I am increasingly struck by Stream as a metaphor for the successful company in the digital economy and the lessons that we can learn from running it.
WPP Stream was about learning about what inspired others and finding inspiration for yourself. Many a new idea premiered in those two days. These eccentric ideas at Xstream will soon become part of the mainstream.
Imagine what loyalty corporations could earn by investing in educating their workers. Yes, many would leave for better jobs... and one day they might even be able to afford their former employers' products.
Brands are looking for platforms to amplify their message; agencies are looking for the tools for amplification; startups are looking for ways their tools can help. Success for all three relies on applying the right mix of their abilities to a common goal -- a meaningful, authentic conversation with the consumer.
As emerging technology surges through the fast-emerging economies of the world, a power shift unprecedented in scope is inevitable. As marketers, we need to be prepared for it, and we need to be able to harness it.
In a world of exponentially increasing information, people need ways to navigate the volume. The way we navigate this new world is, interestingly, the same way we have navigated the world since the beginning of humanity -- we are turning to our friends.
We are going to see a dramatic upswing in what I call "the golden triangle of good." Businesses, NGOs and governments will increasingly work together to develop solutions to the challenges that face planet earth and humankind.
After years of lip service, with few notable exceptions, yesterday seemed to mark a new alignment between media owners, brands, and agencies. No longer can we focus exclusively on the mass consumer audience.
One of the joys of coming to Cannes every year has been its expansion of the definition of creativity, and with it, the mind-blowing changes in technology that have let us tell richer, better stories.
Stream reinforced my belief that the linkage between creativity and innovation has to be organic and integrated and authentic. It has to feel inevitable -- that one can't live without the other, that the technology isn't gratuitous, an add-on or a conspicuous bow to fashion.
Although I'm sure Mick Jones and the late Joe Strummer would cringe at the thought of having their punk anthem reinterpreted for a corporate event, I must admit that these are the types of questions marketing managers are facing these days.
I'm part of a start-up that's growing at break-neck speed. We spend long days trying to solve the simple, human problem we have set ourselves: how can we find better ways to help people share the sounds they've created with one another?
While there are well under a billion PCs in use in emerging markets today, there are 3.8 billion mobile phones. There is a huge opportunity to use the mobile channel to connect emerging consumers to the brands so eager to know them.
The Stream conference uses a user-generated or crowd-sourced conference format, which is highly interactive and demands and gets total participation. No predetermined format, no agenda, nobody laying down a roadmap -- it's totally democratic, even anarchic.
