The media is the most powerful entity on earth because it controls the minds of the masses.
Everycompanyfromeveryindustryrequiresaplatformtointroduceitsproductandservices.Noother platformorindustryisascapableasthemediainaddressingthemassesinreal-time.Mediaisthe connectingbridgebetweenproductsandcustomers.Hence,itisprerequisiteforeverycompanyaroundthe globetofueltheirbusinessesbyadvertisingtheirproductsandservicesthroughmediaandentertainment platforms.
Medianotonlyhelpsadvertisetheproductandenticeitscustomers,butitsetsablazetrendsanddrives customeropinions.Imagineanentertainingadthatpopsupinyourheadwheneveryouarebuyinganew product.Youaskaboutaspecificfeatureofaproductorservicejustbecausethatadvertiseornews educatedyouaboutit.That’swhatmediadoes.Itsimplymediatesthemassopinionandenforces customerstobuyaspecificproductoremployparticularservices.Thisdominancehasprolifically increasedoverthecourseofthelasttwodecadesinparticular.
Therearemanyreasonsbehindthisrise.However,consistentconversionsinmediaplatformsandanallembracingemergenceofsocialmediaareundeniablymotoringfactors.Weallhaveheardaboutthe Egyptianrevolution,whereaFacebookgroupprotestedonsocialmediaagainsttheinjusticemadebytheir kingandshowedthepowerofsocialmediabydethroningthefortyyearoldgovernment.Wealsohavean ideaabouthowsocialmediacampaignswedgedvotinginrecentAmericanElection.Theseexamplesare pictorialsofthesocialmediainfluence,andalsohintaboutitsimpactindrivingmindsofthemasses.
Evenifadebateoccursconcerningtheprosandconsabouttheriseofmediaandtheentertainment industry,nocanrepudiatethatmediaistheonlyindustrywhichisconnectedwitheveryindustry.It hasunparalleledabilitytorevolutionizeanyindustriesthoughitsadroitassistance.
MediaandEntertainmentsolutionsareirreplaceableintermsofadvertisingaproduct.Thus,mostof theinternationallyacclaimedbrandshaveincludedmediabudgetintheirannualexpenditureplans. Somecompaniesprefertospend10%oftheirannualincometodevelopmediastrategieswhereas someassign30%.Alltheyexpectisacreative,smartandvisionarymediaandentertainment associatethatcanenticecustomersthroughitsimpeccableadvertisingandmarketingtactics,and bestowthemwithremarkablesales.
Intheissue, Insights"The10MostInnovativeMediaandEntertainmentCompanies,2018," Successhaslistedsomeofthemostsuccessfulmediaandentertainmentcompanies,whichhave developedanastonishingmediaplatformandboostedbusinessesofseveralcompanieswithits innovativemarketingstrategiesandservices.
FeaturingastheCoverStoryis thecompanyoffersanarrayofservices,includingSocialMedia55, thecreationandmanagementofaFacebookbusinesspage,webdevelopmentsolutions,influencer marketingcampaignsaswellaspostingtoothersocialchannelssuchasInstagramandTwitter
Theissuealsoincludescompanieslike, whichhaveaproventrackrecordforCleverusConsulting craftingeffectiveinternetmarketingstrategieswithmeasurable,long-termresults;GHOGroupisan independentconsultingfirmthatspecializesinplanninganddesigningmediaproductionfacilitiesfor broadcastandcablecompanies,corporations,educationalinstitutions,andculturalorganizations; Shutterstock,aleadingtechnologycompanythatoffersacreativeplatformforhigh-qualityassets, toolsandservices.Thecompanylicensesimages,videos,andmusic,andothereditorialassets; Sizmekisthelargestindependentbuy-sideadvertisingplatformthatcreatesimpressionsthatinspire; Vidyard,anextgenerationvideoplatformforbusinessthatcreatessoftwaretohostandanalyze videoperformance;ViralInNature,itisanawardwinningsocialmedia,reputationmanagement andwebdevelopmentagency;andYUDUacompanythathelpspublishers,corporations,educators andorganizationsengagewiththeiraudiencesdigitally
Furthermore,wehaveincludedinsightfularticleswrittenbyourin-houseeditorialteam;aswellas somein-depthCXOStandpointsofvariousrecognizedindustryexperts. Let sdiscoverhowmediamediatesanddrivesbusinessesbyattractingcustomers,shallwe?’
Kedar Kulkarni
care about leaving a
impact on people with our services.
“ “
Ownedandoperatedbyayoungyetseasoned industryveteran,JosephRothstein,SocialMedia 55(SM55)focusesonstrategiesformarketingand advertisingacrossNorthAmerica.Positiveresultsand clientsatisfactionhavepropelledthecompanytogrowinto arespectedandtrustedbrandwithintheirspace.The companyhaslaiddownastrongfoundationbasedona focusedteamofprofessionalsthatremainabreastofthe ever-changingmarketplaceandadaptstrategies accordingly,keepingthemaheadofthecurve.
SocialMedia55offersanarrayofservices,includingthe creationandmanagementofaFacebookbusinesspage, webdevelopmentsolutions,influencermarketing campaignsaswellaspostingtoothersocialchannelssuch asInstagramandTwitter.TothisendSocialMedia55has accesstoinfluencersthatpromotebrandsinvarious categories,suchassomeofthetoptelevisionnetworksin theUnitedStates.
“Brands are constantly looking for new ways to drive traffic and convert the traffic to sales. We offer Influencer Marketing as an additional service to you so you can maximize on your social visibility. We maximize visibility via strategic alliances with PR and modelling agencies that expands your network of influencers, bloggers, vloggers and celebrities for a fee or in exchange for product,” exclaimsJosephRothstein.
Fore-commercewebsites,SocialMedia55prefersusing theShopifyplatformtosynchronizeamyriadofmarketing toolsinsocialmedia.
Whilesomebusinessesmaynothavetheabilitytoadvertise acrosscertainmediums,SocialMedia55willimplement alternativestrategiestogainorganictraction.Theobjective istoreachandconvertyouraudiencefrom followers to clients.Thisbeingahighlyspecializedandtimeconsuming task,SocialMedia55providesprofessionalexpertiseto achieveyouradvertisingandmarketinggoals.
Duringitsinception,SocialMedia55’sbiggestchallenge waseducatingpotentialclientstoappreciatethevalueof socialmediaasavehicletoreachthelargestconcentration ofconsumersintheworld.Thecompanyfirmlybelieved, andstilldoes,thatwithover2Billionsocialmediausers world-wide,thisisavenuethatmustbeoptimized.Today, SocialMedia55standsatopitscrowdofcompetitors,tobe dubbedasoneofthefastestgrowingleaderinthesocial mediamarketingspace.
Thecompanycaterstosmallandmediumsizedbusinesses, publicfiguresinthesports,entertainmentandpolitical arenabycapturinganddeliveringtheirmessageinthemost
Should you market your products before it’s even ready for launch?
Brandstaketimetodevelop,jumpstart yourbrandawareness.Startmarketing themomentyou’rereadytostart tellingyourstory.It’snevertooearly tostartthatmomentum.Search enginestaketimetocrawlthedata,so givetheinternettimetopopulate.
How important is video content?
Brandsneedtotakeadvantageofvideo productiontoconveytheirmessage throughplatformslikeFacebook& Instagramtodelivertheirstory
compelling,timelyandefficientmanner.Josephpointsout “We create stories bring engaged followers and we help turn them into real customers.”
SocialMedia55caresabout leaving a lasting impact on people.Itdeliversmillions,ifnotbillions,ofimpressions yearround.
Owingtoitsabilitytocommunicatewithatargetaudience inrealtime,socialmediahasnowgoneontobecomingone ofthemostpowerfulmarketingtoolsintheworld.Joseph believesthatoneofthecommonchallengesthatsomeof thesedo-it-yourself(DIY)companiesrunintoistheability todevelopandmaintainthesechannels.
Unlikeothers,SocialMedia55’ssolutionsarecustomized toaddressyourneedsandofferpeaceofmindby maintaining these channels,enablingyoutofocusyour timeandenergyonotheraspectsofyourbusiness.Itisalso worthmentioningthatitssocialmediasolutionscaterto anysizeofbusiness.
The‘alacarte’styleoptionsprovidedbythecompanyare designedtomaximizeyourabilitytocommunicatewith yourtargetaudience. “Speak with one of our specialists today to design a solution that best meets your needs.”
Inadditiontotheabove-mentionedservices,SocialMedia 55evendesignsandbuildscustomizedwebsitesthat
complimentsandservesyourbusinessneedsfrome-commercetoaservice orientedplatform.
Fordevelopinge-commercewebsites,SocialMedia55prefersusingtheShopify platformtosynchronizeamyriadofmarketingtoolsinsocialmedia.Shopifyis trulydesignedfortheconsumer,allowingtheendusertoeasilymakechanges withoutneedingtorevisityourwebdesignteamoverandover "Whether you sell online, on social media, in store, or out of the trunk of your car, Shopify has you covered.”
Withover600,000websitespoweredbyShopifyit’sclearthatthisplatformis takingovertheE-commerceindustry. Thee-commercecompanyhasalready soldover$55Billion,makingittheperfectplatformforbothbeginnersand experts.Providing24/7customersupportissomethingthatSocialMedia55 believesintobeacrucialaspectofkeepingcostsdownandShopifyenables themtoofferthesametoitscustomers.Furthercomplementingitsservices, Josephmentions “If you can’t seem to make the change to your website yourself, your Shopify Guru is always there to walk you through one click at a time.”
SomeofthekeyfeaturesofShopify:
· Enablesyoutofullycustomizeyouronlinestore
· Allowsyoutoaddnewsaleschannelswithinseconds
· Youareabletomanageunlimitedproductsandinventory
· Enablesyoutofulfillordersinasinglestep
· Youcantracksalesandgrowthtrends
QuestionstoaskaSocialMediaMarketingProvider BeforechoosingaSMMprovideronemustbewaryofvarious
aspects.Tomaintainprecautionforthesame,SocialMedia55sharessomeofthe importantquestionswhichoneneedstoaskbeforechoosingaSocialMedia Marketingprovider.
What does your firm specialize in? Becauseofthehighdemandforsocialmedia services,manyplayershaveenteredthismarketnichewithoutnecessarilyhavinga definedexpertiseinthisdomain.Aparallelcanbedrawntotheconstruction industrywhereaspecialistinfoundationsdoesnotnecessarilyhavethe architecturalexpertisetobuildanentireinfrastructure.
Who are your clients and can you share some of your past works? Thissetsthestagetotheirpractice,providingabird’seyeview onhowrelevanttheyaretoyourbusiness.
Do you work with influencers and how may they impact my brand exposure?Influencersarepeopleor companiesthathaveasubstantialandengaged followingoffans/consumers,whocanhelpdirect themtoyourproduct.ItisimportantforSMM providerstobeconnectedwithsuchinfluencersto impactorexpandyourbrand’sexposure.
What strategies would you implement for my business?Thisprovidesanunderstandingofhow theycommunicatetheirsolutionsandawindowto theiruser-friendliness.
What do you charge for your services and how competitive are you? Thisprovidestheirscopeof engagementandhowtheyjustifybilling.
LeadingtheChartsinInfluencerMarketing
Thisareaofdigitalmarketinghasbecomeaboomingbusinessstrategy, connectingmillionsofconsumerstoproductsworldwide.
Thisdepartmentismadeupoftwodivisions,whicharepairedformaximum results:
· Brands
· Influencers
SocialMedia55canconnectyourbrandwithinfluencerswithanamassed50+ millionfollowers.
TheinfluencerdivisionofSocialMedia55allowsinfluencersandmicro influencerstoregisterwiththecompany;inreturnthecompanyprovidesthemwith complimentarybrandproducts.Forposting,livestoriesandotherformsof shoutouts,thecompanypaysthemaswell. “We rigorously evaluate and qualify all of our influencers to ensure our brands are choosing only high quality networks,” Josephmentions.
Josephcontinuessaying “We love spoiling our influencers. Whether you’re a local hero, a megastar or just someone with a large strong following, we work to help save you time from searching for companies to partner with”
FIFTY
FIVE
&
GHO
GaryOlson
Founder&President
CleverusConsultinghaveaproventrackrecordforcrafting effectiveinternetmarketingstrategieswithmeasurable, long-termresults.
Fifty&Fiveprovidessocialmediamarketingservicestolocal andglobalbrands,managingstrategy,contentmarketing, customercare,andadvancedsociallistening.
GHOGroupisanindependentconsultingfirmthatspecializes inplanninganddesigningmediaproductionfacilitiesfor broadcastandcablecompanies,corporations,educational institutions,andculturalorganizations.
Shutterstock
JonOringerFounder&CEO
Sizmek
MarkGrether
Shutterstockisaleadingtechnologycompanythatoffersa creativeplatformforhigh-qualityassets,toolsandservices.The companylicensesimages,videos,andmusic,andother editorialassets.
Sizmekisthelargestindependentbuy-sideadvertisingplatform thatcreatesimpressionsthatinspire.
SocialMedia55offersanarrayofservices,includingthe
andmanagementofaFacebookbusinesspage,web
Social
solutions,influencermarketingcampaignsaswell aspostingtoothersocialchannelssuchas InstagramandTwitter
Sociallyin
Kakadia
&
SociallyinLLChelpbrandswithdifferentaspectsoftheirsocial mediamarketingstrategies.
Vidyardisanextgenerationvideoplatformforbusinessthat createssoftwaretohostandanalyzevideoperformance.
Viral
ShawnAlain
ViralInNatureisanawardwinningsocialmedia,reputation
andwebdevelopmentagency
YUDUhelpspublishers,corporations,educators
engagewiththeiraudiencesdigitally.
Dave Gullo Co-founder & CTO VideoAmp
VideoAmpturns4yearsoldthismonth.Somany memories,andsomuchgrowth.Let’sreflecton someoftheworstdecisionsandassociated learningsthathavebeenfundamentaltoourgrowth.Why theworstyousay?Becausewhenyouaccelerateyour learningrateinafail-fastenvironment,itthenallowsyouto makefastdecisionsvstheanalysisparalysispredicament.
Oneofmyfavoritewildcardinterviewquestionsfor managersis:“Describethefailureyou’remostproudof.” Thissometimescatchespeopleoffguard,soI’llsharemine firsttogettheconversationgoing.Inevitablyitcomesdown tochoosingbecausetherearesomany.
Youcan’ttalkaboutgrowthandsuccesswithouttalking aboutthesefailures.Unlessyou’re somekindofhybridAIrobot-space-alienwho’sabsolutelyperfect,there’sgoingto bemistakes.What’simportantisthatasaleaderyouown yourmistakesandbetransparentaboutthem.
Findingtherightpeopleisthesinglemostimportantaspect ofgrowingastartup.Thebiggestmistakesinhiringhave been:
Ÿ “Hiringoutofhand”orshortcuttingthenormal processesbecausethecandidateiswellknownbyother engineersinthegroup.
Ÿ “Promotingoutofhand”isanothervariationof thiswhereyoudon’tputsomeonethroughthe normalduediligencebecausetheyalready present.Inourcase,individualcontributor(IC) engineersdon’tgothroughtherigorous referencechecksthatnewmanagersdo.
Ÿ “Hiringunderduress”orloweringyourbar simplytomeetheadcountgoals.Istrongly advisetohirefewer“full-fullstack”senior engineersvsabunchofjuniorormid-level careerdeveloperswhorequiremoretime, nurturingandpreciousattentionunitsfromyour seniorstaff.
Thisisamovingtarget,andonewhichhasdefinitelybeen anongoingseriesofblogs.Intheearlystage,we“over prescribedscrum.”Somethingthataveryearlystage companycando,alongwithtoomuchagileprocessestoo soon.
Forexample,prototypesandproofofconceptsshouldnot havearigorousdefinitionofdone,withendlessunit, functional,andend-to-endtestsbecausetheproduct’s requirementswillprobablyzig-zagwildly
Conversely,havingtoolittleprocesswhenyouare supportingenterprisecustomerscanalsobea problem.IspentmypriordaysasanICand
contractorretrofittingandscalingCI/CDpipelinesand trainingengineershowtowritebettertests.
Thechallengeisright-sizingthisallalongtheway,andthe triggerpointsonwhentochangemaynotbeobvious. Isay thisbecausewegrewheadcountby22engineersfromOct 2017toFeb2018,andintheprocesswedidnotmodifyour simplifiedKanbanapproachtoaprescribedScrumprocess quicklyenough.Growingpainsemerged,tosaytheleast. Nowwe’reinaspotwherewecanwithstandamagnitude scaleofgrowthwithroughlythesamesquadandtribe-level process.
RiffingoffrapidgrowthofBrainsinengineering,wedidn’t scalemanagementfastenough.Almostallstartup engineeringorgsstartveryflat,withallICsandno management.Youhave“techleads”whomaysplittheir timedoinglightmanagerialfunctions,buttheyallwrite codeanddiveintotheoperations.
ThebiggestfailhereinscalingtheICswasnotscalingthe organdmanagementstructuretofollow At~44engineers anddatascientists,wehaveadutytodeliveronourmission toprovideanenvironmentwheretheyhavetheopportunity todothebestworkoftheirlivesandbeworthmoreinthe marketplace.
Withoutthisvitalmanagementstructure,thereisavacuum. Donotboltthisonlater,builditasyougo.Wetook inspirationfromSpotify’smodelofengineering organizationalscaling.
We’vetalkedaboutallofthesefails,howaboutsomething thathasworkedwellforus?
Whendoinginitialcontactwithacandidate,Ioftenask “whyareyouinmarket?”Ihaveseencountlessfolkswho arelookingbecausetheircurrentmanagementdoesnot havetheirgrowthandcareerpathinginmind. Inextreme cases,theycandoaday’sworkinfourhours,feellikethey areunder-challenged,andhavenotlearnedanythingin years.TheyworkinanenvironmentlikethemovieOffice Space.
Takinganoppositeapproachistoengageinthegrowthand pathingofeveryindividual.Wedothisby:
Ÿ Aligningthegrowthoftheindividualwiththe company’sgrowth.
Ÿ Havingmanagementcheckinfrequentlyonthesuccess ofthis,and
Ÿ Settingupformalquarterlycheck-insonmeasuring thesegoals.GoogleadoptedthisearlyonfromJohn DoerrintheformofOKRs,andtherearegreat platformsouttherewhichcanformallymeasureand tracktheseobjectives.
Careerpathingisalonger-termconcern.Iaskcandidates fromthestart“sowhat’sthenextjobafterVideoAmp?” Thisoftencatchesthemoffguard,thenaftercarefulthought mostreplywitharole1-2levelsbeyondwherethey’reat now.It’sourgoaltohelpsteertheminwhateverpaththey currentlysee.
Manyearlier-careerengineersthinkmanagementistheir ultimatepath,butIhavefoundthatmanywillstayona tractofengineeringexcellence.Whetherit’saPrincipal EngineeroraVPofEngineering,thegoalistoorientthe newchallengesinamannerwhichgrowstheminthat direction,evenifwecan’tfullyrealizetheirultimate pathinggoalwhileatthecompany.
Bypayingcarefulattentiontothesedetails,wehavefound ourannualretentionrateinthehigh90%.
Lawnmence Wong CEO
Digitaltransformationsaredrivingeverysectorwith anunmatchedspeed.Socialmediahasbeenoneof thegreatestevolutionsofthecentury.Ithas revolutionizedourwayofcommunication,advertisingand theentiremarketlandscape.
Owingtothisboomingrise,regionalbusinessesarenow abletolaunchandadvertisetheirproductsonaglobalscale withnotableefficiencyatminimalcost.Variouscompanies aroundtheglobearetransformingthewaytheyconnect withtheircustomers.Theyarechoosingcontemporary methodsofcommunicationlikewebchat,websiteorweb pagebasedfeedbacks.Thesefreeofcostmethodshavealso enabledthecustomerstoconveytheirqueryandgetthe feedbackinreal-time.
However,thereisanendlessflowofdataontheinternet. Thousandsofglobalcompanieswithsimilarproductsare directlycompetingwitheachother;allinthehopeof makingamark.
Needlesstomention,ifacompanywishesitswebsitetobe atthetopofeveryrelevantsearchlist,thenitmustemploy anadeptSEOteam.Eitherin-houseorspeciallyhired,itis prerequisitefororganizationstohaveapreciseSEO solutiontostayaheadofthecompetition.
Malaysian-basedcompany,CleverusConsulting,boasting awide-rangeofSEOexperts,istheperfectsolutionfor globalbusinesses.Foundedin2013,Cleverushasgoneon tobecomeoneofthebestcompaniesinMalaysia,allthe whilebestowingitsclientsinhavingtheironlinepresence proliferated.BeingoneofthemostestablishedGoogle partner,ithasdevelopedaprovenframeworktohelpits clientsrisequicklytothetopofmajorsearchengines aroundtheworld.
JourneyfromaRegionalSEO FrameworkProvidertoaLeading OnlineMarketingAgency
Cleverusinitiallystartedofferingsome prominentSEOservicesthat empowereditscustomerstooutrank theircompetitorsanddominatethe searchenginewithbetterresults.With theincreasingclientdemandsandfast pacedprogression,thecompanybegan offeringnewservicessuchasweb design,onlinereputationmanagement, influencermarketing,andapp development.Cleverusthenutilizedits specializedSEOframeworktoincept andenhancetheonlinereputation managementservice,whichfurther helpedmajorcompaniesremove negativepressonlineandsuccessfully restoredthebrandnameofthose companies.Cleverusfirmlybelievesin offeringcompletecustomersatisfaction andchargesitsclientsbasedonresults anddeliversoptimallevelof performance.Thisprovencredibility hasgivenboththecompanyandits clientsawin-winsituation.
Cleverusiscurrentlyrankedasthe numberoneSEOSpecialistin MalaysiaonGoogleforproviding someofthemostcompetitive keywordsintheindustry.Today,asa marketleader,thecompanyisgetting RequestforProposals(RFP)from majorglobalcompaniesandis deliveringsomeimpeccableservicesto them.However,itsjourneyhasnot beenacake-walk.
DuringtheearlyphaseofCleverus,it facedplentyofrejections.Butoverthe yearsithasmanagedtoovercomethe challengesbycontinuouslydelivering high-qualityworktoitstrustedclients. Theproductive,efficientandcost effectiveservicesprovidedbyCleverus wereadmiredbymanyofitsclients. Asaresult,thecompanygainedplenty ofreferralsfromitsexistingclients
whichhelpedameliorateitsgrowth rate.
Whileexplainingaboutthereasons behindCleverus’sfast-pacedsuccess itsCEO,LawmenceWong,recalls, “We were confident in our ability and have persisted to source leads daily and approach clients to showcase our service.” Withthecompanycontinuing todevelopitssolidreputationinthe onlinemarketingindustry,itnow envisionsonbeingthelargestonline marketingagencyinAsiawithinthe nextsixyears.
PassionatelyLeadingtheGroupof YoungandExperienced Professionals
CleverusConsultinghasastrongteam of21peopleatpresent,withoffices scatteredacrossMalaysia,Philippines, andtheUnitedStates.Lawmence Wong’sastuteleadershiphasbeena vitalpartbehindthissurginggrowth.
Wongbelievesthathavingtheright talentisthekeybehindgrowinga company ThusinCleverus,every singlehiringispersonallyapprovedby bothLawmenceandtheHeadofHRto maintainthequalityofitsservices. Lawmencehasastutelyledthegroup ofyoungandexperienced professionalsinthecompanytogreater heights.Theirexpertisehasallowed thecompanytogainmoreandmore pleasingandloyalclients.Throughout hisleadership,Lawmencehas emphasizedonfuturisticintegrations andboldexpansionplans,andisnow planningtoexpandtoseveralcitiesin Asiawithinthenextfewyears
Nowadays,everyothercompanyis employingdigitalwaysofmarketing, anddigitaltransformationisgaininga
worldwideattentionforalltheright reason.MarketingandAdvertisingvia digitalplatformshaveallowed organizationstoconnectwithawider poolofglobalaudience,inreal-time.
Cleverusisleveragingthistrend,and insteadoftheusualtraditional advertisingonnewspaperand magazines,ithasshifteditsfocus towardsonlineadvertisingand marketingplatformssuchasFacebook, Google,andInstagram.
Thisyearalone,Cleverushashired3 newstafftoaccommodatethedemands foronlineadvertisingandforesee hiringevenmoreemployeesinQ2as thedemandgetshigher.Itisalsohiring overseasemployeestofacilitatethe groundworktopenetratethesenew markets.Cleverusenvisionsonebeing thelargestonlinemarketingagencyin Asiainthenearfuture.Thecompany hasbeenmeticulouslyraisingfundsto pushitsvisionfurtherintorealityand expectsitsnametobetheprimal choiceamongstclients.
Almosteverybusinesssectorincluding entertainment,education,training,communication andsecurityisrevolutionizingduetothe emergenceofmultimediaplatforms.Thesenewtechnology platformsshowcasethedemandforanexpertmedia solutionprovider.Thebroadcastandmediaindustryis constantlyevolving.Ithasbecomeaprerequisiteformedia planninganddesigningcompaniestoanticipatenewtrends andindustrialchangestoprovidethebestguidanceand advicetoclients.Whetheritisanewfacilityorupgrading anexistingone,thereareseveralmethodstodeliver programmingandcontentinabetterwaytoeverybusiness. Butveryfewcompanieshavethenotableabilitytoidentify clientsthiswayandprovidethemwithfuture-proofmedia solutions.GHOGroupisoneofthem.
GHOGroupisanindependentconsultingfirm, specializinginplanninganddesigning mediaproductionfacilitiesfor broadcastand
As a strategic adviser we identify the clients requirements to achieve their goals and recommend the technologies and resources that will bring the vision to reality.
Gary Olson Founder & President
cablecompanies,corporations,educationalinstitutions,and culturalorganizations.GHOhasasubstantialportfolioof successprovidingunique,practicalandcost-effective solutionstothechallengesfacedinbuildingnewfacilities orimplementingnewtechnologystrategies.
GHOprovidesadvisoryservicesandstrategicplanningin thedevelopmentphaseofanengagement,designinga technologysolutionandcreatingaprojectplanwith milestonesanddeliverablesthatareachievable,toinsurea successfulproject.GHOfunctionsastheseniorproject administratorcoordinatingtheimplementationprocessand strategy
Asastrategicadviser,GHOidentifiesitsclients requirementsandhelpsthemachievetheirgoalsby recommendingthetechnologiesandresourcesthatwill bringtheirvisiontoreality.Thecompanyexecutiveswork closelywiththeassociatedorganization,andmakesthe mostoftheirinternalresources,preferredserviceproviders andapprovedcontractors.GHOutilizesitsbroad experiencebasetobenefititsclients.Andbysharingbest practicesindesign,addressingbudgetsandscheduleswith specialattentiontocraftingtheprocessitassuresbest resultsfor itsclients.
Inadditiontothis,thecompanyisoneoftherecognized leadersintechnologyimplementation.GHO’sdesign philosophyisbasedonsustainabilityandaprincipalthat theprovidedmediasolutionsmustbefutureproof.
ADynamicTechIndividualLeadingfromtheFront GaryOlson Founder Presidentisthe and ofGHOGroup. Heprovidesdirectiontothecompanyasathoughtleaderin digitalmediaandbroadcasttechnologyaswellasin cognitivecomputing.Olson’sbook, Planning and Designing the IP Broadcast Facility - A New Puzzle to Solve, isconsideredasatopreferencebooktothebroadcast industry
Thisdynamicindividualhasaconsiderablefollowingofhis articlesonTheBroadcastBridge,assistingtheindustrywith knowledgeandguidanceduringthetransitiontocomputer andIPnetwork-basedtechnologiesformediaproduction anddistribution.
Theexpression digitaltransformation’coversabroad‘ spectrumwithinthemediaandentertainmentindustries. Thistransformationhashadsignificantimpactoncontent
creationanddistribution coupledwithdisruptivechangesin thetechnologiesthatsupportthese industrysectors.Thesizeofthescreendoes notdeterminetheplatformthatcontentis deliveredtoorhowit’sdelivered.Therearedifferent productionconsiderationsforeachdigitalplatformand newmonetizationopportunities.
GHOisuniquelypositionedtoserveasanadvisoronthe transitiontothesenewtechnologies,provideguidanceand strategytooptimizetheinvestmentoforganizationsand assistthetechnicalsupportstaffinadoptingthenew technologysystems.
Intoday’sconnectedworld,communicationisoneofthe keyrequirementstokeepincontactwithanaudience.GHO isknownandrespectedforitsobjectiveperspectiveson technologytrends.Understandingclients’needsand budgetsiscriticaltothesuccessofaproject.GHOspendsa considerableamountoftimeresearchingacrossmany differentindustries.GHOpublishesarticlesontechnology regularlyonLinkedIntoeducateandinformtheindustry aboutthenovelevolutions.Throughthesetruthfulefforts, thecompanyenvisionseducatingtheusersandaimsto attractitspotentialcustomerbycreatingsuch comprehensivestrategies.
Themediaandentertainmentindustryisbecomingless segregatedandevolvingtoincludeDigitaloutofHome. MobileservicesandOTThavebecomeintegralmembersof thecommunity.GHOGroupisdevelopingsome impeccablestrategiesforitscustomersbyfocusingonthese advancements.Additionally,thecompanylooksatDeep LearningandArtificialIntelligenceasthenewtrends. Currentlythereismoreconfusionthanclarityaboutthis technologyanditsfuturisticbenefits.Client’sneed independentandtrustworthyadvisorsandstrategiststohelp navigatethroughthesechanges.Hence,thecompanyis spreadingbetterunderstandingregardingfuturistic technologiesandaimstoimplementtheseopportunitiesin thesefields.
Oncetherewasatimewhenthequestionwas“Will themediaindustrygetdigitallytransformed?”,but thescenariohaschangednow Thequestiontoday is“Howwillthetransformationtakeplace?”and“Howwill themediacompaniesrespondtothischange?”Seeingthese opportunitiespresentedbythedigitalvideosystems,new playersarejoiningthemarket,hence,capturingconsumer’s mindwithnewinitiativesandgrabbingtheirwallets.These changesarebringinginaggressivemodificationinthe industryalongwithnewbusinessmodels,partnershipsand alsoacquisitions.
WhetheroneisamoviefreakoramadTVwatcher,itis quiteknowntothemthatthetechnologytodayisnotwhat theyhaveseenfewyearsback.Themediaand entertainmentindustryhasseenrapidchangesand modificationintherecentyears.Themostobserving changesthattheworldoftechnologyhaswitnessedareas follows:
Multi-taskingandMulti-ChannelExperiences Timehaschangednow.Thosedaysaregonewhenpeople usedtoseetheadvertisementofafilmontheroad-side billboardorontheirnewspaperandthengotoamoviehall towatchthemovie.Today,peoplearemultitaskingandthey aremoreintomulti-channelexperiencing.Peoplenoware notjustintowatchingamovieorTelevisionshowwithall theirconcentration.Theyarewatchingamovie,uploading statusontheirFacebookwallandtweetingaboutthemovie, allatthesametime.Theyaresharingtheirviewsand opinionsaboutwhatevertheyarewatchingontheirsocial mediaplatforms.Itclearlyindicatesthatmarketingisno moreaone-mediathing;ratherit’saneventofallchannels.
Anextensiveresearchclearlyprovedthatmostpeople watchclipsanduser-generatedcontentontheirphonesand simultaneouslytheypreferwatchingmoviesonadevice withlargerscreenlikecomputerortelevisionset.Thisis somethingofwhichentertainmentcompaniesmusttake
advantageofbypromptingtheviewerstousehashtag(#) andshareusingbrandedcontenttobringmoretrafficto theircontent.Thosedaysarenomorewhenthewritersand marketersusedtobefocusedaboutonlythewritingofthe content,rathertheyarenowfocusingalotonhowtheir promotionalcontentonsocialmediaplatformsshouldlook likeandhowtheycangainmoreattraction.
CuratedContentismoreindemand
Theaudiencehaschangedalotandsoistheirdemand. Peoplearenowdemandingmorecuratedcontent.Andthe trendisalreadygrowingataverysuccessfulpace.Ithas beenobservedthatmediagiantslikeNetflixandAmazon havealreadybeeneffectivelyusingthecuratedcontentfor aboutfouryears.Itisaprocedurewheretheplatform suggestswhattheaudiencewouldliketowatchor subscribe.Whentheseareusedeffectively,itcancreate newaudiencesinstantlyfortheprovider’snewshowsand products.Thisisabetterwaytoadvertiseproductsthan othermeansofadvertisements.
GettingmorecreativewithArtificialIntelligence
Itsoundscrazytohearthattheprojectedamountof spendingforAI(ArtificialIntelligence)for2025is$30 billionwhichwasearlierobservedtobe$300-350million intheyear2015.Butthemainreasonbehindsuchahuge projectionisthatAIischangingthewaycompletelyin whichcreativitywasexpressedearlier Therearealready variouscompanieswhichareusingtheAItechnologyto createinterestingmovieplotpointsbasedonthe performanceofboxofficeresults.
RecentreportsinformedthatMcCannEricksoninJapan ownsanAIcreativedirectorwhichcanactuallyanalyze briefingsfromclientsbeforepitchingastory.Fromimage recognitionandlanguageprocessingtospeechrecognition anddeeplearning,AIisanalyzingeverythingtocreatenew levelsofimpactfulpitchesthroughcreativeprocessinthe entertainmentandmediaindustry.
Wirelessmediaisthenewupcomingtrend Gonearethosedayswhenpeoplehadtopayforall300channelswhichtheirsatelliteorcableTVchannelprovidersusedto givethoughthevieweractuallywatchesonlyfourtofivechannels.Nowthedefinitionoftheentiremediaandentertainment industryhaschanged.ThecompanieslikeNetflixandHuluhasbroughtinthenewgenerationofwirelessentertainment.The newusersaregoingonline.FromYouTube,Netflix,HulutoAmazonandeventhecablecompaniesaregoingtowirelessand replacingtraditionalofferingswithspecialandcustomizedpackagestoattractmoreconsumers.
Thepresentdaytechnologicaladvancementshavebroughtananalyticalapproachinmachinelearningand haveopened doorstocombineAIandreality.Thisiswhichismakingadvertisementsmuchsmarter.Thepunditssaytraditionalproduct placementwillbesoonreplacedbythejustaclickonthedressofone’sfavoriteactororactress,thattoojustwhenitappears. Expertsmentionedthatmarketingagencieswiththehelpofbigdata,willbesoonabletoswitchoutspecificproduct placementtotheonetheviewerwillmostlikelybuy Theadvertisementissoongoingtobeanothermodeofentertainment. Afterthenewdigitaltransformationstakingplace,certainchangesareobservedinthemediaandentertainmentindustry Traditionalrevenuemodelsaredecreasingintheirgrowthasthenewmodelsareemerging.Digitalenterprisesaregaining muchprominenceastheirabilitytodelivermulti-channelexperienceandindividualbusinessmodelsarereplacedbythe moderndaycomplexecosystemofthenewcomersincludingnewstartupsandsuper-platforms.Theconceptof generalizationisfadingawayandthepersonalizedcontentistakingstand.
Theevolutionofdigitalcontent acrossallindustriesfrom healthcareandfinanceto
publishingandeducationhasincreased marketcompetitionandprompted companiestomodernize communicationsystemsandprocesses. Mostbusinessesunderstandthe importanceofacreativeplatformwith thetoolsthatcanhelpthemadvertise theirproductsandserviceseffectively andefficiently
Shutterstockisaleadingtechnology companywithsuchaplatform,anditis knownforitsrichfeatures,andhighqualityassets,toolsandservices.The companylicensesimages,videos, music,andothereditorialassets.Italso offersavarietyofplansforindividuals, teams,andenterprisecustomersaswell asthecreativeeditingteamsofvarious companies.
JonOringer,FounderandCEOof Shutterstockfoundedtheunique platformin2003.
Herecognizedtheneedforlicensable imagesatanaffordablecostand createdtheworld’sfirstsubscription imagemarketplace,startingwith thousandsofhisowndigital photographs.Thecompanywentpublic ontheNewYorkStockExchangein 2012,justnineshortyearsafterits inception.
Sincethen,ithascontinuedtoexpand andevolve.Shutterstocknowownsa
portfolioofbrandsservingbusinesses, marketingagencies,andmedia organizationsaroundtheworldwitha comprehensiverangeofcreativeand editorialassets.
Jonbelievesthatthecompany’sgrowth intoasuccessfulandsustainable businessisunderpinnedbyitsabilityto providecustomerswithcompelling content,innovativetools,andpremium servicestofueltheircreativity
DeterminedtoBestowCustomers withHigh-qualityDigitalAssets, ToolsandServices
Thedigitaltransformationoverthelast decadehasleftShutterstockcustomers, especiallythoseinadvertising,film, andmedia,withanever-increasing needformorevisualcontent.
Workingwithitsgrowingcommunity ofover400,000contributors, Shutterstockaddshundredsof thousandsofimageseachweek,and currentlyhasmorethan190million imagesandmorethan10millionvideo clipsavailable.
Whenthecompany’simagearchive crossedthe100millionimagesmark, Shutterstockturneditsattentionto helpingitsclientsfindexactlywhat theyneeded,asquicklyaspossible.
ThecompanyalsoownsBigstock,a value-orientedstockmediaagency; ShutterstockCustom,acustomcontent creationplatform;Offset,ahigh-end imagecollection;PremiumBeata curatedroyalty-freemusiclibrary;and
RexFeatures,apremiersourceof editorialimagesforinternationalmedia houses.
Shutterstockrecentlyannouncedthe releaseofCompositionAwareSearch, itsrevolutionarynewsearchfeature. Thisamazingtoolallowsusersto specifyoneormorekeywords,orto searchforcopyspace,andarrange themspatiallyonacanvastoreflectthe specificlayoutoftheimagetheyare seeking.
Additionally,theplatformoffers customersthefreshestcontentand valuableinsightstofacilitatetheir creativeprocess.Shutterstock’steam ofexperiencedcreativeprofessionalsis determinedtogiveitscustomersbestin-classdigitalassets,toolsand services.
Shutterstockhasalwaysdistinguished itselfbyprovidingthehighestquality ofcontentandthebestsearch experience,whichaddsuptosuperior valueforthecustomer.Thecompanyis continuingtobuildindustry-leading technologytoimproveitsofferingsby leveragingcomputervisionandAI technology.
Theroleofmarketersandsocialmedia managerstodayincreasinglyincludes thecreationofvisualcontent,butthey havelittletimetocreatecompelling visualcontentthataccurately representstheirbrandandengages theirtargetaudience.Shutterstock recognizesthatoneofthemost
commonpainpointsfortheseindividualsisthelackof simplebutpowerfuleditingtools.
Forthesebusyhybridcreativemarketersandsmallbusiness owners,ShutterstockintroducedEditor,asimpleonline editingtoolthatallowsuserstoquicklyandeasilycreate high-qualityvisualcontent.
ShutterstockEditorisaweb-basedapplicationthat leveragesShutterstock’sinnovativesearchtechnologyto helpusersfindtheimagerytheyneed.Thetoolfeatures professionallydesignedtemplates,theabilitytoupload visualassetssuchasalogo,savedesigns,andthepowerto publishfinisheddesignstosocialnetworksdirectlyfromthe application.
ThisisjustanotherexampleofShutterstock’sabilityto identifycustomerneedsandtoquicklydevelopasimple andeffectivesolution,whichhasbeenthemajordriving factorbehinditssuccess.
StrivetoReachattheEveryCorneroftheWorld JonstartedShutterstockin2003bybootstrappingithimself with$10,000ashesetouttointroducethesubscription modeltothestockphotographyindustry
Tokick-starttheidea,Jonshotmorethan30,000images andmadethemavailableforlicenseontheplatform.He thenopenedthemarketplaceuptootherphotographers. Today,thecommunityhasgrowntomorethan300,000 photographers,artists,videographers,andmusiciansfrom allcornersoftheworld.
AsShutterstockcontinuestoexpanditsplatformandrange ofproducts,thecompanyalsostrivestoensurethatits contentisavailablewhereverthecustomerneedsit.It achievesthisthroughthedevelopmentoftoolsthat integratemediasearchwiththecustomer’sworkflow ThroughstrategicAPIIntegrations,Shutterstockisnow availableinproductslikeGoogleSlidesandAdobe CreativeCloud,improvingcontentcreators’workflowsby givingthemaccesstopremium,professionalimageryfrom withinaplatformtheyarealreadyusing.
Inadditiontothis,Shutterstock’srecentpartnershipwith MicrosoftPowerPointgivesusersintegratedaccesstoits collectionofphotosandillustrations,afullintegration directlyintoFacebook’sadcreationtool.
Shutterstockstrivestoprovideworld-classdigitalcontent andhascontinuedtoinvestinmakingitsimages,video,and musiccontentavailableinbusinessapplications.Italso envisionsenablingbusinessestobuildtheirown applicationsthroughanewdeveloperportal.
“Shutterstock empowers businesses, marketing agencies, media organizations, and production companies around the world through its e-commerce and enterprise offerings by seamlessly embedding into their workflow, wherever it may be.”
Anincredibleamountofresearch,planning,and resourcesgointoeveryadthatwesee.Teamsof advertisingprofessionals,assistedbyimmensely powerfulcomputersequippedwithArtificialIntelligence (AI)contributetoitscreation,thendecideontimingand delivery Thisisamassiveinvestmentandevery advertiserwantstoseeresultsthatjustifytheiroutlay
However,advertisingmanagementfirmshave traditionallybeenreluctanttosharetrueinsightsintothe ROI.Now,onecompanyisrevolutionizingtheindustry withitsuniquebrandofservicedeliverywhichcombines excellentadvertisingexposurewithunparalleled transparency.
ThatcompanyisSizmek.
Sizmekistheworld’slargestindependentbuy-side advertisingplatform.Itcaterstoagenciesandbrandsin morethan70countriesthroughouttheAmericas,EMEA, andAPAC,andconnectsmorethan20,000advertisers and3,600agenciestoaudiencesaroundtheworld.
Thecompany’spowerfulintegratedsolutionsenable data,creative,andmediatoworkseamlesslytogether TheirAI-drivendecisionenginethenidentifiesinsights acrossthefivekeydatadimensions-campaigns, consumers,context,creative,andcost.
Theresultisaward-winningservicethattranscends industry,geographicallocation,targetdemographics,and mediumofdelivery.Sizmek’sincisive,targetedmedia
plansareaugmentedbypricingandshowcasealevelof transparencyunprecedentedintheadvertisingindustry
Leadingthistrailblazingcompanythroughitsslewof recentsuccessesisCEO,MarkGrether.Hehasbeen withSizmeksince2017.Markisnostrangertothe marketingarena;hehasperformedvirtuallyeveryrolein theindustryinthemanyyearsthathehasbeenapart ofit.
Hisjourneybeganinacademiaasaprofessorof marketingbeforetheappealofreal-worldmarketing technologypulledhimontohiscurrentpath. ImmediatelypriortojoiningSizmek,Markwasthe globalChiefOperatingOfficerofWPP’sXaxis,a platformthatheco-founded.
BeforeXaxis,MarkworkedatGroupM,theworld’s largestmediainvestmentgroup.AsitsGlobal DevelopmentDirector,hehelpedsetuptheirdigital tradingdeskacross10countries.
Mark’stenureatSizmekhasbeenmarkedby transformativechange.Herevampedthefirm’sstructure togiveregionalGMs-whounderstandtheirlocal marketsbest-thepowertomakemoredecisionswhile armedwiththeconfidencethatcomesfrombeingpartof amajorglobalenterprise.
Anotherofhismajorinitiativeshasbeentogive actionabledatatheattentionandpriorityitdeserves. ManyofSizmek’scompetitorsareonlyjustwadinginto thesewatersatatimewhenthecompanyhasalready madeitaprimefocus,andincludesitsclientsand partnersintheimplementationprocess.
WhenMarkjoinedSizmek,hequicklydeterminedthat twoindustry-criticalchallengesneededtobeovercome. Thefirstwastransparencyandthesecond,theEuropean Union’supcomingGDPR(GeneralDataProtection Regulation)whichhassincebeenimplemented.
Theadvertisingindustryis,unfortunately,ahotbedof playerswhointentionallyconcealhowdollarsarespent andwhereinvestmenthasthelargestorleastimpact.By contrast,Marknamed2018thecompany’s‘YearofTotal Transparency’.
UnderMark’sleadership,Sizmekoffersfulltransparency acrossitsentireAI-enabledplatform,includingmedia, creative,data,technology,andservice-relatedcosts.
Agenciesandadvertisersgetincreasedvisibilityand controlovertheirmediaplanningandbuying;theycan identifyhoweveryelementworksandthenhonetheir strategiesforthebestresults.
Meanwhile,theEU’sGDPRhasshakentheadvertising industry.Non-compliancecanbedevastating–theEU imposesfinesof4%ofglobalrevenueor20million Euros,whicheverishigher
Sizmekinitiatedpreparationstocounteritseffectsas soonasplansforthelegislationwereannouncedyears ago,makingsuretheirAI-poweredfusionofcreative, media,anddatawasready.
Thecompanyallowsitsclientstodeploytargeted campaignswithoutresortingtotheuseofpersonaldata. ThisisachievedthroughtheirPeer39contextualtargeting solutionthatappliesartificialintelligencetoanalyzewords andphrases,andtherelationshipbetweenthemtofully understandthecontextandcategoryofanypage.Theycan alsostaysafefromfineswithfullymanagedservice,from accountmanagementtoDCOtoaudiencedevelopmentto performancereportingandbeyond.
InsteadofsufferingaGDPR-induceddownturn,Sizmek’s clientsarenowbetterpositionedthantheircompetitorsto navigatethischangedmarketinglandscape.
BecauseSizmekemploysAIextensively,itisfullyawareof howthetechnologyisconstantlyimprovingandbecoming moreaccurate.Itisalreadyabletodecidewhichpersona specificadshouldbedeliveredtooutofmillionsofbid requestspersecond.
AsAIcontinuouslylearns,andwillonlyimproveinthe upcomingyears,Sizmekisworkingtobetterplaceadsat scaleinreal-time,helpingbrandsimproveconversionsand attracttheirmostvaluableconsumers.
Sizmekisalsoinvestinginlearning when individualsare mostreceptivetomarketingmessages.Factorslikethe periodbeforeandafterarelatedpurchase,timeoftheday, anddayoftheweekallformacomplexdatarelationship thatholdsenormousmarketingpotentialifitcanbe unraveled—whichSizmekisalreadyabletoevaluate.
Asitmakesadvancesbyleapsandboundsintermsof technology,Sizmekhasmaintaineditsemphasison transparency.Theirindustry-firstconsumer/businessmodel updateatthebeginningof2018marksthecompany’s visionforhowAdTechshouldbemovingtowardsfulldata accessibilityandpricingtransparency.
Thisleadershipintechnologyadoptionandself-regulation haveplacedSizmekinthedrivingseatofthemarketing world,apositioninwhichitseemsverycomfortable.
“Our AI-driven decisioning engine can identify robust insights within data across the ve key dimensions of predictive marketing—campaigns, consumers, context, creative, and cost.”
—MarkGrether CEO
TelevisionandNewspapershavebeentheprimary sourceofcontentconsumptionforviewersanda primarymarketingandadvertisingchannelfor organizationsbecauseoftheirunmatchedabilitytoreach outtolargeaudiences.TheEntertainmentandMedia industryhasalsoevolvedtremendouslyovertheyearsin termsofcontent–fromdirectsellingtoengagingcontent thatcatchestheaudience’sattentionandmakesthemthink. Thecompetitionforeyeballshasledcompaniestodevelop somememorablecampaignswhichhaveresoundedwidely withcustomers,suchasCadburyDairyMilk’scampaign aroundtheirDairyMilkbrand,Maruti’scampaignsaround fuelefficiency,Pidilite’sFeviStickandFevicolcampaigns, andmanymore.Televisionandnewspapermediabuying expensesarestillamongthebiggestcomponentsof marketingbudgets.
However,inthelast5years,theEntertainmentandMedia industryhasbeenthrownacurveballbyindependentmedia andtechnologychannelsthathavetransformedthewayin
generouslyrewarded.Brandsareslowlybutsurely beginningtofocusalargepartoftheireffortsondriving interactionthroughdigital–caseinpointVolvowhich createdoneofthemostsuccessfulmodernmarketing campaignswithits“EpicSplit”videofeaturingJeanClaude VanDamme.AsperE&Y’sDisruptionReport,over450 millionviewerswillbeconsumingdigitalcontentoverthe Internetby2020.Thepotentialearningsfromthis technologyshifthasalsocausedtraditionalmediaand entertainmentoutletstotakenoticeandjointhedigital bandwagon.SonyLIV,HotStar,Vootandmoreare examplesofmediachannelstakingtherevolutionheadon throughcuratedcontentanddedicatedmobileapps.
Theintersectionofcontent,technologyanduserexperience isgoingtobethekeytosuccessfortheentertainmentand mediaindustryofthefuture.DigitalProviderswillneedto createcontentthatisviewercentricandengaging,because userscanjustclickonebuttontoswitchtosomethingelse. SuggestionEngineandSuggestedContentwillbehuge,as
globally,andvideosonYouTubegenerate4Billionviews perday Withnumberssuchasthis,itisimpossibleto ignoretheapparentshiftthat’shappeninginfavorofthese digitalchannels.Itisessentialformarketerstobeonthe channelswheretheiraudiencesarepresent,andthishuge influxofmarketingbudgethasturnedthesechannelsinto someofthelargestgrossingbusinessesworldwide,where boththeplatformandthecontentcreatorsarebeing
space.IndependentcontentstudiossuchasAIBandTVFin Indiahaverevolutionizedthequalityofcontentbeing createdandhavebecomeinfluencersandpreferred marketingpartnersinashortspanof2years.The EntertainmentandMediaindustryisgettingdisruptedby newinnovationseveryday,andweareexcitedforits future!
Arora, Co-founder of Social Panga, a leading digital marketing agency in India, is a fervid Idea-tor who loves to track and contribute towards development in
tracks the Industry very closely.
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MichaelLitt Co-founder&CEO
Vidyardisanextgenerationvideoplatformthatis helpingbusinessesdrivemorerevenue,boost employeeengagement,andcreatenewareasof competitiveadvantagethroughthestrategicuseofonline video.
Designedtogobeyondtraditionalvideohostingand management,theplatformhelpsbusinessesquicklycreate andsharenewvideocontent,connectwithmoreviewers throughinteractiveandpersonalizedvideoexperiences,and
turnpowerfulaudienceinsightsintoaction.
Vidyardalsohelpsbusinessestransforminternal communicationswithsecurevideomessaging,private contentsharing,internallivestreaming,custom-builtvideo applications,andmore.Thesefeaturescanintegrate seamlesslywithexistingbusinessworkflowsandcorporate securitymodels.
Globalleadersandindustrypioneers,including Microsoft,Honeywell,Lenovo,andLinkedInrelyon idyardtopowertheirvideostrategiesforboth externalcustomerengagementandinternal employeecommunications.
MichaelLittistheCo-founderandCEOof Vidyardandanavidentrepreneurwithapassion forbuildingSaaScompanies.Michaelleadsthe developmentofVidyard’sinnovativevideo technology,isarespectedauthorityon entrepreneurshipandstartupculture,andisa masterofconnectingwithaudiences.
Michaelcontributestothegrowthofthemedia industrybysharinghisinsightfulperspectives withbroadaudiencesasaregularcontributorto Fast Company,anAmericanbusinessmagazine.
Hehasbeenquotedin Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, TechCrunch andotherleading publications.
Hehassharedhisengagingandinspiringpublicspeaking stylewithglobalaudiencesofallsizesthroughTEDx,The DigitalCollective,DreamforceandYCombinator’sAdInnovationConference.
Theseeffortshaveledtomanyrecognitionsandawards, includingthePeterBrojdeAwardforCanada’sNext GenerationExecutiveLeadership,MarketingMagazine’s Top30Under30,andErnst&Young’sEntrepreneurofthe Year.
Vidyard’srangeofservicesencompasscloud-basedvideo hostingandmanagement,videoanalytics,videocontent personalization,interactivevideo,andlivestreaming.They aresupportedbytoolsthatsimplifyvideocreationand sharingbyemployees.
Vidyard’sfreepersonal-videomessagingapp,Vidyard GoVideoallowssalesreps,supportreps,andindividual
employeestoeasilyrecordandshare personalvideomessageswhile trackingengagementlevelsforthat content.
Theseinsightscanbeleveragedtohelp businessesunderstandwhichmaterial isresonatingwithcustomers,partners, andtheirownemployees.
WhenVidyardwasfirstlaunched,its biggestbarriertosuccesswere prominentvideo-hostingandplayback solutionplatformsthatwereavailable forfree.Thechallengewasgetting businessestounderstandthatthese platformsofferedlimitedanalytics, security,scalability,andintegration intoexistingtechnologies.
Duetotheselimitations,videoviewer datacouldnotbemappedintoa MarketingAutomationPlatform (MAP)orCustomerRelationship Platform(CRM). “Competing with “free” is never easy unless you can demonstrate a clear and quantifiable return-on-investment that aligns with their business goals,” statesMichael.
Oncebusinessesrealizedthese shortcomings,Vidyardwas immediatelymoreappealing.The companyhassecureditsdominanceby demonstratingclearvalueandROI, coupledwiththeabilitytohelp organizationsmorerapidlyadoptvideo acrossdifferentteamsasastrategic businessadvantage.
WithVidyard’spersonalizedvideo solution,brandshavetheabilityto createuniquevideocontentthat seamlesslyweavesinanindividual viewer’sname,companyname,title andotheruniqueinformation.
Thesevideosaredrivingconversion rateshigherthanthatoftraditional
content.Whetheritisatelcosendinga personalizedvideomessagetoexplain abill,auniversitysharingacustommadevideotorecruitnewstudents,or aB2Bcompanyusingbespokevideos topromoteanewproductorevent,this isapowerfulwaytostandoutandto engageaudiencesinamemorableand compellingcontentexperience.
WhileVidyardcontinuestogrowits ownmarketingandsalesteams,akey partofitsstrategyistoinvestfurtherin partnerships.Lastyear,itlauncheda seriesofnewpartnerprogramstowork withresellers,agencies,systems integrators,andtechnologypartnersto broadenitsmarketreach.
Inadditiontoleveragingnewchannels, thecompanyrecentlylaunchedits VidyardGoVideopartnerprogramthat enablesanytechnologyproviderto embedaspectsofVidyard’splatform withinitsownofferings,freeofcharge. Vidyardisalsopartneringwithtraining andeducationorganizationssuchas AlwaysHired,SalesBootcampand
SalesforLife,whicharetraining studentsonhowtousevideoto improvetheirsalesprocess.
EvolvingwiththeJourney idyardisexpandingitsfootprintin differentmarketsandgeographies.The companyisacceleratingitsgrowthin financialservices,manufacturingand educationwhilerapidlygrowingits customerbasesinEMEAandtheAsiaPacific.
Muchofthisexpansionwillbefueled byitsproductinnovationinareassuch asvideopersonalization,videosales, interactivevideo,andvideofor customersupport.
Vidyardisleadingthechargein deliveringacomprehensivevideo platformtohost,analyze,and operationalizevideoinawaythat exposeskeyflawsinmostexecutives’ assumptions.Itisonamissiontohelp everyoneleveragethepowerofthis mediumtobuildbetterrelationships, communicatemoreclearly,and humanizethewaywedobusiness.
TheRewardsofPerseverance InDecember2017,Vidyardwas recognizedforitsrapidrevenue growth,boldinnovationand entrepreneurialspiritwithaDeloitte TechnologyFast50programaward, ranking16thwithagrowthrateof21.4 %overthepreviousfouryears.
Thecompanywasalsoselectedasa finalistforthe2017MITSloanCIO Symposium’sInnovationShowcase basedonthestrategicvalueand innovationitbringstodigital enterprisenowandinthefuture.
Vidyardhasalsobeennamedoneof the‘TopRatedEnterpriseVideo Platforms’byTrustRadiusand‘Leader forOnlineVideoPlatformsforSales andMarketing’byForrester
“Our online video platform takes customers beyond hosting and management, generating better business results through exceptional video experiences, engagement, and insights.”
Socialmediahascompletelychangedthewaywe interactandshareideas,howweinfluenceothers,and howweallowourselvestobeinfluenced.Itisthetool ofchoiceforworldleaders,governments,major corporations,celebrities,andanyoneelsewhowantsto connectdirectlywithanaudienceofmillions.
Thisremarkableabilitytobeseenandheard-andto personallycommunicatewith-suchlargeswathesofthe humanraceinstantlyisunprecedentedbothinscopeand scale.Ittranscendsbarriersofrace,religion,nationality, age,socialstatus,andalmosteveryotherfactorwhichwe usetodivideourselves.
Itistrue,instantdemocracy.
Wieldinganypowerfultoolrequiresalevelofskill,and socialmediaisnoexception.Thisisamplyevidentfromthe newsstoriesweregularlyhearofdisastroussocialmedia fauxpasfromstars,politiciansandrespectedorganizations. Theycouldallhavemadethenewsfortherightreasonshad theychosenViralInNature
TheBuildingBlocksofSuccess
ViralInNaturewasfoundedin2010asGoWowMedia,and rebrandedtoitscurrentnamein2013.BesidesSocial MediaManagement,italsospecializesinReputation ManagementandWebDevelopment.
TheCanadiancompanyfocusesonhelpingsmalland mediumenterprisesutilizethepowerofsocialmedia.It helpsthemtobridgethegapbetweenremainingalocal presenceandacquiringaglobalcustomerbase.Their incrediblesuccessratewithsmallerbusinesseshas promptedglobalcompaniestoseekouttheirservicesas well.
Hardworkandcommitmentisinthefirm’sDNA.12hours ofeachday,7daysaweek,and365daysarethehoursof coveragetheydofortheirsocialmediaclients.ViralIn
Naturedevotesmoretimeandenergytosocialmedia managementandliveeventsocialmediamanagementthan itsrivals.Andtheresultsspeakforthemselves.
ViralInNaturehasbecomethemostawardedsocialmedia agencyinNorthAmerica.Respectedpublicationslike Clutch.coandGoodFirms.cohaveconsistentlyrankeditas oneoftheworld’stopsocialmediamarketingagencies. CV Magazine namedittheUSA’sBestSocialMediaAgency for2018.
Withaccoladeslikethat,itisnowonderthatthefirmis poisedtobecomeoneofthemostpowerfulsocialmedia hubsforbusinessanywhere.
ViralInNaturemaintainsasingularfocusonitsclients. Whileothercompaniesmayclaimtobeclient-centric,Viral InNaturehasprovenconsistentlythatittrulyembodiesthat spirit.Thisisevidentnotjustfromtheindustryaccolades thatkeeppilingup,butfromthetestimonialsofcustomers whomthefirmconsidersitsbestambassadors.
TheotherareainwhichViralInNatureinvestsconsiderable timeandeffortistechnology.Socialmediaisbyitsvery natureatech-drivenfield,anditisonlybyleveragingthe vastpotentialitholdsthattrulyspectacularresultsare possible.
Thecompanyconstantlyseeksout,tests,develops,and implementsthelatestadvances,applicationsandhardware suchasnewanduniquecamers.Inthisway,everyclientis assuredacutting-edgesolutionthatkeepsthemaheadofthe competition.
Tofosteranenvironmentofconstantlearningand adaptability,thecompanyholdsregularmeetingsthatfocus primarilyonemergingtrendsinsocialmedia.Conductedin anopendiscussionformat,itallowsteammemberstokeep abreastofdevelopmentsthatmaynotrelatetotheir
specialtydirectly Thiscreatesarich tapestryofresidualknowledgeupon whichtheycandrawinthefuture.
Apro-activeapproachiscriticaltohow ViralInNatureoperates.Theagency adoptsapolicyofcreatingawide footprintforeachclientacrossarange ofsocialmediaplatforms.Itadheresto thisphilosophytomitigatethenegative effectsofpolicychangesatanyoneof thosecompanies,andtoinsulateits clientsfromunforeseeabledownturns liketheonecurrentlyplaguing Facebook.
TheManBehindtheBrand ShawnAlainisthePresidentofViral InNatureandtheownerofthe company
Mr Alainbeganhiscareerinmedia withthepublishingindustry.He
recognizedthemassivepotentialof socialmediamarketingbeforeithad becometheglobalphenomenonitis today.In2010,afteradecadein publishing,hesetupGoWowMedia, thepredecessortoViralinNature.
AslewofsuccessinTwitterand FacebookmarketinggaveMr.Alain thegroundworkandanintimate understandingoftheindustry.Itwas uponthisfoundationthatViralIn Naturewasborn.
TheJourneyBeyond ViralInNatureisundoubtedlyoneof thebestsocialmediamanagement agenciesinNorthAmerica.
However,Shawniseagertotakehis brandtoatrulyinternationallevel, withplansforEurope,Australiaand LatinAmericaalreadyonthecards.In
fact,thefirmhasalreadyhiredstaff fluentinFrenchandSpanishasthefirst steptothisexpansion.
Inlinewithitspolicyofgivingevery clientawidesocialmediapresence, ViralInNaturehasalwaysmanaged themacrossfivetosevenplatforms. Withanincreasinglybusiness-centric focusandundauntedbychange,the companyisalwaysonthelookoutfor newer,betteroptionsthatwillmore thoroughlyserveitsclients’needs. Technologyisunbiased–itwillfavor themosteffectivesolution.ViralIn Naturedoesnotonlyapplythis philosophy,ithasitselfbecomethe bestexampleofitsveracity.
“Wecommitourselves to constantlyimproving our services,performance andpush throughourcomfortbarriersto improve valuetoourclients.”
— Shawn Alain President
VR is a way to escape the real world into something more fantastic. It has the potential to be the most social technology of all time. — Palmer Luckey
Virtualreality(VR)hasbeenaround formanyyearsnow,inspiteofthisitis averyunderdevelopedtechnology.It holdsavastpotentialoutsideof entertainment,ithastakenovervarious aspectsofourlivesrightfromtheway weshop,experience,converseand evenwaystoconductbusiness.
Withtimethistechnologyhasgained popularitywithmanypowerhouses, whichhasencouragedthemtoinvest profoundlyinVRtechnology.Ithas becomemoreandmoreaccessiblefor users,withmanufacturershaving alreadyreleasedhouseholdsetsandare continuingtodoso.
TherecentadvancementintheVR technologyhasmadeitmore accessibleforthegeneralpublic.Due tothis,ithashadaremarkableimpact onthebusinessworldalso.Thesole aimofthetechnologyistochange humanperceptionusingvirtual systems.TheadoptionofVRbyusers isstillinitsnascentstagesandhas gainedpopularity,andmoreandmore businessesarecomingupwithVR basedsolutions.Thereducingpricesof VRheadsetshavealsoposedtobean advantagefortheconsumersaswell.
Ithasalsoposedtobeanadvantagefor theconsumersaswell,withthe reducingpricesofVRheadsets.This hasprovedthatVRisatoughand emergentmarket,withgreatscopefor platformswhichcanallowbusinesses toleverageVRforprocess developmentandadvancedmarketing.
BusinessesareUsingVRtotheir Benefit
VRhasthepotentialtobecomethe mostimportanttoolthatbusinessescan leveragetoaddontotheirsuccess. Establishedbusinessesaretakingthe helpofVRtotraintheirnew employeesinamorecost-effectiveand efficientway WiththehelpofVR,one canhaveanemployeeinLosAngeles meetingwiththeoneinLondonasif theywere/areinthesameroom.
VRoffersanaddedadvantagewhenit comestotheoutwardfocusofthe businesses;itallowsanovelwayto connectwithcustomers.Thecompany canbuildupamorestorydrivenway ofmarketingwhichdrawspeopleinto thecompany'sbrand,inatangibleand relationalway.Virtualrealityhas potentiallytransformedtheworldof media.Ithasopeneddoorsfor businesses;toadvertiseinawaythey hadneverimaginedbefore.
Consumersarenow equippedwiththe abilitytotestoutandexperience products,thattheyintendtopurchase, inanentirelynewway.Itallowsyouto preciselyvisualizehowapieceof furnitureorpaintingwouldlookina particularroom,oreventestdifferent makeupstyleswithoutleavingthe room.Astructuredassessment, planningofthefutureofbusinesses, andwiththerightdataVRcaneven giveavaluableinsightintothesuccess ofthebusiness.
VRisnowbeingusedtosimplifyand reducethecostoftheprocessof productprototyping.SinceVRhas madeitverycost-effectivefor businessestodesignaproductoran intricatecomponentofanoutsized machinevirtuallythanactuallybuild
theprototype,theuseofVRinthis sectorislikelytodevelopquickly VR andARhavealsoadvancedtheareaof Computer-AidedDesign(CAD).
Prototypescannowbeshapedwithin thevirtualspace,allowingdesignersto accuratelypindownitsworkingway beforetheresourcestobuildthe productareacquired.Thishaseased theprocessoftestingtheproductwhile savingbothmoneyandtime.
Themajorsetbackthatthee-commerce industryfacesisthesales;customers arereluctanttobuyproductsthatthey haven’ttried.WiththehelpofVR,the consumerscanpotentiallytryoutand visualizedemonstrationsforvarious productcategories.Allowingamore clearvisionofhowtheirpost-purchase experiencewilllooklike.
There are as many applications for VR as you can think of; it’s restricted by your imagination. — John Goddard.
VirtualRealityhasnumerous businessesperspective;notjustby providinginnovativefeaturestothe businessproducts,butalsoinhelping innovatorscreatenovelbusinesseswith thesetechnologiesatthecore.
Justlikeold-fashionedcafes,VRcafes wouldsoonbeahit.Theseplaceswill beasocialgatewayforpeoplelooking foraugmentedandvirtuallyenhanced experiences.VRcafeswouldoffer choicesondiversevirtualreality equipment,comprisingofgames, videotapes,team-buildingexercises, socialmediapractices,3Dbooksand contentexperiences,andvirtually enrichedmeditation.
Inrealestatemarkets,VRplatforms
permithousetourstopeoplefrom anyplacearoundtheglobe.Peoplecan designandevenpainttheirhomeswith thistechnologyastheywouldinreal lifesetting,toprovideanoutlookinto thefuturelookoftheirhomes.
CarslikeAudiR8offersaVR-powered “testdrive”experience.Similarly,even Airbushasintroducedaircrafttoursfor itsairlineexecutives,whichallows themanenrichedexperienceandtour oftheaircraftwithoutactuallyvisiting it.
AsVRandARcarryondevelopment, moreandmoreknowledgeabouthow itcanbeefficientlyincorporatedinto thebusinesseshascometolight,this amalgamationofnewwiththeoldwill potentiallyhaveahugepositiveimpact oneverysector.Newentrepreneurs, startups,andbusinessesshouldsurely keepaneyeoutforthistechnology,as ithasbecomeanintegralpartof marketingandbusinessesprocessesin thenearfuture.
Bearinginmindhowseveralindustries andbusinessesarequicklyvalidating andacceptingvirtualreality,the estimateisthatitwilltakeoverthe businessscenarioalmostcompletely, isn’tbloatedbyanymeans.
TheMediaandEntertainment Industryhasdisplayedevident growthglobally,sinceits commencement.Theadventof innovativetechnologiesandtheir pioneersinthisindustryand subsequentdisciplineshascatapulted itsdevelopment. YUDU isonesuch innovativepioneerofthedigital publishingindustry
Foundedin2007, YUDU isan applicationstechnologycompany specializingindigitalpublishingand crisiscommunications.Itupholdsa visionofharnessingcloud-based technologytomeetgrowingmarket needs.Itwasoneofthefirstcompanies tohelppublishersproducedigital versionsoftheirmagazinesandother publications.Theorganizationholds simplicityandeaseofaccessatthe heartofitsvision,bothforitsclients andcustomers,andproducessolutions thathavebeenwidelylikedbyusers.
YUDU’sFounderandCEO,Richard Stephenson,hasbeenatthehelm sincethecompany’sinceptionin2007. HeholdsajointhonorsB.Sc.in EconomicsandMaterialsSciencefrom SwanseaUniversity.Hehasdriventhe growthofthecompanyasithasgrown initsinternationalclientele,adaptedto changesinthepublishingindustry,and mostrecently,ledthedevelopmentof thecompany’sCrisisManagementapp named Sentinel.
Theonlineshifttowardse-reading,ecommerceandappshasopenedupnew opportunitiesfor YUDU,which Richardhasbeenattheforefrontof capitalizingonandhelpingclients adapttochangingconsumerwantsand needs.Overthepast10years,Richard hasoverseenthegrowthofthe companytobecomeagloballeaderin cloudbaseddocumentdistributionand corporatecommunications.
Richardhasbeenrunningtechnology ledinternationalbusinessesforthepast 30yearsandcompletedhisfirstprivate equitybackedMBOin2001.Richard pastrolesincludebeinganOperating PartnerwithDukeStreetCapital, ChairmanofXafinityHoldingsLtd, PresidentoftheSupervisoryBoardof NavimoS.A.andChairmanofDeloro StelliteLtd.
Although YUDU hasdevelopedover 1,000appsoveritstenyearsintech, communicationisattheheartofthe company’sfunctionality.The organization’scoreproductisitsdigital publishingplatform, Publisher.It allowsanyonetoturnaPDFintoan intuitive,re-flowable,IOS,Android andWindowscompatibledigital version.
Clientsrangingfromretailerslike Screwfix topublicationslike National Geographic use Publisher tocreate highqualitymagazines,catalogues,
newslettersandmore,allwithfull statisticalanalysisbuilt-inandoptional subscriptioncontrol.
YUDU’smostrecentlydeveloped software Sentinel,combinesmass alertingviaSMS,emailandin-app messaging,offlinecriticaldocument handlingandanHRdatabaseof contacts.Allofthisishostedona securecloudserver,sothatifacyber attack,poweroutageoranactofterror takesdownserversandphonelines, incidentmanagerscancheckthat everyoneissafeandinstructstaffon whattodo. Sentinel isusedasa businesscontinuityand communicationstoolbyarangeof industriesincludinglawfirms,hotels, andtheatres.
Amongpublishers,thedigital transformationhasbeenembracedby someandfearedbyothers.E-book readerslikeKindlewerehailed simultaneouslyastheendofthebook industryandasapassingfadbyits detractors,andmoremobileformsof entertainmenthavebroadenedthe optionsformagazinesdistributionand consumption.
With Publisher,theorganizationwas abletotakepublicationsintothedigital arena.Itcouldalsoenhanceprint magazineswithvideoandinteractivity, helpingmediacompaniesand educationalpublishersreacha massivelywideraudiencewiththeir mostinnovativecontent.
Whenpeoplebeganconsumingmoremediaviatheir mobilephonesandtabletsandlessondesktops, YUDU facedthechallengeofmakingcontentaccessible. Consumerswantedasmoothreadingexperiencewithout havingtopinchandzoom,thusthecompanyneededto rethinkhowitdelivereditsclients’content. PhoneView is itssolutiontodevice-responsivedocumentviewing.
“The roadmap for YUDU’s development has always been user-centric. We listen to feedback from our clients and are continually adding new features to our apps based on our clients’needs, and that is what keeps us ahead of our competitors,” statesRichard.Thecompanyhasadedicated supportteamintheUKandisproudofitsveryhigh customerapprovalrating.
YUDU’sstrategyistodeliverthebestpossibleproductand givethebestpossibleclientexperience.Expressinghis viewsonadaptingtothechangingtrendsintheindustry, Richardasserts, “The consumer has migrated from desktop to mobile passing tablets on the way. We have anticipated this trend by developing the technology for displaying rich content on smaller screens.”
Thenextstepfor YUDU istoenterintoanewterritory,of businesscontinuityandcrisismanagement.Thecompany’s expertiseindocumentmanagement,communicationsand appdevelopmenthassetituptofulfillthegrowingneedfor areliable,simplesoftwaretohelporganizationskeeptheir peoplesafeandkeeptheinformationflowingduringan emergency
Immediateaccesstobusinessrecoveryplansonmobilesis vitalforinstantresponse.Theorganization’spublishing backgroundenablesittouseitsdocumenthandling technologytoofferfeaturesthatotheralertingsystemsfail todeliver.Itscompetitorscan’tofferincidentmanagersthe abilitytosharebusinesscontinuitydocuments,press statements,clientslistsetc.offlineandsecurelyinacrisis.
While YUDU continuestoofferindustry-leading technologyfordigitalpublishing,itisbroadeningits portfolioofappsallthetime.Thecompanyisexpandingits corporatecommunicationsofferingbycombiningdocument handlingandcommunicationsinitsappforsalesteams;
Richard Stephenson Founder & CEO
addingnewfeatures,likegroupspecificpushnotifications, toitsexistingappsandcontinualrefinementofitsapp technologyinthefaceofchangestoappstoresand operatingsystems.
Inthenearfuture, YUDU isgrowingits Sentinel product intoawholerangeofbusinesscontinuitysolutions.Ithas excitingworklinedupwithsecurityandcounter-terror specialiststocreate Sentinel Alaris and Sentinel Alert.With the Sentinel rangeofproductsitisbuildingastrong portfoliooftopclientsanddevelopinginastrongly growingmarket.
“Knowing that our apps are going to be used to help organizations safeguard their staff and help save lives in an increasingly dangerous world makes it an incredibly worthwhile work,” statesRichard.
YUDU helps publishers, corporations, educators and organizations engage with their audiences digitally.
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Corporationsareshiftingtheir marketingservicesin-house andre-definingrelationships withtheirsuppliers.Thisisastrategic shiftbroughtaboutbyaconfluenceof technical,socialandpoliticalchangeon aglobalscale.Atthecoreofthis movementisthecorporation’sneedto controlglobalbrandmessagingquickly inanincreasinglyregulatedworld.Is thisatemporaryshiftoristheremore toit,andhowfarmightitgo?
Murray Oles is the President of CHALEX Corp. The company is specialized in Workow Management for Marketing Communications Projects through the use of SmartFlo and integrated third party tools.
Murray Oles President CHALEX Corp.
Theriseofmobilecomputingcombinedwithanexplosion inSaaSsoftwaredevelopmenthasledtomoreintuitive purpose-builtapplicationswithbuiltinlearningtools.The neteffectisthatcorporationscandomuchmorewithless. Hence,therapidlyacceleratingmovetotakeinternal controlofthecorporateglobalsupplychain.More specifically,controlofprocess,digitalassets,resources,and thebrandmessage.Evidenceoftheshiftcanbeseenin globalcorporationslikeP&Gwhoinrecentyears consolidatedtheirpackagingprepresssupplychainfrom hundredsofcompaniestoonlythree.TheANA (AssociationofNationalAdvertisers)committeefor in-houseagenciesincludesmembersfromhundredsofthe Fortune1000.AGooglesearchrevealsmanyrecentarticles detailingtheriseofin-houseadagencies.
Thedriversofthisshiftareaffordableandeffectivenew technologyandtheneedforspeedtomarket.Thevalueofa middlemancontrollingportionsofthemarcomworkflow hasdiminished.Thisdoesnotmeanthateverythingisbeing producedin-house,justinternallycontrolledandmanaged byin-housestaffwhoaredefiningnewbestpracticesfor theiragileenterprise.Manycompaniesgobackandforth betweeninsourcingandoutsourcing,butthistimeitis different.Companiesarefocusedonprocess,anditisnot justmarketing,legalandbusinessanalytics,recruiting, employeeservicesandevenprovidingin-househealthcare.
Withchangecomesopportunity.Demandforbusiness processmanagementtoolsisgrowingrapidly.Manynew companiesaredevelopingSaaSproductstofurtherenable theagilebusiness.Onlineworkflowmodelingandbusiness processmanagementtoolsarebecomingmainstream.File sharinganddigitalassetmanagementservicesarewidely accepted.Integratingtheseservicestomeetthe requirementsofaprojecthasneverbeeneasiernowthat RESTfulAPIshavebecomewidelyavailable.Artificial intelligenceappliedtobigdataanalyticswillprovidethe agilebusinesswithinsightspreviouslyinconceivable.Best ofall,theenterprisecansecurelyaccessmostSaaSservices withoutmakinganyupfrontinvestmentsorlongterm commitments.
Atthecoreoftheagilebusinessisanintegratedbusiness processmanagementplatform.Thisisthetoolthatenables distributedprocesscontrol.In-houseisonlypracticalwhen thetechnologyenablesthestafftodoanorderofmagnitude morewithless.BPMsystemscapturehugeamountsofdata
thatcanbeanalyzedasaserviceinreal-time.Theabilityto analyzeanycombinationofprocessandbehavioraldata yieldsvaluablepredictiveinsights.Standardssuchas BPMNnotationandtheXPDLfileformathaveallowed developerstosimplifytheuserexperiencefordefining, managing,andsharingprocessmapsacrossBPM platforms.Avirtualtaskcanautomaticallyserveupthe toolstheuserwillneed.SaaStoolshaveonethingin common.TheycanbecalledthroughaRESTfulAPI withouttheneedforasoftwaredeveloper Theworkflow canbeconfiguredtoinvokeaccesstotoolsbasedonthe natureofthetask.Forhealthcareworkflowsadigital radiologyfileformat(DICOMWeb)enablessecure cross-platformviewingandcollaborationoverapatient’s scannedimagesandmedicalhistory.
Businessagilecompaniesadjusttomarketconditionsfaster byadoptingacultureofmanagedchange.Itisnolonger acceptabletobesodisconnectedfromyourprojectsthat youcan’tevenaccessyourownbrandpackagingand promotionfiles.Thesameistrueforlegal,regulatoryand compliancework.Theagilecompanycontrolsallofthese processes.TheirDAMenabledBPMsysteminteractswith aSaaSreportingservicelikeEZBIthatconcatenatesand reportsondataacrossdistributedsystems.Lean manufacturingandSixSigmaprogramsareusedto configurethesesystemstomonitorcompliancetoregulated processes.
Thesechangesarefarmoreprofoundthanmayappearon thesurface.Thegigeconomyisfuelingavirtualcottage industrythatcirclestheglobe.Projectmanagersare increasinglyindemand.ThisisnotjustanITthing,every businessrunsonprojects.Thecertifiedprojectmanagement professionalPMPisanewcollegecertification.Rachel BurgerinaCapterraarticleexplainedThe5BiggestProject ManagementTrendsShaping2018.Inbrief,“business agile”isthenewwayofdoingbusiness.Avisittothe Fiverr.comwebsitewillshowhowoneSaaSserviceis bringingbuyersandsellersofcreativeservicestogether
Thisin-housetrendisnotjustanotherswingofthe pendulum.
