On the digital road to the future

PRESS RELEASE
24 February, 2009

Don't get left behind on the digital road to the future

Why should business care about the digital space and the pace at which it's accelerating? There's one fundamental reason – in this new era businesses no longer control their brands, whether those are consumer brands or a personal reputation. The consumer has an unprecedented ability to route around the conventional brand, and quickly. They trust other consumers or members of the digital community more than they trust the brand itself, and what's more, there is no longer any distance between an individual and a mass audience. You simply have to see the instant global fame of many and varied You Tube pundits to appreciate the pace at which the communications space is changing.

Users are both distributors and contributors of digital content, and “we ignore this at our peril”, says Briar Harland, Strategy Director at Colmar Brunton. “I've recently been astounded at the way brands and personalities have been assassinated in the digital space. Having worked for years to help build and sustain my clients' brands, the new communications arena can be harnessed in an instant to tear the heart out of a brand promise,” says Ms Harland. “This makes me even more determined to establish a sound brand position and to embrace the communications revolution – tackling the competition, the commentators, and the consumer head on, in a space they now own and control.”

“We have invited our Director of Digital Solutions, Chris Madison, to New Zealand – to give our clients a heads up and a headstart in the digital space. He'll be presenting a seminar on March 4 which covers off all aspects of this complex and fast changing and global arena.”

“I believe that the insights Chris Madison can offer will help New Zealand businesses sift the myth from the facts. He illustrates best practise, and new thinking. In one morning our clients will have the foundation of the digital toolkit they need to face the brave new world.”

Chris Madison

Christopher Madison is the Director of Digital Solutions for Millward Brown, Africa-Asia Pacific. He has experience in all phases of custom marketing research design and analysis, with a special emphasis on digital marketing strategy ranging from market entry to competitive intelligence.
Christopher now serves as a consultant on a broad suite of solutions with a specialty in digital media and also focuses on client engagement and market development for Millward Brown. Christopher brings a deep knowledge of cross-media and the online space to the company,
with extensive experience in online advertising measurement. Christopher has a deep rooted passion within the space. His areas of expertise include Viral Video, Social Networking, Gaming and Mobile.

Colmar Brunton

Colmar Brunton is a Millward Brown company – and is one of New Zealand's largest and most respected research houses, offering insight and inspiration to many companies, not-for-profit organisations and government bodies.

ENDS

© Scoop Media