We stand at the beginning of a consumer-centric age — an
era with potentially enormous returns. The new media envi-
ronment is “always on,” digitally accessible to audiences
from anywhere at any time, and responsive to their control; consumers
are now media producers, programmers, and distributors. The conver-
gence of media and technology is affecting the connection between
marketers and consumers in unprecedented ways.
CHRIS VOLLMER Vice President, Booz & Company North American Entertainment & Media Business Leader
No doubt, marketers, agencies, and media companies today face a changed
environment. Marketing is shifting to one of constant experimentation, fine-
grained insight through new metrics, and continual innovation of advertising
and the business infrastructure beneath it. The mix of media channels has
shifted from a one-way broadcast model to a set of dynamic two-way media
forums. With this shift comes the potential for more direct dialogs between
marketers and consumers. Marketers can take control of the relationships and
create new opportunities to directly reach, connect, and influence con-
sumers. In the past, marketers couldn’t listen to consumers in real-time, or
predict what they were going to do or say. But now, they can. And, they do.
How, then, do marketer capabilities and relationships need to change as dis-
ruptive technologies transform the marketing value chain? Booz & Company
has just completed the first two phases of a sweeping multiyear research
program in conjunction with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA),
the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), and the American Association of
Advertising Agencies (AAAA). This cross-industry partnership—dubbed
Marketing & Media Ecosystem 2010—is the first of its kind and has already
yielded valuable insights into where the gaps and gold mines are in today’s
media landscape and how leading consumer goods companies are address-
ing them. More than 250 marketing and 100 media professionals participat-
ed in our initial two surveys, and we conducted in-depth interviews with
more than 75 senior executives, including CMOs, CEOs, and VPs, represent-
ing leading marketers, agencies, and media companies. Their observations
went well beyond the obvious to illuminate the initiatives, capabilities, and
partnerships that will transform the marketer–agency–media value chain in
the immediate future.
What follows are the five key trends that emerged from the Marketing &
Media Ecosystem 2010 study and our recommendations on how consumer
goods companies should adapt to prosper. We hope you find them thought-
provoking and useful. Feel free to reach for us any time to discuss how Booz
& Company can help you prepare your team and capabilities for a “digitally
savvy” era. ■ –– Chris Vollmer
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