"We’re in a period of gradual change—not of wild volatility—in the ways US adults spend their time with media. “Wild volatility" would have been a fair way to describe the shifting landscape at the beginning of this decade, when rapidly growing smartphone penetration was a highly disruptive force. But that phase has passed. With smartphone penetration expected to gain less than a single percentage point per year by 2020, media consumption is in something of a lull until the Next Big Thing comes along.
Among the media categories for which eMarketer gauges time spent, there aren’t any we anticipate will see double-digit increases or decreases next year. (Mobile video comes closest, with an 8.7% rise expected.) Overall, time spent with digital media is expected to grow a modest 3.5%."
Among the media categories for which eMarketer gauges time spent, there aren’t any we anticipate will see double-digit increases or decreases next year. (Mobile video comes closest, with an 8.7% rise expected.) Overall, time spent with digital media is expected to grow a modest 3.5%."
That was from eMarketer's just-released surprising facts about the way we spend time with media as we head into 2018.
There will always be the new thing, the better way, a superior upgrade, an exciting development, a new way to look at something, an untapped need being filled. But the world has always operated that way as innovation and ideas, in whatever forms were appropriate for their times, emerged for people.
Now we’re settling into our new-normal and the best marketers should check their vocabulary...
The other day I read about a top company strategist who was referring to the ‘new digital era’ and it occurred to me that whenever someone talks like that today, it feels like a style from a bi-gone era and a moment where a person doesn’t realize they’re behind. Digital just is. Yes, it is heavier in certain places, and among certain people, but it’s our world.
Acting in the present without drama, without superiority, without flaunt, and without feeling the need to explain it to whoever happens to be listening is good.
Brands should live in this world and display their capabilities without calling out the amazing-ness of what they are doing. Just be it. And while they’re being it they should make sure that all user styles can find what they want without having to possess advanced knowledge, or be slowed down by poor experiences. It’s as easy, and as hard, as that.
From John’s Pinboard:
- @adweak was on fire all holiday.
- AP pointed me to this thought-provoking piece by David Byrne writing about a world that is becoming friction-less with so many services like Uber and Instacart. Favorite bit: 'Our random accidents and odd behaviors are fun—they make life enjoyable. I’m wondering what we’re left with when there are fewer and fewer human interactions. Remove humans from the equation, and we are less complete as people and as a society.'
- Why are some songs #1 hits? They are a little louder, and little longer, they repeat a chorus more frequently, and they move you physically.
- That great clown ad for Audi? It did pretty well when they measured brand lift. The direction from the newest CMO seems to be a good one.
- For you politically-interested people, here’s a monthly breakdown of each key Gallup survey that tracked 2017 American sentiments around all things gov.
- Instagram’s latest campaign, “Stories Are Everywhere” is one to catch.
- Holiday retail sales were up 5% this year. This is very strong and as many will recall this is up over an impressive 2016 holiday season.
- A favorite Year In Review piece was this rundown of Brand Identity. Some lovely stuff here. Jennie and I both enjoyed riffing on this piece the other day.
- Watching New Years on TV was really bad if you were tuning to CNN, and entertaining if you were on NBC. My favorite moment was “hot tea.”
- When people talk about economic inequality are they asking the wrong questions? According to this economist mostly, yes. Instead it’s 7 things that are at issue...
- My favorite type of interview are the ones with random questions that have little to do with someone’s expertise and everything to do with their personality. My WSU roots makes me especially love this one from their football coach.