Tomorrow’s Transmedia

Currently the media landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. So having a system in place to identify relevant opportunities is crucial for navigating tomorrow’s digital world.

Life Optimisers
The rapid changes caused by cloud computing are redefining society at large. This is part of a bigger shift in values as more people look to optimise life on all levels. This is hardly surprising when we consider how work/life convergence, leaves people under increased time pressure.

Reach Out and Connect
As consumers, our contradictory desires for Fast (always-on efficiency) and Slow (caring emotional engagement) are proving challenging for service providers. Increasingly we see a demand for experiences that bring both multiple human touch-points and good value. This makes it crucial for telecom companies to engage in open dialogue to reach out and connect to customers.

Decoding Complexity
Engaging in multidimensional thinking and conversation is how companies can tap into the most essential trends and drivers to map out opportunities. A Trend Map is ideal to decode the complex social and cultural contexts of society, enabling a ‘big picture’ digital media vision to tune into the ‘real’ needs of people. These are the eight key social trends impacting tomorrow’s media landscape:

1. Radical Transparency
Reputation and trust are everything as social networks drive a culture of openness, sharing and the best deals. Good management of private data is essential for trusting relationships – and there’s a fine line between being helpful and intrusive.

2. Empowerment Technology
Mobile digital technology brings empowerment as we can now manage our work and social interaction wherever we are. Companies must facilitate seamless experiences across multidimensional platforms because people want autonomy and safety in one package.

3. Cloud Communities
Cloud culture is assisting our hyper-connected society, allowing ‘real-time’ interactive networks with human touch points to foster a whole new ‘sharing community’. For companies to thrive, it is crucial to operate in multiple digital modes and engage in ongoing dialogue to evolve people relationships.

4. Geopolitical Power Shift
Emerging economies are fuelling change as the requirements for information and communication are being reshaped by new geopolitical focal points. Companies must embrace diversity to understand the demands of a growing global middle class.

5. Global Citizens
Connectivity, sharing and mobility will be key to engaging with global citizens and a migrating and digital fluent youth. To facilitate people’s desire to participate and stay connected, telecom providers must act as trusted guides and enable sharing and learning.

6. Cultural Capital
Growing a strong cultural legacy is crucial to success and recognition in a globalised world. It is vital to recognise that tomorrow’s successful marketing model is dialogue driven – harnessing the power and passion of community and storytelling to build and grow brand capital.

7. Interactive Storytelling
Since our ‘love affair’ with economic growth has not delivered more fulfilment, now new avenues of meaning – on both a societal and personal level – are being considered. Brands can assist this journey by recognising the value of interactive transmedia experiences: voice, visual, touch, smell all adaptive elements that weave into our personal narrative.

8. The Good Life
From politics and work to community and family, happiness and positive experiences are strong drivers. People look for engagement and positive encounters to assist them in achieving personal fulfillment and quality of life. After all, happy people live longer and have better lives.

The Future of Media
So how do these trends impact the future of media? Crucially, tomorrow’s customers are no longer passive consumers. They want meaningful experiences through accessibility, immediacy, personalisation and authenticity enabled by transmedia platforms. Opportunities to participate, content create and collaborate will add a new dimension to how people consume and interact with their chosen media.

Imagine Tomorrow
Successful brands think from the outside in and look at the bigger picture to tap into the opportunities and challenges of evolving trends, as well as the driving forces behind them. By applying a multidimensional mindset to the changing face of media, you can imagine the future, plan what your organisation should do differently, and then work out how best to do it.

Inpirational Sources
* Kevin Kelly: The Future of the Digital Media Landscape >>
* A Visual Notebook on Cities and Clothes by Wim Wenders
* Transmedia Storytelling >>
* The Future of Media >>

Images
1. A cinematographic diary by Wim Wenders
2. Pulse on iPad 2011 
3. John Pawson Plain Space – Design Museum London >>
4. Clouds in London
5. Global Citizens Tate Modern London
6. Interactive Storytelling: Susan Hiller Tate Britain 2011 >>