The newspaper for fifty years Strategy analyzes the world of media and communication. How does its current leader view the current changes and newcomers that are metavers, NFTs and other virtual influencers? What will the media be made of tomorrow?
Revision Strategies celebrates its fiftieth anniversary with the publication of a special issue, available on the magazine’s website. Fifty communication and media personalities draw the outlines of their new worlds. Gilles Wybo, managing director of Strategiescome back for ETX daily increase on the latest major trends shaking up the media landscape.
Strategies has been observing the evolution of media and advertising for half a century. In your opinion, how does the 2020 decade look like for these same sectors?
Influencer marketing is a steadily growing trend in recent years. Brands are now embodied by one person. This phenomenon has increased during periods of confinement. We have been led to spend a lot of time behind our screens and therefore to be influenced by what we saw online.
Avatarizing our lives is probably the next step. We observe an increase in the power of the virtual, which is not without its questions. For example, if we follow a dogdog virtual on social networkssocial networkswe don’t know exactly what values it bringsbrings. This issue has already been raised with the rise of animal influencers followed by millions of internet users.
We’re taking avatars one step further. These virtual characters are specially created to federate a community around them. We are only at the beginning of this trend but it will undoubtedly be very promising.
“ View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shudu (@shudu.gram)“
This mannequin does not exist. But Shudu Gram, the first digital supermodel, now has 210,000 followers on Instagram. ©Instagram
In addition to virtual avatars, there is also a craze in the media for NFTs and the metaverse. Do you think this is a lasting trend?
It’s still hard to say, but there’s no doubt that this is a real phenomenon. Luxury has positioned itself very quickly in this booming NFT market, as have some media and communication agencies. Same story in gamewhich is not surprising given that video games are pioneers in this field.
However, it is social networks that show the greatest interest in these new technologies. We saw this clearly with Facebook, which announced its desire to rebrand itself as Meta and to recruit 10,000 people in Europe to work on the metaverse. The tech giants see it as a real blueprint for the future.
We still lack the perspective to know whether NFTs are just a gimmick that allows brands and media outlets to make a “marketing stunt” or a much more profound change.
What are your reservations about NFTs?
They are due, in large part, to the lack of pedagogy on the subject digital tokensdigital tokens. Behind this new technology there is a very technical side, which represents a brake on its adoption by the general public. Also, I wonder what the marketing impact of NFTsNFTs and the footprint they leave on consumers. Do they create a real bond with a brand? I’m still not convinced and I find that we are almost turning to events with these digital objects.
Another big trend in media: audio. How do you explain this strong return of sound in our media consumption habits?
It is a response to the sensation of visual saturation experienced by many consumers. Even if we spend more and more time on social networks, we don’t neglect them RadioRadio and also podcasts. In reverse. We listen to them more and more, when we are busy with household chores or just to pass the time.
Podcasts, and more generally audio, can also arouse a certain nostalgia for the stories we were read to as children. It’s a very vivid memory. These audio formats allow you to revive it. That’s the power of audio.
Brands need to use it intelligently to tell us stories that interest us and make us grow. They have to stay back: they can’t stand out like they do in traditional commercials. They can perfectly support podcasters in creating new programs, of which they guarantee the content. This attitude allows them to create a certain bond of trust with their listeners.
The year 2022 will be marked by new presidential elections in France. What changes will this bring to the media world?
I think we will pay special attention to social networks. And above all to see if they don’t interfere in one way or another with the outcome of the presidential elections, as happened in the past. Public authorities will be particularly vigilant to ensure that there is no foreign interference or piracy.
The issue of preserving online democracy is also a key issue. Social networks play an increasingly important role in communicating candidates and many creators no longer hesitate to offer content on politics. This is the case with John Massieta streamer who hosts “questions to the government” live streams on Twitch.
These are topics that interest Internet users, and also the younger ones. Those who started using social media during their adolescenceadolescence they are now old enough to vote. They’ve grown up, so it’s no wonder they watch more serious content.
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