Tag: Tom Edwards

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Harnessing the Power of GPT for CPG & Retail

From 2016 onward, I have frequently discussed the accelerated development of artificial intelligence (AI) and its pivotal role in revolutionizing sectors like pharmaceuticals. Today, our focus shifts to leveraging the capabilities of GPT, or Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail domains. In this post, we will delve into the ways GPT can transform customer interactions and redefine the playing field for CPG and retail brands.

My AI avatar has thoughts about which of the 8 points listed below is the most relevant.
  1. Personalized Communication at Scale

The strength of GPT lies in its ability to understand and generate human-like text. This capability allows CPG and retail brands to create highly personalized messaging for their customers. By leveraging AI-powered language models, marketers can craft tailored content for different segments, demographics, and even individual customers, ensuring that every interaction feels unique and genuine. This level of personalization can lead to improved customer loyalty, higher conversion rates, and increased overall brand value.

  1. Enhanced Customer Support

Customer service plays a critical role in the success of CPG and retail businesses. GPT can be utilized to augment customer support teams by providing instant and accurate responses to common inquiries, reducing wait times, and freeing up human agents to focus on more complex issues. Furthermore, with continuous learning and improvement, GPT can adapt and fine-tune its responses to provide an increasingly seamless customer experience over time. Especially if an organization enhances GPT with 1st party data through transfer learning and ring-fencing via an API.

  1. Streamlined Content Creation

Creating high-quality content can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. GPT has the potential to streamline this process by generating product descriptions, promotional materials, and even social media posts, all while maintaining brand voice and consistency. By automating content creation, brands can achieve significant cost savings, improve efficiency, and allocate resources more effectively, especially with the release of GPT-4 and its multi-modal capabilities.

  1. AI-driven Insights and Decision-Making

GPT can analyze vast amounts of data and extract valuable insights that inform marketing strategies and decision-making processes. By understanding customer preferences, sentiment, and trends, CPG and retail brands can make data-driven decisions, optimize their product offerings, and uncover new growth opportunities. With GPT’s natural language understanding capabilities, these insights can be communicated in a way that is easily digestible for decision-makers.

  1. Revolutionizing Analytics for Deeper Customer Understanding

In the age of data-driven marketing, understanding customer behavior and preferences has never been more critical. GPT’s powerful natural language processing capabilities can be harnessed to enhance analytics by interpreting unstructured data, such as customer reviews, social media interactions, and online discussions.

By analyzing this information, GPT can uncover patterns, trends, and insights that were previously hidden, providing a more holistic view of the customer journey. This deeper understanding empowers CPG and retail brands to create highly targeted marketing campaigns via predictive CRM, optimize product assortments, and deliver more relevant, engaging experiences to their customers.

By combining GPT’s advanced analytics with traditional data sources, brands can unlock new levels of customer intelligence and drive strategic decision-making across the organization.

  1. Boosting Voice Assistant Integration for Frictionless Shopping Experiences

As voice assistants become increasingly popular, their integration into CPG and retail experiences has emerged as a crucial factor for success. GPT’s exceptional language generation capabilities can be leveraged to enhance voice interactions, creating more natural, fluid, and engaging conversations with customers.

By developing AI-driven voice applications, CPG and retail brands can provide frictionless shopping experiences, making it easier for customers to discover, research, and purchase products using their preferred voice assistant devices. This level of convenience and ease-of-use not only contributes to customer satisfaction but also drives customer loyalty and repeat business, positioning brands at the forefront of the ever-evolving retail landscape.

  1. Empowering In-Store Experiences with Augmented Reality and GPT

The integration of AI-powered technologies like GPT and Augmented Reality (AR) can elevate in-store experiences for customers, creating a seamless blend of the physical and digital. GPT can be utilized to generate contextually relevant content that enhances AR applications, offering product information, personalized recommendations, and promotional offers to customers as they navigate through the store. This combination of technologies provides an immersive, interactive experience that not only improves customer engagement but also drives sales and increases brand loyalty.

  1. Enhancing Customer Engagement with Digital Humans and GPT

The fusion of digital human avatars with GPT’s advanced language capabilities can create a new paradigm for CPG and retail customer engagement. By combining realistic, emotionally expressive avatars with GPT’s ability to generate natural, human-like conversation, brands can deliver truly immersive and personalized interactions that resonate with customers on a deeper level.

These digital avatars can serve as virtual brand ambassadors, customer service representatives, or even personal shopping assistants, catering to customer needs and preferences with a human touch. The marriage of digital human avatars and GPT’s conversational AI helps bridge the gap between technology and human connection, fostering stronger relationships with customers and elevating the overall brand experience in the CPG and retail space.

By embracing GPT and other AI-driven technologies, CPG and retail brands can unlock a world of opportunities for enhancing existing data, customer engagement, streamlining operations, and staying ahead of the competition. As we continue to witness the convergence of marketing and technology, it is essential for forward-thinking businesses to invest in these innovations and capitalize on the transformative potential they offer.

Follow Tom across social platforms @BlackFin360

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2023 Trend Report

Over the last decade, BlackFin360 has consistently focused on trend forecasting. As we venture into 2023, the rapid convergence of technology takes center stage in both the business world and our everyday lives.

Our growing reliance on technology has been embraced, as it provides ease and convenience in return. We are now poised to advance to the next level of intelligence augmentation through various AI forms, revolutionizing internal processes, customer experiences, and the way we work, learn, and sift through the ever-increasing volume of content we consume daily.

The boundaries between the physical and digital realms are becoming increasingly indistinct as we reshape our understanding of reality, whether it be fully immersive, spatially cognizant, or via lifelike holograms. As the excitement surrounding the metaverse transitions into practical applications beyond mere entertainment, I envision a path towards genuine value creation.

Moreover, the past few years have seen significant behavioral changes. Emerging from a pandemic, our yearning for connection and our demand for personalization, engagement, and control infuse a human touch into a digital world dominated by ones and zeros.

Lastly, the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries are on the verge of profound transformation. The surge in patient-focused advertisements encouraging patients to influence prescribers’ decisions signifies this shift. As a result, the healthcare landscape is evolving to meet expectations of accessible care and the creation of experiences that enable multi-faceted storytelling.

All of this leads to the two foundational elements for the 2023 trend report. Human / Experience. (Message me for the key to view the full Trend Report).

THE HUMAN LAYER

The Human layer dives into all facets of control and empowerment of consumers, patients, caregivers, and HCPs with key examples and organizations enabling ease and convenience.

1 – Consumer Control – As humans, our behaviors are increasingly being shaped by technology, leading us to expect greater control. This section delves profoundly into the world of user-generated content and the emergence of algorithms centered on affinity and personal preferences.

2 – Community Engagement – In the aftermath of the pandemic, we’ve experienced a revitalized appreciation for belonging and community, spanning both digital and physical realms. This section explores the concepts of blended connections, online communities, genuine interactions, and inclusiveness.

3 – Care Anywhere – The notion of point of care is expanding to encompass any location with a camera and an internet connection. This section delves into intelligent devices, ranging from health-monitoring wearable tattoos to smartwatches that track Parkinson’s symptoms. There has been a considerable shift in FDA approvals and investments towards digital therapeutics (DTX). These digital-focused experiences provide patients with medical interventions through clinically evaluated, evidence-based software applications.

4 – Customizable Avatars – Avatars are evolving into representations of ourselves, whether they are photorealistic or stylized. Our capacity to personalize digital embodiments that effortlessly interact across diverse experiences is becoming the standard. This development, coupled with advancements in volumetric video capture, enables connection points that were previously unattainable for integrating oneself into digital surroundings.

5 – Decentralization & Transparency – The convergence of consumers’ quest for control and the inherent decentralization of Web 3.0 is paving the way for new approaches to brand loyalty and adherence programs. With an increased emphasis on data privacy and targeted content, consumers will seek mutually beneficial data exchanges that satisfy both parties’ needs.

THE EXPERIENCE LAYER

Here is a video walking through the Experience Layer portion of the 2023 trends.

The Experience layer blurs the lines between physical and digital reality with key examples and organizations ushering us into a digitally enhanced world.

6 – Extending Reality – Despite the relatively slow growth in consumer interest, augmented, virtual, and mixed reality technologies persist in their development. This section delves into the latest innovations in gaming, enterprise metaverse solutions such as Mytaverse, medical metaverse newcomers, and smart lens applications.

7 – Digital Humans – Synthetic humans are steadily supplanting conventional videos and chatbots. In the pharmaceutical industry, Digital Humans emerged as the top trend in presentations at the end of 2022. They offer the capability to expand a field sales force and establish an emotionally engaging starting point for navigating intricate patient journeys with key opinion leaders (KOLs). The potential to create connection points and avatar-focused content on a large scale is expected to further gather momentum in 2023.

8 – Holograms – The concept of establishing a presence without physical attendance is gaining traction, thanks to companies like Proto and ARHT Media. These firms enable multiple presenters to appear live before audiences as realistic holograms and engage in full interaction, creating a sense of connection even when not physically present.

9 – Scaling with AI – Artificial Intelligence is set to enable hyper-personalization and automation on a massive scale. This section examines the AI technologies that have influenced Hollywood and will shape the way we create experiences in 2023. It delves into the realm of generative AI, providing a comprehensive understanding of the role and workings of a prompt engineer.

10 – Hyper Realism – Hyperrealistic design is increasingly obscuring the boundaries between our digital and physical environments. This section explores its applications in retail experiences and cutting-edge healthcare technology, such as Level Ex, showcasing how these innovations are reshaping various industries.

The complete trend report is 70+ pages of examples of key concepts and the companies that are setting the stage for the next iteration of experiences we will begin to incorporate to transform all aspects of business incrementally.

View the full 2023 Human Experience Trend Report.
(Message me for the key to view the full Trend Report)

A very special thank you Adam Housley for your support in this endeavor.

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Marketing 2.0 Outstanding Leadership Award

I am incredibly humbled to be recognized with the 2022 Marketing 2.0 – Outstanding Leadership Award. Whenever I receive recognition like this, I am very thankful for the support of my wife, family, and teammates!

I am thankful for the recognition and excited to close out 2022, and I look forward to 2023 and what’s possible!

A full list of industry awards and over 100+ recommendations are available here.

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

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NAPSL 2022 KEYNOTE

NAPSL – EVOLUTION OF EXPERIENCE (KEYNOTE) – Indianapolis (July 2022) I had the pleasure of delivering my innovation to reality keynote for the National American Association of State and Provincial Lottery’s annual conference.

The keynote has been revamped, and I have evolved the core format of Empower, Exponential, and Enhanced by also adding Experience. All with the same trademark of infusing pop culture as a lead-in to understanding complex topics. From Star Wars, Fortnite, Roblox, Pixar, The Matrix, Stranger Things, Minority Report, West World, and so much more.


Empower is all about understanding that consumers are in control. Their expectations are radically transforming how business is done. This section covers all facets of GenZ, gaming, introduction to the Metaverse, Ethereum, NFTs, POAPs, the evolving role of the camera, how to identify a fad vs. trend, and the rise of private messaging, and how the camera is a bridge to intelligence.

Exponential is all about ease and convenience as the core motivation for adopting intelligent systems. This section covers the basics of AI, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, understanding algorithms, why we are in the golden age of AI, predictive decisioning, generative models, five levels of autonomy, digital humans, virtual assistants, and the rise of the proxy web.

Enhanced is all about perception between physical and digital and how and when technology will adapt to us vs. us adapting to it. This section dives deeper into the Metaverse, the role of computer vision, digital synths, multi-modal interfaces, digital twins, holograms, synthetic reality, and my prediction of when we will see multi-modal at scale.

Experience is an entirely new section that helps the audience understand how to think about emerging trend territories and how it applies to their business, from understanding how digital channels and behaviors have evolved to how they can personally take steps to better understand the world around them. This section ends with a practical how-to section that provides deeper introductions to the topics of the Metaverse, Ethereum, NFTs, AI, Digital Humans, and Emerging Tech.

I am excited to be back on stage and the future is crystalizing before our eyes. It’s an exciting time and I love educating and inspiring through technology.

A special thank you to the NAPSL team for a great event!

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Judging Fierce Pharma 2022 Awards

I just wrapped my judging assignment for the 2022 Fierce Pharma Awards. I am always inspired to see all of the great submissions across the industry. My favorite types of entry are those that create unlikely partnerships that create new forms of creative expression or lean into key behaviors of audiences in a highly unique and differentiated way.

From high fashion to gaming collaborations to a clever 4D experience, the competition was stiff! Best of luck to all of the finalists! Awards will be announced during the 2022 Digital Pharma East Conference.

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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Digital Champions Show

I recently had the opportunity to be a guest on Daily Ad Brief’s “Digital Champions” show. In this 6 min interview, we cover a lot of ground on the topics of data, AI, and future trends.

WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY ELEVATOR PITCH WHEN TALKING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?

OHG is the largest medical communications network in the world. BlackFin360 is my professional futurist speaking platform

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN MARKETING THAT YOU SEE COMING IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS?

Shift from contextual marketing to predictive based on intelligent systems, that and the seamless blending of digital & physical reality

WHAT IS ONE TIP THAT YOU WOULD GIVE WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL MARKETING?

Understand that data is fuel for AI, and having a deliberate approach is key

WHAT IS THE MAIN PAIN POINT THAT YOU SOLVE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS?

Omnichannel communication, actioning data, Future-proofing business through emerging tech, integrating AI.

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360 across social platforms.

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2022 OnCon Top 10 Marketer Award x2 Winner

I am incredibly grateful to my teams, my peers, and my family for all of their support as the OnCon awards are purely peer driven. Having the respect of these individuals and seeing that manifest into a physical recognition is incredibly humbling. I am now a 2x Top 10 Marketing Award winner with OnCon.

2021

2021 is the first time I was awarded the Top 10 Marketer Award. This event was virtual vs. in-person. There were over 200 nominees for this award.

2020

2020 was the first time that the format for the awards shifted from categories to Top 100 and Top 50 Marketers. I was awarded as a Top 50 Marketer by OnCon.

2019

2019 was my first year participating with OnCon and what a first year it was! The competition was intense and I was awarded the Marketing Trailblazer award (9 nominees) and the Marketing Contributor award (3 nominees). My wife had an opportunity to join me which made it even bettter!

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360 across social platforms.

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Truth Be Told – Future of Data

This episode features an interview with Tom Edwards, Chief Digital and Data Officer at Omnicom Health Group, the largest healthcare marketing and communications network in the world. Prior to Omnicom, Tom served as Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at Epsilon. Tom has been named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Business Leaders in Technology and a Top 10 Global Marketer Award winner by OnCon this year.

On this episode, Tom talks about transparency in decision making, how to organize massive amounts of data in order to derive insights, and how to determine the ideal communication strategy for a target audience.

Here are the various links for the podcast

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
Simplecast
TruthBeKnownPodcast.com

Timestamp Breakdown

*[3:38] Merging Digital and Data

*[5:10] Making the most out of data assets

*[6:38] How to strategically enable teams

*[8:03] Predictive decisioning and the cookieless future

*[9:30] Making massive data sets actionable

*[11:47] Omnicom Health Group’s data architecture and tech stack

*[15:27] Creating common language across the organization

*[20:13] Looking to partner with leaders in data-driven organizations

*[23:14] Preparing for a shifting data landscape

*[26:24] The importance of transparency as a leader

*[29:23] Finding a mentor and sponsor

Preview of Podcast

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360 across social platforms.

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Judging The 2021 Drum Awards

It was an absolute pleasure to work with an incredible judging panel for the 2021 Drum Awards for Digital Industries. It was interesting to do this as a hybrid with some judges in person in the UK and the rest virtually but it worked seamlessly.

I had the privilege to judge the Best Digital Media Strategy, Best Website Design, Most Effective Use of AI/Machine Learning, Technical Innovation, and the Grand Prix award for best in show.

Best of luck to all of the nominees, and congratulations to the winners.

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360 across social platforms.

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2020 CX Digital Summit

I recently had the opportunity to speak to an amazing Indian audience during the 2020 CX Digital Summit. I delivered an updated version of the Innovation To Reality Keynote focusing on CX and how consumer behavior drives engagement.

The talk focused on the impact of Gen Z consumer behavior and their expectations tied to the camera as a bridge to intelligence. Then, we discussed what I consider the five levels of autonomy and how CX experiences will evolve at each stage. Finally, we dive into the behavioral drivers that will create the shift from mobile being the primary way we interact with technology to our environment adapting to us.

It’s fun to deliver keynotes at 1 am! It’s worth the lack of sleep to engage with audiences across the globe!

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360 via Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, & Twitch.

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2020 OnCon Icon Top 50 Marketer Award

I was recently recognized by OnConferences as a 2020 Top 50 Global Marketer Award winner. It’s always a great honor to be recognized, especially when the award is determined 100% by your peers. This award originally had hundreds of nominees from across the globe.

  • 2020 Top 50 Marketer
  • 2020 Top 50 Marketer

In addition to picking up the award, I had the opportunity to also present a number of awards and had the opportunity to share a short story about success which I will post below.

The single most important driver of success in my career has been developing and maintaining a personal brand while in parallel delivering results for the brands I worked for.

I started writing point of view pieces about new and emerging technology, pop culture, gaming, and strategy back in 2007. Now 500+ posts later this helped to propel me as a paid speaker and opened up a number of new opportunities.

The content you create follows you from role to role, it serves as a demonstration for how you think to prospective clients and it also leads to awards. I was on this very stage last year picking up the OnCon Marketing Trailblazer and OnCon Marketing Contributor awards thanks in large part to contributions to the industry through writing.

I would highly recommend that those of you who mentor up and coming employees, that you empower them to develop a POV, allow them to flex their strategic and problem-solving skills and don’t be afraid to allow them to develop their personal brands.

This is how you can go from an employer to a true mentor. And it’s incredibly satisfying to see those that you invest in find their own success.

Follow Tom @BlackFin on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.

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Tom Edwards Q&A with EDgage Magazine

I recently had an opportunity to sit down with EDgage Magazine to discuss emerging technology trends tied to the technology landscape today, how technology will evolve, the role of gaming and esports, tech impact on higher education, marketing and the future of technology, and 2020 trends.

This is a repost of the full interview.

Give us a snapshot of the technology landscape today (as it relates to marketing).

(Tom Edwards) We live in an amazing time. Technology is culture and culture is technology. So much of the focus the past few years has been about real-time, contextual and personalization at scale. Data’s role in driving decisioning, especially leveraging machine learning to derive themes, perceptions, and occasions, is revolutionizing how we derive affinity and intent signals from consumers. We can now return in time and process millions of conversations to understand unbiased consumer behavior and have the ability to align that with evolving consumer experiences.

Technology and experience will continue to evolve. Technology will expand the boundaries of higher education.

(TE) The other major shift is we are quickly moving from desktop and mobile-centric experiences toward multi-modal at scale. This includes voice, vision, and touch. The rise and adoption of virtual assistants, advancements in computer vision and democratization of augmented reality experiences, and the rise of gesture-based experiences make it a great time to be a consumer and marketer.

How will technology continue to impact the higher ed space?

(TE) Technology and experience will continue to evolve. I used to talk about how disruption was the new normal, and how a single technology could have a transformational impact. Now, it’s less about disruption and more about exponential acceleration through intelligent systems. Technology will expand the boundaries of higher education. With the rollout of 5G connectivity across campuses, we will see responsive and immersive augmented reality, high quality streaming for on-demand and live casting of classes, 5G-enabled edge computing/analytics to optimize the on-campus experience, and making IoT more accessible to close the gap between context and awareness.

What role will technologies like AI continue to have on today’s campuses and universities?

(TE) AI will have a significant impact moving forward—from organizational efficiency, enhancing student experiences and redefining coursework, to shift toward critical thinking in support of intelligence augmentation.

Universities can leverage AI to streamline the admissions process, quickly access the sentiment and areas of interest of their student and faculty population, use AI to drive fundraising and create personalized experiences for alumni.

AI will also enhance students’ capabilities to learn—from leveraging visual search and computer vision-enabled experiences to shifting coursework to focus more on critical and strategic thinking and using data and analytics to fuel experiences.

What are things higher ed marketers should think about when it comes to technology?

(TE) I’ve been involved with higher education at varying levels for the past 15 years. I have instructed thousands of students, and most recently lectured at SMU in Dallas. I am also a part of its Big Data advisory council.

For me, it is an evolution of the traditional 4P’s of marketing. Since the ’60s, it has been about product, price, place, and promotion. With the rise of intelligent systems, it is less about the traditional 4P’s and more about the new 4P’s: Plan, Predictive, Proxy and Pervasive.

Plan is having a plan for the use and data: how it is captured, structured, cleansed, analyzed and fed into intelligent systems, as data is oil for AI. Predictive is leveraging data and machine learning to drive predictive decisioning. Proxy is all about virtual assistants becoming personal proxies for individuals. The data plus predictive decisioning capability combined with virtual proxies will give rise to the proxy web where our virtual assistants represent our preferences and interface with other proxies. Finally, pervasive is about designing for multi-modal interfaces at a time when the mobile device will no longer be our primary device but our environment adapts to us.

What should every higher ed professional know about technology?

(TE) Understand that behaviors and expectations of students is evolving. Students are empowered to control experiences. Accessibility has led to ubiquity and Gen Z and Generation Alpha are quickly shifting traditional behaviors.

From expectations of on-demand content, gaming, and eSports to expectations tied to immersive and low-lag experiences. Universities have to evolve their infrastructure toward a 5G future and higher ed professionals will need to rethink curriculum toward data, analytics, and multi-modal experiences.

What kind of trends should they be looking at heading into 2020?

(TE) In 2020, we will continue to see virtual assistants shift toward the center of the operating system. With the rollout of 5G connectivity, we will see a path toward simulation through low latency augmented reality at scale.

We will continue to see the camera used as a bridge to intelligence through a combination of computer vision and virtual assistants and we will continue to see the rise of the proxy web where virtual assistants continue to evolve to the point where we are no longer marketing just to consumers, but also to algorithms and intelligent systems.

Finally, we will continue to see AI-enhanced digital avatars become more mainstream. First in the form of customer support and slowly expanding to more use cases by industry.

Follow @BlackFin360 via Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube

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Print Innovation Exchange Headliner Keynote

I recently had the opportunity to headline the 2019 Print Innovation Exchange in Minneapolis, MN. It was a fun and highly interactive keynote session! We discussed how Star Wars, Fortnite, Pixar Movies & The Matrix highlight how emerging technology & and behavior will shift in the near future and how the 5 levels of autonomy and the new 4P’s will impact the print industry. 

  • Print Innovation Exchange 2019
  • Print Innovation Exchange 2019
  • Print Innovation Exchange 2019
  • Print Innovation Exchange 2019
  • Print Innovation Exchange 2019

The full Evolution of Experience Keynote is available below.

Thank you and please follow @BlackFin360 across social platforms for various updates and a little bit of fun.

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Tom Edwards Evolution of Experience 2019

From Star Wars, Fortnite, Pixar Movies & The Matrix, Tom Edwards illustrates how pop-culture shows a path for how technology evolves through the filters of Empower, Exponential & Enhanced.

Empower (Timestamp – 5:05) is about the expectation of control and this journey explores Star Wars, Fortnite, Gen Z, the lens as life, how the future is private and the camera is a bridge to intelligence.

Exponential (Timestamp – 15:30) is about intelligent systems that deliver ease & convenience. This journey focuses on the Pixar theory, AI, virtual assistants, the 5 levels of autonomy and the proxy web.

Enhanced (Timestamp – 28:18) is about digital & physical reality and the path to simulation. Here we review all facets of perception, presence, computer vision, digital twins and ultimately synthetic reality while celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the Matrix.

All of this leads to a reimagining of the 4 P’s of product, price, place, promotion to the new 4P’s of Plan, Predictive, Proxy & Pervasive. Finally, we will discuss the actual date when we will see multi-modal interfaces at scale. Follow Tom @BlackFin360 on Twitter & Instagram and subscribe via YouTube.

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In The News: AdExchanger & F8

I was recently asked by Ad Exchanger to provide my thoughts tied to announcements made at Facebook’s 2019 F8 developer conference. Here is a link to the published Ad Exchanger article.

My full commentary is outlined below:

(Ad Exchanger) Does this “privacy vision” feel sincere or is Facebook cleverly positioning its shift?

(TOM) I feel the shift from Facebook to “the Future is Private” was necessary as the shift reflects how consumers have been interacting since 2016 when social messaging surpassed open social in terms of usage behavior. 

The company went through a similar shift in 2014 with the myopic focus on becoming “Mobile First” with 100% focus and resource allocation supporting the vision. I see the same focus here with privacy. It makes sense that this was the macro theme for F8 and a rallying cry to adjust the product suites. The focus on interoperability and encryption as well as shifting messenger to be the new connection point for friends and families is a smart move. 

Separately, how much of an impact will the privacy vision have on how Facebook will be able to monetize?

How this impacts advertising will be interesting. While the focus on reduced permanence and the statements around privacy and encryption are good tent pole statements, item #6 in the privacy manifesto was Secure Data Storage. There will also be the consolation around Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp to create a new advertising network connected to 2 billion people. How data will be used to support the targeting is TBD but the infrastructure to create new avenues of reach and the new consumer acquisition ad units that drive to Messenger will be a key part of their strategy putting the onus on the consumer to share data, as outlined by the new consumer acquisition ad types for Messenger. 

And lastly, how will marketers need to change their Facebook strategy as engagement moves invariably away from the feed and more into Stories, messaging, etc.

(TOM) As marketers it’s important to understand the shift away from content marketing and focus on enabling creativity, utility and entertainment through Messenger and Instagram. Leaning into the ability to co-view video, utility through integration of various API’s, understanding the new payment and commerce capabilities and supporting the creation of AR experiences. Also understanding how to navigate the shift with FB5 towards groups and the role that marketers can play to create new types of connections. 

There is a lot to unpack and as Facebook continues to shift towards fast, reliable and private experiences, it will be interesting to see how the platforms actually evolve and where new opportunities to drive monetization will come from. 

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

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TripleClix Gaming/Marketing Podcast

I was recently in LA and sat down with Chris Erb, founder of TripleClix, an amazing boutique video game marketing agency. I have known Chris for almost a decade and we have collaborated on a lot of fun programs over the years.

When Chris asked me to be guest #1 on his new podcast I jumped at the chance. We talk about the gaming industry and what it means for marketers, the future of gaming and consumer experience and a healthy debate about the Seattle Supersonics leaving for Oklahoma City. That and so much more. Enjoy!

Listen via Spotify

Be sure to save to your Spotify Library

Listen via Apple

Be sure to subscribe and download!

Follow Tom @BlackFin360 & Follow Chris @ChrisErb

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Carnegie Dartlet Keynote

What a great week! From the OnCon Icon Awards to delivering a keynote during the 2019 Carnegie Dartlet Conference, it was a great week in Orlando!

What was great about #CarnegieConf, besides the fact that it was hosted at Walt Disney World, was the amazing audience of higher education professionals. They were highly engaged both during the talk and via social.

Carnegie Dartlet
Carnegie Dartlet
Carnegie Dartlet
Carnegie Dartlet
Carnegie Dartlet
Carnegie Dartlet
Carnegie Dartlet

The talk centered around how technology will adapt to us vs. us adapting to it. From the role the camera will play as a bridge to intelligence, why the Pixar Theory explains AI adoption, and how spatial computing combined with virtual assistant proxies will change our view of reality.

Time to leave Disney but can’t wait to be back!

Book Tom for an event here.

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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CES 2019 Highlight – Groove Jones

I have been a fan of Dan Ferguson & the Groove Jones team for years. They are definitely my go-to partner for immersive experiences. Groove Jones worked with the Ford Motor Company on a gamified VR experience that showcases their new Co-Pilot360™ safety technology as well as Sleep Number activation at CES 2019. 

Dan Ferguson & I at SXSW 2017

The experience was a 6 minute driving experience that takes the user on a journey from their home and onto a highway drive and then into the city, all along putting them into a variety of scenarios where they face various obstacles and hazards to demonstrate the safety technology. 

Users attempt to react to the hazards and obstacles with a game controller and see if they can beat or keep up with the Co-Pilot360 technology. The application tracks where the user is looking as well. So by tracking if they are able to see an obstacle or hazard visually or by using the controller they are given a score. It is a fully interactive experience running on the Oculus Go. 

As you can see below, I scored an 83% out of a possible 100%. A leaderboard system on-site displayed the daily leaders. Data was collected on every user that played tying into Ford’s CRM goals. Players received an email confirming their score along with a 360º panoramic image that they could then share on their social channels.


They also worked with their client Sleep Number again on a Quarterback Challenge VR experience that demonstrates how a good nights sleep versus a poor nights sleep impacts your physical performance. In this multiplayer experience, users are competing to see who can hit the most targets in a Quarterback Challenge game.

The four players are transported onto the 50 yard line of a massive football stadium. The first part of the game simulates how you would feel with a good nights sleep. The second part of the game simulates what it feels and looks like when you have had a poor nights sleep of 6 hours or less. Special guest stars stopped by the booth for their chance to play, including Katie Couric, who beat everyone she was playing against.
Groove Jones is doing some amazing work and they are definitely my go to for immersive experiences.

Check them out here – www.groovejones.com

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

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2019 Trends Digital Twins & Spatial Computing


One of the bigger trends in 2019 will be tied to Digital Twins… but why? Here is a full video breakdown. 

WHAT ARE DIGITAL TWINS

A digital twin refers to a digital replica or model of a physical asset (physical twin), processes, people, places, systems and devices that can be used for various purposes such as simulation of performance.

So It’s Primarily For FACTORIES COOL? WHY SHOULD I CARE? 

The primary use cases are tied to Industrial IOT scenarios.The Digital Twin serves as a bridge between physical and digital. The physical asset has IOT sensors that constantly collect various forms of data and feed the information to the digital twin to analyze and run predictive simulations. The findings from the virtual models can then be applied to the physical asset.

MY HYPOTHESIS – APPLICATION TO CONSUMERS 

There is a possible connection to consumer experience use cases tied to physical sensor data and virtual assistant proxy simulations.

What’s going to enable the use of consumer experience digital twin experiences at scale will be 5G connectivity. 5G will fuel connection of IOT frameworks as well as edge computing to reduce potential latency and the ability to process information as close to the source as possible.

This will allow connectivity and enhanced data transfer capabilities of the 20 billion IOT devices that exist today. 

ROLE OF THE PROXY WEB

2019 will also see the accelerated adoption and dependence on virtual assistants. There are now over 1 billion devices that provide voice assistant access today.

90 Million use voice assistants on smartphones and 45 million use them on smart speakers per month.

Digital assistants are an on ramp to further usage of AI and robotics. As virtual assistants move towards the center of the operating experience we will continue to move towards what I call, the Proxy Web.

PROXY WEB

This is where our virtual assistants begin managing certain aspects of our lives behind the scenes.

Our proxy will be able to communicate with other proxies and align preferences to map where to eat for dinner with a friend, it knows our food preferences and schedule.

This preference ownership and ability to communicate with other proxies and nodes in systems could be the key to unlocking spatial computing simulation at scale.

DYNAMIC SPATIAL COMPUTING EXPERIENCES 

One of the key areas of focus in 2019 will be the further melding of physical and digital experiences. We have seen the rapid democratization of various forms of spatial computing.

Spatial Computing is using the physical space around us as a medium to interact with technology.

This includes AR, VR, Mixed Reality, Hyper Reality and more. The goal with my digital twin hypothesis is to not only deliver a one size fits all experience but creating personalization at scale through spatial computing.

Digital Twin type simulations may be the key to connect custom reality overlays based on preferences driven by our virtual assistants. 

IDEA in Action…

I am a Star Wars fan…. the retailer Target normally goes big with Star Wars in-store promotions when there is a major film release. With the digital twin simulation concept, based on my personal preferences, my virtual assistant knows that I have a strong affinity for Star Wars based on my behavior, this includes voice queries, watching Star Wars Theory videos via YouTube, my past purchases of Funko Pops,etc…

Instead of plastering the store with physical Star Wars promotional material, Target could have pre-mapped various spatial computing “experiences” that are triggered based preferences discoverable via my virtual assistant.

An in-store sensor network could feed previous trip information of me and other guests with a similar affinity and allow for the Star Wars focused simulation to be adjusted in real-time to get me to a specific area of the store or special offers on say retail specific Funko Pops.

The Digital Twin becomes the intelligence engine to enhance the base physical store experience and create a personalized experience based on predictive digital simulation. 

The ultimate goal being to have the environment and experience personalized to me based on multiple simulations and a connection to my preferences.

Questions? Tweet to Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

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Turning AI into ROI Keynote

I recently had the privilege to deliver a keynote to the Discover card Pulse network advisory team covering the topic of converting AI into ROI.

For this event, I tailored the Evolution of Experience, E^3 talk tied to Empower, Exponential and Enhanced with a detailed look at multiple facets of artificial intelligence including how the Pixar Theory, all movies are on the same timeline, foreshadows the path for how consumers will adopt AI fueled technology.

Next, we reviewed AI’s potential impact on business results and consumer behavior. The talk also covered the rapid convergence of multimodal technology experiences and the role AI will play in shifting behavior towards the intelligent camera via computer vision and virtual assistants.

The talk ended with a deep dive into the new AI driven 4 P’s of AI marketing and key points to consider to start to prepare for integration of AI into all facets of business.

Pulse Network
Pulse Network
Pulse Network

For more on this topic I recently joined the AI Today Podcast and discussed a number of these topics and more.

AI TODAY PODCAST – Episode 50 – Enhancing Experiences with AI Interview

0:48 – Introduction
1:33 – Recap of Keynote topic at Amazon Alexa Voice Summit
2:53 – Discuss why we are in the “golden age of AI”
4:20 – Discuss The Pixar Theory and Artificial Intelligence
7:00 – Why predictive experiences are key for mass adoption of AI
9:00 – Discuss Gen Z & expectations of experiences
9:37 – How Epsilon Agency is using artificial intelligence
13:25 – What is the future of artificial intelligence?

Follow Tom @BlackFin360 or subscribe via YouTube

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United Airlines & Executive Perspective Interview

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Jeffrey Hayzlett of C-Suite TV to kick off season 7 of Executive Perspectives. We discussed digital disruption, conversational experiences, artificial intelligence and best practices for leveraging data to connect with consumers.

screenshot-2016-12-15-13-34-43

Now, I have heard from multiple sources that the interview is available On-demand on domestic and international United Airlines flights.

C-Suite & United On Demand
C-Suite & United On Demand
C-Suite & United On Demand
C-Suite & United On Demand
C-Suite & United On Demand
C-Suite & United On Demand

Here is a transcript of the full interview.

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

 

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Path To Purchase Expo Keynote

I recently had the privilege to deliver the Evolution of Experience keynote during the Path To Purchase Expo.

For this event, I tailored the Evolution of Experience, E^3 talk tied to  Empower, Exponential and Enhanced to focus on the camera as a platform, artificial intelligence, multi-modal, and the New 4 P’s of AI marketing and how the convergence of all of these will impact the path to purchase.

P2PX
P2PX
P2PX
P2PX
P2PX
P2PX
P2PX

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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Stepping Into The Void

I first heard of the VOID three years ago and I was hooked when I watched the following YouTube video. Since then I have wanted to become fully immersed in the VOID and thought many times about making the trip to Utah where the first VOID facility was constructed.

Today, I didn’t have to travel to Utah. The VOID is now right here in Texas. I immediately bought tickets for a big crew and we descended south to Plano, Texas where the VOID is now embedded in a Cinemark theater, next to Cinemark HQ.

The Void is virtual reality overlaid onto physical environments. I have to say it is the most immersive simulated experience I have been a part of to date. This experience also happened to be Star Wars themed, so it combined two of my favorite things, emerging tech + Star Wars.

With location based elements, virtual reality, physical haptic equipment and environmental elements (feeling heat) combined it was an amazing mix of tactical and visual elements that created a truly immersive experience.

I have tried many forms of VR over the years at CES, SXSW, Facebook F8, Mobile World Congress and more. From headsets, motion simulators and more and nothing has compared to the VOID experience.

The VOID
The VOID
The VOID
The VOID
The VOID
The VOID
The VOID

As you enter the experience there is a backpack full of a haptics and rumble packs as well as an onboard computer. The headset is a mix of Oculus Rift combined with a Leap Motion module. For this experience we were also able to pick up rifles partway through and then were inside a first person shooter. This included haptic feedback and a lot of friendly fire!

The best part was the social aspect of the experience. My fireteam was right there with me with visual and full audio. I had the opportunity to go through with my boys and I have to say that the real time augmented overlay and motion sensors to 1/10th of a degree and this was the best part of the experience.

When I looked at my boys they looked like Stormtroopers, except my 10 year old was a very short Stormtrooper. If you have an opportunity to visit the VOID experience I would highly recommend it.

One final element I enjoyed was the post event follow up. The message stayed with the theme of the event and also included stats such as accuracy and the number of Stormtroopers taken down.

Overall, the combination of real world physical elements plus incredibly immersive VR set a new bar for immersive digital experiences via the VOID.

Book your VOID experience at Cinemark.com/TheVOID

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

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Tom Edwards Amazon Alexa Voice Summit Keynote & Interview

I recently had the privilege to deliver the Evolution of Experience keynote during the 2018 Amazon Alexa Voice Summit in Newark, NJ.

For this event, I tailored the Evolution of Experience, E^3 talk tied to  Empower, Exponential and Enhanced to focus on the voice ecosystem,  the camera as a platform, multi-modal, and how artificial intelligence and the Pixar Theory is the key to understanding the proxy web.

Alexa Voice Summit
Alexa Voice Summit
Alexa Voice Summit

During the event, I also had the opportunity to sit down with the Amazon Alexa Community Evangelist team during their live Twitch stream. We discussed the ever-evolving role of voice-based experiences, war stories, thoughts on finding voice talent, the importance of data, strategy & analytics to enhance longer-term skill engagement and much more.

Also, I have recorded a podcast with the AI Today team that will debut in early August diving deeper into these topics and more. Stay tuned!

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

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In The News: Ad Age AI & Brands

Recently, my commentary on data & AI was included in an Ad Age piece on the role of data, artificial intelligence & brands.

Here is a link to the full article.

Here is my full commentary based on Ad Age’s original question…

Ad Age: We’re seeing more agencies now offering services for AI solutions, but how do you see this shaking out? What will separate the ones who will succeed with the ones that do not?

TOM: Offering an AI service for clients is one thing, but the key is understand that data is the fuel for AI. Without a solid understanding and corpus of data as a starting point for AI driven experiences consumer facing experiences have the potential of falling flat.

The organizations and experiences that will succeed in the short term with AI will understand that the consumer facing experience should not try and solve every possible outcome for consumers.

We have conducted research on user expectations of AI and there is one fundamental truth for adoption of AI and consumer facing experience adoption across generations and that is ease & convenience. Whether it’s managing personal time, predicting financial needs, or order replenishment through AI. The key is to understand that AI solutions need to seamlessly make consumers lives easier.

What will truly separate AI solutions over time are the ones that have both structured & unstructured data at the core that is built to action against consumer needs, will design for multimodal experiences beyond mobile and desktop, and be prepared to fully guide consumer experiences via virtual assistant ecosystems as AI becomes a proxy for consumers over time.

The organizations that can market to both consumer and systems will win the day. It’s no longer just the consumer decision decision journey as system based marketing via AI is now here and will continue to take on more responsibility for consumers.

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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Evanta CMO Summit Keynote

I recently had the privilege to deliver the Evolution of Experience keynote at the 2018 Evanta CMO Summit in Dallas, Texas.

For this event, I tailored the Evolution of Experience, E^3 talk tied to  Empower, Exponential and Enhanced to focus on the camera as a platform, artificial intelligence, multi-modal, the New 4 P’s of AI marketing and new themes introduced by the Apple WWDC 2018 that happened earlier in the day.

Evanta CMO Summit
Evanta CMO Summit
Evanta CMO Summit
Evanta CMO Summit
Evanta CMO Summit

Empower is looking at how accessibility to mobile technology has led to consumers being empowered to create, amplify and influence across generations. Specifically looking at the behaviors of Gen Z and the evolving role of the camera.

Exponential is all about acceleration through intelligent systems. This looks at the role of data for AI as well as the rise of virtual assistants and the ability to predict consumer needs ultimately becoming a proxy for the individual that will split decision journeys between consumers and algorithms.

Enhanced is all about the bridging of physical and digital reality and how immersive computing, augmented reality, computer vision and the intelligent camera will forever redefine our version of reality.

The talk ends with an explanation of how we will evolve from a mobile-centric world to the new normal of voice, vision and touch experiences powered by artificial intelligence. This includes a date when project it will all converge as well as 4 new P’s of marketing.

It was an awesome crowd of CMO’s and I really enjoyed the hour long session + Q&A.

If you are interested in having Tom speak at your event please contact here.

Tom Edwards Speaker Bio

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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Frito-Lay Boundless Marketing Summit Keynote

I recently had the privilege to deliver the Evolution of Experience keynote at the 2018 Frito-Lay Boundless Marketing Summit in Nashville, Tennessee.

For this event, I tailored the Evolution of Experience, E^3 talk tied to  Empower, Exponential and Enhanced to focus on the camera as a platform, artificial intelligence, multi-modal and the New 4 P’s of AI marketing.

Frito-Lay Summit
Frito-Lay Summit
Frito-Lay Summit

Empower is looking at how accessibility to mobile technology has led to consumers being empowered to create, amplify and influence across generations. Specifically looking at the behaviors of Gen Z and the evolving role of the camera.

Exponential is all about acceleration through intelligent systems. This looks at the role of data for AI as well as the rise of virtual assistants and the ability to predict consumer needs ultimately becoming a proxy for the individual that will split decision journeys between consumers and algorithms.

Enhanced is all about the bridging of physical and digital reality and how immersive computing, augmented reality, computer vision and the intelligent camera will forever redefine our version of reality.

The talk ends with an explanation of how we will evolve from a mobile-centric world to the new normal of voice, vision and touch experiences powered by artificial intelligence. This includes a date when project it will all converge as well as 4 new P’s of marketing.

It was an awesome crowd and I really enjoyed the 30 minute session + Q&A.

If you are interested in having Tom speak at your event please contact here.

Tom Edwards Speaker Bio

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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MarTech Conference Tom Edwards Keynote

I recently had the privilege to deliver the Evolution of Experience keynote at MarTech West 2018.

For this event, I tailored the Evolution of Experience, E^3 talk tied to  Empower, Exponential and Enhance to focus on Gen Z & Computer Vision, The evolution of the camera from capture to communication and much more.

Tom Edwards MarTech
MarTech
MarTech 2018
MarTech 2018

Empower is looking at how accessibility to mobile technology has led to consumers being empowered to create, amplify and influence across generations.

Exponential is all about acceleration through intelligent systems. This looks at the rise of virtual assistants and the ability to predict consumer needs and ultimately become a proxy for the individual that will split decision journeys between consumers and algorithms.

Enhanced is all about the bridging of physical and digital and how immersive computing, AR, VR, computer vision will make the user’s camera intelligent and forever our version of reality.

The talk ends with an explanation of how we will evolve from a mobile-centric world to the new normal of voice, vision and touch experiences powered by AI including a date when it will all converge.

It was a good crowd and I really enjoyed the 45 minute session + Q&A.

If you are interested in having Tom speak at your event please contact here.

Tom Edwards Speaker Bio

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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C-Suite TV Tom Edwards Interview on BizTV

Sunday night April 22nd at 6 EDT, my previous interview with Jeffrey Hayzlett and C-Suite TV aired on the BizTV television network. Here is a recap of the discussion.

I previously had the pleasure of joining the C-Suite TV team at their San Francisco event and was interviewed by Jeffrey Hayzlett. It was a fun discussion as he asked me about the shift from social media to social messaging, strategies to make the shift, voice-based experiences, disruption, galactic cannibalism, trends and the future of connecting with consumers.

photo-nov-08-3-07-23-pm

Below is a recap of my key talking points for each question.

(C-Suite TV – JH) As we’re on the verge of a transformational moment in marketing with the shift from social media to social messaging, how are marketers making this shift?

(Tom Edwards – TE) Over the past 5-10 years, we as marketers have focused primarily on the open web + social media. Earlier this year social messaging passed social media in terms of monthly active users. Consumers are ready for conversational experiences. Part of the reason for the appeal is that it is seen as safe, comfortable and intimate.

I spent most of 2016 researching, writing and educating our brand partners about what this shift can mean for their business. We conducted proprietary research on what consumers want from conversational experiences that led to an ebook on the topic.

Social Shift Toward Messaging

As we dug into consumer expectations around conversational experiences, our research found that they want experiences that are convenient and support local experiences, there is openness to pay within social messaging and an expectation that it will connect physical and digital elements such as in-store coupons and discounts, there is also a willingness to interact with intelligent systems.  Research also shows that 60% of millennials would prefer talking to a chatbot vs. talking to a human when it comes to resolving questions about online shopping.

From a marketing perspective, there has been a significant amount of experimentation trying to create the ideal experience. With Apple, Facebook, LINE, Kik, Skype and more providing tools and services that will allow others through 3d party SDKs & API’s to create an ecosystem. Their hope is to become the central portal in order to empower consumers and drive commerce. Facebook doesn’t own the hardware or the operating system, so they are invested in keeping people in the messenger experience.

Some experiences are trying to further personify the brand, others are about creating utility or a sense of intimacy with the brand. The goal is to create a real-time experience that is centralized in one conversational thread.

The key will be creating experiences that are not disruptive but are actually attentive to the current and future needs of the consumer. The ideal experiences will be built around the premise of simplification + prediction. It’s not about a deeper personal connection with a friend, but to be able to anticipate, predict and enhance a consumers experience.

This is where we see the idea of CONNECTION + COGNITION coming together.

(JH) What processes and strategies do you need in place to make this shift effective?

(TE) I recommend an approach that is based on five core factors of Simplification, Data Design, Prediction, Ambient Design & Physical to Digital.

photo-nov-08-4-09-30-pm

1 – (SIMPLIFICATION) The key is to reduce complexity in consumers lives and create experiences that are ownable by the brand’s domain. Analyze data for most commonly asked questions and expand from there with use cases focused on enhancing and simplifying experiences.

2 – (DATA DESIGN) Have a strategy not just to capture data but how to use it. Define the role of unstructured data in refining the experience. Consider what new data points are being integrated to inform future prediction. How are you making the data actionable? On my team, we now have a data design team that sits between traditional brand planning + digital strategy. This is the intersection of Big Data + Design Thinking. They own the tools, assets and data sources and understand how to craft a data-driven narrative.

3 – (PREDICTION) Anticipate consumer needs is key for the future of conversational experiences. Messenger experiences are not designed to be like Google search, at least not yet. Google is working towards the ideal intersection between search & retrieval vs. predictive. But again a combination of data, predictive analytics built on working data is the entry point towards truly predictive experiences. (cognitive will accelerate this)

4 – (AMBIENT DESIGN) The future of computing is tied to ambient experiences, or how your environment interacts with you. It is critical to approach designing conversational and voice based UX differently.

5 – (PHYSICAL TO DIGITAL) One of the other elements is the rise of conversational commerce. There is a concerted effort to closely align physical & digital shopping experiences as a means to enhance the customer experience. Our research shows there is an expectation from consumers to have local experiences connect to digital through conversational experiences.

(JH) Let’s talk about some newer technologies, how does voice-based technology play into this shift to a conversational user experience?

(TE) I am a strong believer in the fact that voice-based experiences and artificial intelligence systems will become pervasive in our everyday lives. The core of the experience is a combination of automated speech recognition, natural language processing and a cloud-based AI that comprise a voice-based user experience.

I am very intrigued by the possibility of the ability to create context through voice services such as Amazon Alexa Voice Services & the recently launched Google Home. Voice-based experiences will play a key role during this time as our interactions with connected systems and the rise of micro-services as a primary mechanism to navigate a hyper-connected world will become the new normal.

Photo Jul 19, 9 07 41 AM (1)

I strongly believe that we will begin to see a convergence over the next few years where elements that enable connection such as social messaging and voice-based conversational user experiences combined with cognitive computing (AI) and immersive experiences such as holographic computing will become interconnected and will redefine how we approach connecting with consumers.

We will begin to see services such as Alexa Voice Services quickly proliferate throughout 3rd party devices from in-home IOT systems to connected vehicles and “skills” will become a key component for how we navigate beyond screens. Estimates already show over 28 billion connected devices by 2019.

(JH) We hear you say that “disruption is the new normal” what do you mean by that?

(TE) Digital disruption has been at the center of major consumer shifts over the past 10 years. Disruption is now the new normal. The Premise is change is constant and experimentation is critical and how you integrate trends into your existing business is key.

The acceleration of technology has led to the rapid empowerment of the consumer. What organizations have to consider is that with each iteration of technology and consumer empowerment new types of interactions will lead to the need to rethink the business models of today.

Japan Emotional Robot

This has a significant impact on the C-suite as the pressure on CMO’s to be creative thinkers, intelligent around data, domains, and disciplines as well as mitigation of risk, the pressure to innovate, find and retain talent and try to be as agile as possible. Combined with the pace of new interaction models there is a lack of strategy to deal with the shifts in a meaningful way as the focus is on short-term stability.

This is why it’s important to build a plan with a foundational approach to data and understand what domains the brand can own and wherein the new interaction types there are opportunities to redefine business models. This is why I have chosen Connection, Cognition and Immersion as the pillars of how brands can map to the new interaction types of the near future.

(JH) I heard you say we’re on the verge of galactic cannibalism can you explain what this means for marketers and how can marketers stay ahead of the game?

(TE) I have spoken a lot recently about how disruption is the new normal. I recently heard someone compare the last five years as a “supernova” of disruption in terms of the intensity and velocity of change.

With the rise of artificial intelligence, conversational, ambient experiences, connected systems, and mixed reality on the horizon we are moving well beyond a supernova and are now on the verge of galactic cannibalism.

gc2

Galactic cannibalism is when one galaxy collides with another and there is a subsequent absorption of parts of one into the other. From a consumer marketing standpoint how we consume and interact via digital channels is about to be absorbed and redefined through new advancements in connection, cognition & immersion.

The key point to surviving and thriving is to have a comprehensive data strategy as data assets will serve as the fuel of this shift. Regardless of which galaxies collide a thorough understanding of data, content, experiences, and outcomes is a marketing foundation for the future.

Also, it is important to understand how data will evolve. Currently, the focus is on 1st part & 3rd party data. But in the emerging world think of the data created by connected systems as well as new forms of real-time sentiment data, such as your eyes in a VR experience or facial recognition in a retail setting. These will require a comprehensive data design effort to craft content, experiences and drive outcomes as a marketing foundation for the future.

Ultimately we will have to acknowledge that the relationship between consumers and technology will fundamentally change from consumers operating technology to technology operating for consumers through data.

(JH) How do you apply the trends of today to the business models of the future?

(TE) One of my responsibilities with Epsilon is I lead the innovation practice for the agency business. We have designed an approach that is consumer-centric, data-driven, iterative and allows our brand partners to scale emerging technologies and integrate trends into tangible solutions that drive business outcomes. The practice is comprised of four distinct elements that span research, workshops, experimentation, and transformation.

Innovation v3 - white slide

Regarding research & trends, we leverage Epsilon’s proprietary data and analytics, first and third party research, emerging companies and established partner networks to research, curate and educate on the latest trends and how it can apply to our clients business.

Our approach is as follows:

Our team identifies a new tech/emerging tech…

1. Track Product/Technology Announcement

2. Measure Velocity of coverage & discussion

3. Conduct Initial analysis & POV outlining potential value/impact

4. Explore outcome impacts & role of tech in the consumer journey

5. Map vertical specific use cases

6. Educate internal teams & external clients

7. Identify early vendor partners and alpha/beta opportunities

8. Conduct Project based experiments

9. Capture & package project based success

10. Build business value case for horizon consideration

Once you have identified your trends its helpful to begin to filter across key macro trend territories, in this case, I am exploring trends that reach across

Empower, Exponential, and Experience.

(JH) What’s really resonating with consumers right now? What should marketers be paying attention too?

(TE) Anonymous personalization through dynamic content, targeted video content, Personalized, connecting the consumer experience across digital to physical & 1:1 messaging that is authentic, provides value and is contextually relevant is key.

Human attention is now a scarce commodity. Attention is a resource – and we only have so much to give. The key to experience design is built around data, content & channels or experiences.

Screenshot 2016-08-29 09.48.19

I like to start with data, it can be 1st party or secondary data sources, but I look for attitudinal, behavioral in addition to standard demographic. Transactional data can also be a key element and consistency of message is key.

(JH) What is the future of connecting with consumers?

(TE) I strongly believe that we will begin to see a convergence over the next few years where elements that enable connection such as social messaging and voice-based conversational user experiences combined with cognitive computing (AI) and immersive experiences such as holographic computing will become interconnected and will redefine how we approach connecting with consumers.

Screenshot 2016-08-29 09.48.40

The key will be to create data designed experiences that empower consumers.

Here is a link to the full video interview kicking off season 7.

c-suite-blackfin360

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

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REX Executive Roundtables IHRSA Keynote

I recently had the privilege to deliver the Evolution of Experience keynote for the REX Executive Roundtable group at the San Diego Zoo. This was a lead-up event to recent IHRSA 2018 conference.

For this event, I tailored the Evolution of Experience, E^3 talk tied to  Empower, Exponential and Enhance to bring examples relevant for the evolution of experience in the fitness industry.

Here is the full 45-minute keynote.

Empower is looking at how accessibility to mobile technology has led to consumers being empowered to create, amplify and influence across generations.

Exponential is all about acceleration through intelligent systems. This looks at the rise of virtual assistants and the ability to predict consumer needs and ultimately become a proxy for the individual that will forever alter the path to purchase.

Enhanced is all about the bridging of physical and digital and how immersive computing, AR, VR, computer vision will make the user’s camera intelligent and forever changing the retail experience.

The talk ends with an explanation of how we will evolve from a mobile-centric world to the new normal of voice, vision and touch experiences powered by AI including a date when it will all converge.

It was a great crowd and I really enjoyed the hour with such a highly engaged and interactive group.

If you are interested in having Tom speak at your event please contact here.

Tom Edwards Speaker Bio

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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Dr. Pepper Media Masters Keynote

I had the privilege of presenting to the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group marketing organization today via a Keynote format on the topics of data & the evolution of experience during their Media Masters event.

The first half of the hour-long talk explored how Epsilon Agency approaches data and data design. Highlighting our work with structured data, our view on the alignment of actioning of data through mapping attributes to dimensions and then highlighting multiple case studies tied to our unstructured data work and machine learning approach.


Then the presentation shifted into the full Evolution of Experience, E^3 talk tied to  Empower, Exponential and Enhance and discussed how we will evolve from us inputting into technology, to our environment adapting to us.

Dr. Pepper Media Masters

Empower is looking at how accessibility to mobile technology has led to consumers being empowered to create, amplify and influence across generations.

Exponential is all about acceleration through intelligent systems. This looks at the rise of virtual assistants and the ability to predict consumer needs and ultimately become a proxy for the individual that will forever alter the path to purchase.

Enhanced is all about the bridging of physical and digital and how immersive computing, AR, VR, computer vision will make the user’s camera intelligent and forever changing the retail experience.

The talk ends with an explanation of how we will evolve from a mobile-centric world to the new normal of voice, vision and touch experiences powered by AI including a date when it will all converge.

It was a great crowd and I really enjoyed the hour with such a highly engaged and interactive group.

If you are interested in having Tom speak at your event please contact here.

Tom Edwards Speaker Bio

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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Viva Fresh Expo Tom Edwards Keynote

I recently had the opportunity to deliver a version of the Evolution of Experience talk as a keynote during the Viva Fresh Expo in San Antonio, Texas.

The first half of the talk explored the rise of Amazon and it impacts on consumer behavior and retail experiences. Then the presentation shifted into the full Evolution of Experience through the E^3 Framework of  Empower, Exponential and Enhance and discussed how we will evolve from us inputting into technology, to our environment adapting to us.

VivaFresh Expo

Empower is looking at how accessibility to mobile technology has led to consumers being empowered to create, amplify and influence across generations.

Exponential is all about acceleration through intelligent systems. This looks at the rise of virtual assistants and the ability to predict consumer needs and ultimately become a proxy of the individual that will forever alter the path to purchase.

Enhanced is all about the bridging of physical and digital and how immersive computing, AR, VR, computer vision will make the user’s camera intelligent and forever changing the retail experience.

The talk ends with an explanation of how we will evolve from a mobile-centric world to the new normal of voice, vision and touch experiences powered by AI including a date when it will all converge.

It was a great crowd and I really enjoyed the hour with such a highly engaged and interactive group.

If you are interested in having Tom speak at your event please contact here.

Tom Edwards Speaker Bio

Follow Tom @BlackFin360

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MarTechSeries Interview

I was recently interviewed by MarTechSeries in advance of my speaking engagement for MarTech West on April 24th in San Jose, California.

The full interview covers topics such as my role with Epsilon, advice for B2B marketers dealing with evolving technology, start-ups I am working with, how to prepare for the impact of AI, apps and tools I use, productivity hacks and much more.

Here are some excerpts from the full interview: 

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

 

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10 Reasons Westworld Won SXSW

Westworld’s SXSW 2018 activation was one of the most talked about and highly sought after experiences in recent memory. Many elements made this the best experiential experience to hit SXSW in my many years of attending.

Here are 10 reasons why the Westworld experience is one of the best-branded activations ever to hit SXSW.

1) Authenticity – The 2 acres dedicated to recreating Sweetwater was a sight to see. From the white doors of the Mesa Gold Station leading into Westworld to the carefully crafted buildings to the actors who never broke character. This level of authenticity and interaction was a key to why this execution more than any other I have been a part of was so compelling.



2) Exclusivity – The event was one of the toughest tickets at SXSW in 2018. Most of the times were reserved prior to the start of the conference.  The options to score a spot were either the incredibly long standby lines or hitting the lottery with Lyft… more on that later… The amount of social traffic I saw by those who didn’t get into the experience almost rivaled those that were highlighting their time in Sweetwater.



3) Analog in a World of Digital – Walking onto the SXSW conference trade floor can be a jarring experience upon first entry. Your senses have to take a moment and adjust to the lights, the sea of VR headsets and every type of digital experience you can ask for. What made Westworld so compelling was the fact that it was the polar opposite.

The only technology was what you carried into the park. No Tesla charging stations here! Having a completely analog experience that heightened your natural senses was different than tricking your mind with ever-evolving synthetic realities.

4) Personalization – From choosing the black or white hat to the letter you receive at the post office to the final note you receive via e-mail and mobile, the experience was tailored to include personal elements at every turn. I even sent an IRL postcard from the Sweetwater post office.

5) Immersive within immersive  – In addition to the incredible sets and actors who memorized hundreds of pages of dialogue, it was the experience within the experience that really won the day. Whether it was trying to find additional clues, like a 3D Westworld maze map or a mysterious keyfob to unlocking a locked door with the season 2 premiere date as the code to a secret room in the already locked secret room.

The level of detail spent creating an immersive experience within an immersive experience was Inception level “dream within a dream” scenarios.

6) Secluded – The fact that the experience was 20 miles outside of Austin and in a very secluded location added to the experience. As you get closer and further outside of the city you were not quite sure what to expect and caused anticipation to build.

7) Partnership – How I got into WestWorld was through their partnership with Lyft. While we tweeted at Westworld via social, they responded with a cryptic response about Lyft having the code.

This promotional partnership with Lyft, who had 10 luxury vehicles that starting running special “winners” to the park between 2 and 10 pm, was a great way to drive usage for Lyft and rewarding those who looked for the code.

8) Socially Engaged – Our gateway into Westworld started with Twitter as I previously mentioned. The near-real-time engagement via the @WestworldHBO handle was very well done. Kudos to the Westworld social team as they nailed the tone and persona of the property that helped to cut through the noise of SXSW and focused our efforts towards engaging with the Westworld experience.

9) Limited Time Only – The activation only lasted a few days, which really amped up the conversation and desire to enter the experience. I had friends in Wilton, Connecticut asking if I was able to get into Westworld. Word of the activation spread well beyond the SXSW Interactive Austin crowd.

10) Post Event Follow-up – In addition to the personalized content during the experience, this morning I received a final communication welcoming me “back to reality” with a personalized letter that was optimized for sharing via social. The best aspect was my letter was different than my two co-workers.

I have been asked many times, what does it take for a brand to breakthrough at SXSW? I would say a combination of the 10 factors outlined above is a good starting point, but rarely have I come across an activation that went a perfect 10 for 10. That was #SXSWestworld

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SXSW 2018 Artificial Intelligence Event

During SXSW 2018 I had the opportunity to discuss “How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Marketing“.

The session was in partnership with Oculus360 & their CEO, John Dubois. John and I discussed our collaborations with machine learning applied to various categories, including eSports and how to align unstructured & structured data.

SXSW 2018

Here is a recorded webinar that we recorded February 28th, 2018 that we reprised during SXSW.

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SXSW 2018 Sony Wow Studio

Over the past few years, one of the most consistent brands across trade shows (CES, MWC, SXSW) has been Sony.

I have been impressed with their strategy to evolve experience interfaces beyond mobile through voice, vision and touch.

At SXSW 2018, Sony’s experience is a showcase of multi-modal interfaces. From interactive projectors, AR & VR experiences, Robotic assistant Xperia Hello!, CES 2018 Star Aibo, and one of the weirdest yet immersive experiences I have been a part of at SXSW.

The Wow Studio is a preview of what’s to come as our environment becomes more of an interface and technology begins to adapt to us vs. us adapting to the technology.

I have experienced the Xperia Hello! At previous shows. The Xperia Hello! Is Sony’s version of a robotic assistant. Think of an echo style form factor with a 4.55 inch screen. The robot assistant responds to voice, gesture and facial expressions and one of the primary use cases I personally tried was tied to Skype and F2F communication.

One of the most unique experiences was the Sonic Surf VR experience. This was a fully immersive experience that did not require a headset. This is a new technology that will allow creators to make sound appear to move on its own. See below for a sample of the experience.

Audio as an extension of Enhanced Reality (AI + AR/VR/MR) is one of the key themes I have observed so far.

One of the final experiences was upon exit of the Wow Studio. This section featured a digital message/graffiti wall. The unique aspect is that the experience was driven by an interactive projector light based interface to create the experience.

Here is the evolving digital artwork.

Sony continues to provide a preview for how consumer centric experiences will continue to evolve. From AI & Robotics to gesture and touch based interfaces to the rise of enhanced audio in support of spatial experiences tying physical and digital together. Sony delivered on the promise of the “Wow Studio”.

On to the next experience…. Westworld

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SXSW 2018 – Augmented Reality Audio

As the experiences for SXSW 2018 begin to kickoff, one of the first stops was at the Bose Augmented Reality Audio experience.

The experience starts with a video outlining various use cases tied to voice based Augmented Reality.

The trick here though is that there is not a visual aspect to the experience. It’s all driven based on various inputs such as location tags, GPS and extended phone functions.

By wearing the glasses, you get Audio queues such as reviews of a restaurant or landmark simply by looking at an object. The AR aspect is tied to invisible environmental queues that activate experiences.

This could be an interesting bridge to full AR experiences as consumers may accept pervasive voice as an extension into enhanced reality that integrates voice, vision and touch.

The form factor felt more like Snapchat Spectacles and less Google Glass. The push for form and fashion is key for mass adoption.

Looking forward to the SDK this fall as my questions were less about the hardware and more about the location tagging and environmental triggers where there will be a third party dependency.

On to the next experience!

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In The News: AdAge SXSW 2018 Preview

I was recently asked by Advertising Age to provide my thoughts on a number of topics related to SXSW of years past and what to expect in 2018.

Here is the commentary that was included in the digital and print version:

Here is the full commentary I provided to AdAge:

AdAge – How many times have you attended SXSW?

I have attended SXSW a dozen times over the past 18 years. I am definitely a SXSW veteran. I used to attend SXSW to look for the “next big thing”. From Twitter, Foursquare, Highlight, and Meerkat, SXSW used to be the launching pad for consumer-centric platforms that held the promise for new ways to connect with consumers.

Now in 2018, it’s less about apps and more about intelligent systems and the ever-evolving ways we interface with technology. That and of course SXSW is one of a handful of events where most of the industry converges on a single location.

AdAge – What do you think will be different this year versus last?

SXSW used to be about the spectacle of brand installations from a 56 foot tall Doritos Vending Machine and a 20-foot tall TIE-fighter, celebrating the launch of The Force Awakens Blu-Ray, now it’s shifted to more about the “off-cesar chavez” events held by partners that are just as entertaining and enlighting if not more-so than some of the official programming and experiences.

AdAge – What will people be talking about, or are there any trends you expect to take over?

I am very interested to see the progression of AI-based topics heading into 2018. In 2017, there was a lot of discussion around intelligence augmentation, leveraging machine learning and exploring emotive robotics.

This year, I am looking for interesting use cases of Computer vision, signals leading to the proxy web (virtual assistants as agents to consumers) as well as new ways to develop tangible user interfaces, new methods, and platforms to action against large datasets.Finally, I am looking for new and compelling marketing use cases for blockchain (similar to Kodak at CES and Unilever/IBM’s new blockchain media product).

AdAge – Are there any events you’re excited to see?

SXSW AI, IOT, BOTS AND BREW on March 11th, 2018.

AdAge – Do you think there is SXSW fatigue this year? Why or why not?

My reason for attending and my view of SXSW has changed over the years. Before I would seek out the brand installations and attend partner events (Facebook, Twitter, etc…) for behind the scenes access to how platforms and marketing solutions are evolving.

Now I primarily attend to gauge how the trends I track over the course of the year manifest themselves in a more consumer-focused way. CES is all about the technology and SXSW is more about the application of technology with a focus on consumer experiences and that is where there is still value for me as a marketer.

It’s not as overt as in years past but you can begin to see broader shifts in technology and emerging technology that is going to impact marketing and advertising. It’s less about the next big app and more about connecting the dots between new ways to connect with services and consumers through intelligent systems.

AdAge – How will you be dressed?

The SXSW uniform – Skinny jeans, trendy shoes & frames, some sort of sweater jacket and a light “man bag” for minimal swag.

AdAge – Any survival tips?

Can’t understate it enough, pack light for mobility, drink plenty of water, carry battery backups and a very portable umbrella as it’s rained on and off the past few years.

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In The News: Adweek & SXSW 2018

I was recently asked by Adweek to provide thoughts around SXSW and whether it is still worthwhile for brands to activate there.

Here are my full responses and the first was used in the article.

1. Do you think SXSW is still a valuable place for brands, marketers to be? Why or why not?

I have been a regular at SXSW over the years and I gain a unique perspective each time around. What I find valuable is that unlike other shows, SXSW is really about consumer-centric experiences. CES is about the technology, Mobile World Congress is about the upcoming infrastructure and hardware, but SXSW is truly set apart by the branded experiences.

2. What about agencies?

For agencies in attendance, it depends on the goal of the show. For my innovation team and I, it’s about the analysis of tech trends and experiences that may further validate our positioning on the topic. It’s also still a valuable experience as clients, media and industry associates all converge on Austin and it’s great to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time.

Here’s last years SXSW 2017 Trend Recap Video

3. What are some things brands should keep in mind when creating activations at SXSW?

Activations have evolved over the past few years. What was once about getting attention through over the top activations has shifted to providing utility and making the conference experience better. From Chevy’s ride sharing to Mophie & Samsungs battery activations, what stands out is creating some type of value for me as a conference goer vs. just trying to get my attention. Let me seek you out.

 

4. How do you cut through all the clutter and stand out?

Cutting through starts well before you ever step foot in Austin. Communicate with a clear value proposition, or something of interest ahead of the show, then while there provide a space to recharge, offer something of value, that can be through off conference events, utility such as ride shares and batteries and most importantly is to follow up post-event with either a recap, captured content or key takeaways.

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In The News: Entrepreneur.com RE: What’s Next?

Recently, both Entrepreneur.com and C-Suite Network featured my engaging conversation with Jeffrey Hayzlett. In the interview, we explored the delicate act of balancing present-day marketing strategies while keeping an eye on the future, as well as the potential impact of emerging technologies.

Click the image below for the full interview.

screenshot-2016-12-15-13-34-43

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Webinar: Using AI to Conquest New Markets

Today’s marketers have access to an incredible volume of consumer information, but most are simply not equipped to make sense of it all. With artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, we can quickly sift through all this varied, scattered input and identify invaluable, consistent consumer trends and actionable insights, something that would nearly impossible to accomplish manually.

Savvy marketers can use these insights to conquest new markets by understanding the audience affinities for various segments within their new market. Join the CEO of AI software company Oculus360, John Dubois, and Tom Edwards, Chief Digital & Innovation Officer of Epsilon, engage in a dynamic discussion about how brands are using innovative machine learning technology to identify, target, and succeed in new markets. Ian Beacraft, Vice President, Digital Strategy at Epsilon will host and moderate the discussion about:

  • How to use AI/machine learning to identify opportunities for brand extension and expansion
  • How audience affinity models can be applied to identify the products and brands most closely aligned with different customer segments
  • A real-world example of these strategies in action

Here is the full recording. 

Recorded February 28th, 2018

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TEDx Oaklawn 2018

I was incredibly excited to have been accepted as a speaker for the first TEDx Oaklawn event in Dallas, Texas on March 17th, 2018. I delved into the fascinating topic of the evolution of experience, discussing how we’re gradually moving away from mobile devices as our main mode of interacting with technology.

Tom Edwards TEDx
Tom Edwards TEDx
TEDx Oaklawn
TEDx Oaklawn
TEDx Oaklawn

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WMD Podcast: Balancing Personal & Professional Branding

This is the second part of my interview session with the Words of Mass Disruption podcast with Eric Hanes.

During this discussion, we dive into finding the right balance between personal and professional branding , 4 steps to a better digital you and the importance of creating and sharing content,  and adding value to your professional networks.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

1. How important it is to develop and share your own perspective and point of view.

2. Be open with your network connections.

3. Find the right balance of Personal Brand (the Digital You) and your Professional Brand (the hand that feeds you).

4. Diversify your network.

Here was part one of the podcast discussing all facets of Artificial Intelligence.

WMD Podcast via iTunes

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Follow Eric Hanes @WordsDisruption

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