This is a guest post by Fiona O’Brien as part of our coverage for Advertising Week 2012. Fiona is a senior marketer with over 9 years of CPG marketing experience, Fiona has worked on some of Canada’s top brands. Leading the development and implementation of winning strategic marketing plans on such brands as Dove, Degree, Cashmere, Purex, Olivieri and Renee’s Gourmet. Fiona’s experience in the launch and development of innovative products, consumer programs and social media has assisted the advancement of these brands in their categories. Connect with Fiona on LinkedIn or on Twitter.
Designed to be the creative catalyst to start the week, Yahoo Provoke brought together a panel with a diverse background to discuss the future of digital advertising. The unique discussion partnered a keynote presentation from Dr Eric Haseltine, a neuroscientist and consultant with presentations and panel discussions with Mavis Huntley, an agency digital director, Nathan Martin, an artist and developer and James Milward, a digital entertainment producer.
The focus of the afternoon’s entire discussion was to centre around how technology can help us meaningfully connect drawing on basic human needs, but it was Dr. Haseltine that delivered the most compelling insights. Dr. Haseltine’s presentation highlighted his ongoing message of understanding that long term growth and big opportunities for your business will be found in the collision between those things that are guaranteed to change and those constants of human nature. Understanding that the explosion of future opportunities will live in the intersection between unchanging human needs and fast paced media technology. Dr. Haseltine laid out his advice for the future of communication in this constantly changing world, with his idea of a “One Stop Shop” that will embrace a seamlessly integrated ecology and a strong relationship to the consumer.
Following Dr. Haseltine’s presentation the diverse panel was introduced to provide each of their takes on how digital connections need to draw on human needs to make a meaningful connection with consumers. The panel presentations offered interesting and exciting case studies that highlighted the pure benefits of connections with technology and the story. While these examples demonstrated the great work these panellists have achieved it did little to ignite the discussion that followed.