Influx

Influx Insights looked over the posts from its short history and tried to uncover some core themes that are driving and defining the brand in the early part of the C21st.

There are probably dozens of different drivers for the change, but we’ve broken them down to a manageable list of four that we are calling “AHIP”, as in “does your brand get AHIP?”

These drivers are massive and over-arching, but they are they are increasingly what brands should look to deliver against.

1. Attention:

Over-abundance of everything is leading to shrinking attention spans. People simply don’t have the time to process what you saying or doing. They are avoiding it and if you have something great to say, they might miss it. Can you capture diminishing attentions? When you have people’s attention, what do you choose do with it?

2. Imagination

Customers, employees, shareholders are demanding more interesting and imaginative ideas- it’s where growth comes from, but it also refers to the brand’s communication. Where do these ideas come from? How do you get them?

3. Humanity

The collective networked world is a powerful giant brain. You can either come down from your ivory tower and come and play, or you can remain aloof. If you come play, it means new rules, new language and new rituals. The same corporatemarketingspeak will not work, nor will abusive behavior to customers, employees or the environment.

4. Proof

You can no longer hide behind the theater curtain. Everything is exposed from the latest performance stats to rumors of quality control problems in your Chinese factory. Get out there and prove yourself.

If you own a brand, look after one for somewhere else or are thinking about creating one, you should consider these drivers.

In the next few months, Influx Insights will be exploring each of these themes in greater detail and highlighting examples of brands that are finding ways to deal with these drivers.