SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS 2018 One of the trends we highlighted for 2017 was how big social media networks IN were trying to transform their image, amid some bad publicity. Examples at that time included Snapchat’s rebranding at the end of 2016, Pinterest’s new positioning as a ‘catalogue of ideas’, expanding beyond the realm of a social network and even Twitter switching its designation from a ‘Social Network’ to a ‘News’ app in the App Store. Behind this shift in strategy lies a desire for networks to evolve and become an ever-growing part of our lives. Social networks have advanced so much since their early beginnings that it TR is now difficult to confine them to being described by words like ‘social’ or ‘media’. Digital is also a reductive definition when pure players redouble in ingenuity to anchor themselves in both physical and digital environments; ‘phygital’ might, therefore, be a better descriptor. What’s also interesting is how the landscape is currently evolving. In the past, we had seen newcomers trying to compete with established ‘social networks’. Now the competition comes from many other players. Amazon’s launch of OD Spark, a social network for its shoppers or its powerful advertising platform, which directly competes with players like Facebook, is an example of this. FAMGA (Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon) as they are now referred to are becoming so ubiquitous in the digital world that you would have to be living under a rock to avoid them. The rise of home assistant devices like Amazon Echo, Google Home or the coming Facebook Aloha are yet another example that proves these giant’s goal to become seamlessly UC integrated into daily life. In China, even shopping has become a social experience. The Chinese consumer’s specific path to purchase offers lessons for retailers in the West. Social media giant Facebook would have a hard time having a better business model than WeChat’s! So whats in for 2018? Probably the year of some kind of maturity and TI consolidation of the tech-digital landscape. On that thought – ladies and gents kindly take your seats as we present … Our top 10 digital predictions for 2018. ON 3 NEW TECHNOLOGIES OFFER PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR BRANDS But brands need to think 1Content Strategy first We are entering a huge tech revolution, can, for example, develop menu but what brands tend to forget is that recommendations based on the tech revolution is intrinsically linked available foods. For AR, VR or mixed to that of content. Augmented Reality technologies, the emphasis will be (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and The on experience rather than how the Internet of Things (IoT) is nothing more technology can be applied to its than a bridge offered by technology products. An automobile brand will between the real and the virtual. In thus have every interest to capitalise other words, content will necessarily be on the return of a race rich in emotions the link between objects, people and rather than a 360° view of the interior technology – when it will not merge of the car. simply with the (virtual) experience itself. The growth of intelligent voice However, the content will have to assistants (Amazon Echo, Google meet new challenges depending Home, etc.) is another major challenge on the channels. IoT will need to be for content marketing. And bear in translated into tangible benefits for mind that there are plenty of new consumers. A connected refrigerator competitors to emerge yet. Facebook 4 | 7 is reportedly working on a voice speaker and a video chat device with a laptop-sized screen, as well as a voice search assistant for its app. ‘If a brand does not show up on voice platforms, then it will literally be silent when a consumer wants to engage with it,’ says Bret Kinsella, founder and editor of the VoiceBot voice technologies. Again, brands will have to develop customised THE GROWTH OF content strategies by using the skills ecosystem of these assistants. And some early adopters have already INTELLIGENT VOICE taken the plunge. Johnnie Walker has already harnessed Media brands like CNN, the the opportunity by launching a New York Times and Buzzfeed function on Alexa in the United are already offering ‘flash info’ States for whiskey lovers and novices ASSISTANTS (AMAZON vocals. So it will be interesting to who want to learn more about their see how brands can leverage this favourite bottles. This is a virtual, technology. guided tasting. You will naturally have to buy or have a bottle at hand. ECHO, GOOGLE HOME, Another interesting example is how Hellmann's, the food brand, suggests recipe ideas via Alexa according FACEBOOK ALOHA...) to the ingredients in the user’s larder. The connection between end consumers and brand is also amplified here as a request via Alexa IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE triggers an email with a link to the recipe of their choice. A particularly interesting approach at a time when brands seek to create bridges between different platforms. 6 7 THE RISING TIDE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Whose vision will shape our future – Zuckerberg or Musk? Not that long ago, we only example: recognising faces and dreamt of machines with human emotions, expressing oneself, 2intelligence. and understanding the context of a situation. Early efforts to Now, reality is rapidly catching up ‘program’ understanding of to fantasy, and this has fuelled a these abstract concepts failed, major battle in the tech industry largely because we didn’t know over Artificial Intelligence. ourselves how to identify the rules that governed those actions. So Computers can already calculate programmers did what they had much faster than humans, and to do…they went maternal on the without error. Plus, computer problem! They gave computers memory is highly reliable and some examples to work with, potentially unlimited. And to top and let them figure stuff out on it all, computers can instantly their own – good old-fashioned create that perfect playlist for your trial and error. It’s exactly how next barbecue. Take THAT, human children master many vital skills, brain! including communication. A funny thing happened as a result of this But until recently, computers failed approach…the computers learned. at certain tasks that humans have mastered with ease. For 8 | 117 In fact, those trial and error Meanwhile, ‘Reinforcement As futuristic as artificial intelligence our interactions. This assistant will algorithms are fuelling the current Learning’ is expanding machine sounds, it’s being filtered right now manage all of our life logistics and AI revolution. For example, ‘Deep intelligence in a different direction, everywhere, on all social platforms, lend its expertise to everything Learning’ enables artificial neural namely teaching machines to and by every business that wishes from law and business, to finance networks to recognise recurrent perform tasks. First, the machine is to stay competitive. and medicine. Just don’t expect high-level concepts in data by given a goal within an environment But the big takeaway is that if you this advance anytime soon – 2018 is stacking the concepts of lower and with constraints. The task is aren’t an influential tech giant like likely out of the question. levels. To recognise a face, the grouped by iterations until the Amazon, Facebook, Google, Apple, machine will first correlate pixels machine develops an optimal Microsoft, or IBM, you are already You’re probably getting a sense for on a photo, then group them and algorithm to losing the the importance of this struggle and conceptualise their features (eyes, carry out the battle for the huge influence that the winners nose, mouth). Finally, it groups all task. It’s the will have on our future. Already two AI IS SET TO BECOME of these concepts to recognise the same principle AI talent. If titans have turned evangelists and unique collection of features as a used in self- the little guys seized the stage in 2017. single face. driving cars A COMMODITY THAT IS want access to and employed AI technology, On one side, we have Elon Musk It’s thanks to Deep Learning that by Google to EVER MORE PRESENT they’re forced who considers AI an existential Facebook can recognise you in your defeat the to throw threat to humanity and calls photos. And that’s not the only top-ranked themselves for greater regulation. While on use that tech giants have for ‘deep Go player in IN OUR LIVES AS THE at the mercy the other side, Mark Zuckerberg neural networks’ (the foundation the world. of the tech believes AI will save lives, help bring stones of deep learning). Facebook Google simply behemoths. people closer, and generally make also uses them to decide which bolstered TECHNOLOGY PUSHES the world a better place. adverts to show to which users their artificial So what are and to extract meaning from the intelligence FORWARD the tech giants Whose vision is more accurate? Bets words that we post by learning with the planning for are open. But one thing is certain, to analyse them contextually. qualities of the best players in the all this AI technology? For now, AI is set to become a commodity Facebook’s DeepText tool makes world and then trained the artificial intelligent assistants. And if all goes that is ever more present in our lives this possible. Also, its video chat intelligence against itself to become according to plan (no machine as the technology pushes forward. device Aloha (‘Hello’ in Hawaiian) unbeatable. Sounds simple enough, uprisings), even regular people like In the meantime, don’t watch “The – to be officially unveiled in May right? Well here’s your chance… us will be able to afford a digital Terminator” or “The Matrix” movies.