Decoding Tomorrow:
Futurism and Foresights Today

While looking at the golden summer fields on the other side of the bus window, I am struck by the different modes of transport I have engaged in today to get me to my meeting with a large Swedish multinational retailer. I biked, then switched to walking, then onto an SL bus, and then walked again, making use of an integrated system of public transport. A logistical and urban planners dream perhaps? Well yes, but also an exercise in seeing what media and technology I consumed on the way there and back. I have been listening to and downloading songs via iTunes, writing this blog from my MacBook Air, and have been SMSing and calling from my smartphone to communicate with the outside world in a number of different languages.

It is perhaps this mobile lifestyle, of connecting with people away from their desks, that presents both new challenges and opportunities for digital media, technology and entertainment companies.

These companies are in an exciting space at the moment, because every company is now a media and tech company to some extent.

Across industries we are seeing a big shift in consumer behavior that both drives technological innovation, as well as responds to advances in technology. This is largely driven by a paradigm shift from what I call analogue to digital thinking. We are still at a stage where the population is largely hybrid, or 'digilogue' in their behaviours. For example, at the moment, a consumer of books might travel with an analogue, hard copy book, but also happily read from a digital Sony reader or iPad. This is likely to change and evolve over time though, and Amazon indicates that January this year saw a big shift with 105 digital books selling for each 100 hard copy books.

Generationally, this is also interesting for media and technology companies. If you are Generation Z (b. 1994-2010) you have never known a world without the internet. In fact more 2-5 years olds in the Western World now know how to play Angry Birds on their iPhones than know how to tie their shoelaces (according to a 2011 AVG study). The question is, how are these kids going to affect business? How would they run technology and media companies differently from today? What kind of digital experiences will they be seeking? Will they want to be constantly plugged in, or will they seek entertainment experiences that will help them actually 'tune out'?

Many business are still struggling to come to terms with Generation Y as spending power (particularly on technological devices) is shifting towards 'technological natives' (who interact more seamlessly with technology than previous generations). This is why a technological and integrated media suite is so critical.

At Apple HQ in Infinite Loop in Cupertino where I recently spent some time, there is a Halo effect from its digital universe, which enables consumers to transact and interact with the brand both in digital and analogue ways. It's an interest case study of 'next practice' and experiential marketing, and putting a point of sale device into the hands of each consumer via the iTunes store which is mobile-enabled wherever you go. Imagine knowing that your store is in each consumer's pockets, literally, every second of every day.

It's perhaps little surprise that Apple transacts $2800 dollars every second - the equivalent of 2 iPhones, an iPad and a Mac every second. 

As a result, the expectations on technology and media companies will continue to grow. We will continue wanting devices who can intelligently 'speak' to one another, so that you can begin a movie on your tablet device in a cafe in Harajuku, shift to watching it on a mobile while on the busy commute to a meeting in Shinjuku, and then relax and rewind to the same movie that intelligently picks up where you left off when you get back home, and then makes recommendations on what to view next based on an intelligent analysis of your social network, and its tastes at different times of the day. 

Today, we are moving from a focus on demographics to psychographics, and we expect our tech and media providers to know us better and more intimately. Almost like you'd expect a good friend, partner or family member to know what kind of presents you'd like for your birthday, so we want great tips on new products and entertainment to flow on from our trusted interaction with your organisation. Consumers are growing more and more demanding, and we expect to be communicated with in a tailored fashion. This is evident for every industry, whether they be facing the challenge of tailored drugs in pharmaceuticals, bespoke communications in digital and printing solutions, marketing and advertising, or intelligent beauty products which interact differently with different skin types. 

It will take a thought leading organisation with future-minded leaders to create this intelligent media and tech universe, and it will take a blend of crowdsourcing, social media, and co-design to get there. 

How is your organisation meeting this challenge of moving from analogue to digital communications?