. “We see shifts from big data to small data,” Solis says, “so that we can better understand how customers are behaving in unique moments rather than trying to tackle everything.”
A few more thoughts on the future of marketing from the c-suite.
Alicia Tillman, Chief Marketing Officer of SAP, on personalization
“I think personalization at the customer level is going to continue to be a top priority for marketers. How you stand out comes down to how well you know your customer and how well you are personalizing experiences for them.”=
Seth Solomons, Chief Marketing Officer of Equinox, on connected experience
“For us, the thing that we’ve talked a lot about that’s been around for a lot of years is connected whatever. For us, it’s that connected club experience. I think we’re getting closer to a place where every part of what we do is connected based on who you are, what you do, what you love to do, so we can give you more of that when and where you want.”
Seth Solomons
Doug Zarkin, Chief Marketing Officer of Pearle Vision, on a return to bespoke
“What you are seeing right now is a return to the bespoke model. Five to 10 years ago, consumers wanted choices and options and give-it-to-me quick. Amazon exists for that purpose. But what we are seeing across a number of different categories is that consumers want a high-quality service. They want true value for their money, value being equal to experience divided by price.”
Solis offers a final thought on the outsized role tech will play. “All of this new technology–and it’s only going to accelerate–can help brands not only be human but more meaningful at a time when the customer needs real engagement.”
