iAmDigital - Marketing. Innovation. Technology.

Are QR codes really the answer?  Who would have thought when the National Cabinet (Australia's state and federal heads of) and their teams got together, to talk about a "state of the art" contact tracing system here in Oz, that was required to bridge the real world to the digital, that we’d land on QR codes... oh my. Today's genius  Think about where we're at with technology in 2021. All the genius we have access to from remote plant climate management like that offered by Roots Sustainable Agriculture. Tech for brain powered prosthetics. Or how about noses (yes, like the one on your face) with artificial intelligence (A.I) like that of Brainchip Holdings, which have the same sniff sensitivity to minute quantities of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) as a dog's nose developed in 2017. These A.I. noses can, through smell, identify diseases including Parkinson's, cancers, kidney failure, multiple sclerosis and infectious diseases, such as, you guessed it, ...

It's crazy that Amazon Alexa and Google Home still seem kinda new to many, the reality is though, voice technology dates back to the 1950s. However, it hasn’t been until the early part of the twenty-first century that we have really seen voice technology come into its own with huge leaps in computing power, vast amounts of data, advancements in AI and machine learning and investments from large enterprises. New innovative uses for voice-activated technology are seemingly ensuring a strong case for incorporating it in digital strategies. Being such a frictionless form of tech and improving all the time, it’s not hard to see why.  What do we mean by voice marketing? So, we know Alexa, Google Home, Siri, Cortana and their siblings have become everyday technology in the last few years, but voice marketing is about understanding how consumers use them. Currently, 50% of online searches are made via voice with almost 20% of browsing sessions being screenless! Businesses who want to remai...

It's no surprise that many companies are desperate to be seen as innovative, customer-centric or digital disruptor's within their industry. What is surprising (and disappointing) is that some think they can 'check the box' by simply creating an innovation team and updating their corporate presentation to include phrases like "innovative culture", "digital disruption", and "emerging markets", with very little actually changing. As you very well know, updating your CRM system, running a course on agile or replacing your marketing automation platform, doesn't put you ahead of the curb you're chasing. Most of the time, it's as deep seeded as a culture change and company ethos shift that that needs to take place. Most forms of innovation, are simply taking an existing problem that your customers or even staff have and solving it. Sometimes, that means solving problems they never knew they had to begin with. "Customers ...

" As long as consciousness and intelligence go hand in hand, which is more important, will always be a popular discussion point for philosophers. With the pace that technology at today, it's quickly becoming an urgent political and economic issue. " - Yuval Noah Harari, Author.  After watching a robust panel discussion about the future of work last week, it got me thinking... Is there enough of a debate, of the ethical impact of technology? We are not only developing intelligence but a form of intelligence that is no longer reliant on consciousness. Whether it's playing games or driving cars, a computer via machine learning can now evaluate patterns better than we can. This has the potential to make us and our usefulness, about as redundant as the horse and carriage. If intelligence is compulsory, is consciousness nonessential...? The fact is, companies all over the world are already valuing intelligence more highly than consciousness. Is it ...

So, I suddenly wake up and realise. I missed most of 2015. Not to mention all of 2016 and 17. My last post (here at least),  was mid-2015... In technological terms, that's about 3 decades. Like many things, life got in the way, yadda, yadda, yadda, now here we are about to sign off on 2017. Here are some of the events I missed, during that time: SpaceX  lands the Falcon 9 rocket - the first reusable rocket Scientists discover a previously unknown species of early human in South Africa known as  Homo naledi  Princess Charlotte of Cambridge is born while B.B. King, Jackie Collins and one my heroes Ron Clarke died Our smartphones started to sense pressure Driverless cars were being tested on our roads Apple Watch and Apple Pay is released Scientists culture brain matter in a lab 1 Bitcoin was worth about $500 and finally being accepted by some banks North Korea starts annoying the UN No ones thinks for a second, that Donald Trump ...

Here's a list of 3 startups, which are not only inspiring but why I think they will be mega-important in the coming years. 1. gThrive ( www.gthrive.com ) - Silicon Valley CA The What? gThrive have created wireless sensors that farmers can insert in the soil and it dynamically transmits details about the soil condition to the farmer. The farmer then uses this data to optimise the use of water & energy, in various locations of their crop(s). The Why? This is by far the most excising innovation for farmers in areas where water is scarce, such as much of Australia. With kits starting from only $3K, the investment makes perfect sense for farmers. The developers have evidence to show that the system pays for itself in only 12 months. Just think about the possibilities with all the soil data being collected. 2. Be-Bound® ( www.be-bound.com ) - Silicon Valley CA The What? This innovative cloud technology allows you to connect to the internet...

  Isn't it funny how in the online space, the biggest threats typically comes from the most unlikely sources. Coles and Woolworths have been so pre-occupied with holding market share against relatively newcomer Aldi that they may have fallen even further behind, online at least. Cue Kogan Pantry. In a strike of (what initially looks to be) genius, Ruslan Kogan the independent online king of electrical goods, now seems to be moving in on new territory, tackling our pantries! Ok so 'threat' was maybe a little loosely used earlier and though Kogan has promised to offer half price 'pantry' goods in an attempt to save us money at the till, an initial offering of only 600 products isn't really going to do much as far as market share goes. I just love the fact that the likes of Kogan Pantry , Instacart , GroceryRun and co. are managing to shake things up in this space. What does this mean for the industry? Initially, not a great deal, even global gia...

image credit: xcluesiv.com Not since Rocky lined up against the Russian, has there been a bigger East vs West battle brewing, as the online retailers Alibaba and Amazon get ready to do battle. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be exciting for consumers and investors alike. Based on my recent dealings with Alibaba , they need a serious boost in their communication with clients, to be in the same league as the American giant. So far, the score for me, is 6 – 1 in favour of  Amazon  (it's a soccer/football reference, so 5 goals is a fair drubbing). It will be interesting to see where Alibaba invests, as it moves into a stage of hyperactivity of acquisition. Looking merely at the IPO or potential profits, you might be quick to side with the newcomer, but don't be fooled, to get ahead of Amazon , Alibaba will have to make some changes. Have you tried buying something from Alibaba ...eek! What I believe it will come down to for the two juggernauts: 1. Custome...

When 3D body scanning technology was first implemented at airports security counters around the world, there was an uproar and many of us kicked up a stink about not really having a choice when it came to giving up our  privacy . The way I see it is, it isn't an issue when we knowingly give it up, the problem is when we're forced to give privacy up, or it is taken without our knowledge or consent.  A little about the 3D body scanners tap to enlarge These 3D body scanning pods developed by  mPort  emerged in May 2014 at Sydney shopping complex after a 12 month trial. The pods require only underwear and take 30 seconds to capture your body measurements, replacing the need for a tailor’s old fashioned measuring tape and mannequin.  The avatar created ( and stored ) can then be used to purchase clothes online, knowing full well that they will be a perfect fit. The benefit Aside from the stored measurement and health tracking; Husbands, boyf...

The Dodo didn’t become extinct when food was a plenty, its inability to plan for the future and adapt in an ever evolving world is the reason it is now extinct. If wholesalers don’t stop being so naive about where manufacturing is heading and at least start trying to evolve, they will meet the same fate as the Dodo. In a time where digital offers tracking and efficiencies and can’t be ignored or where 3D printing is becoming cheaper every day and where machines talk to people, people to machines and machines to machines ( M2M ); in a land where internet rules and where we, as customers are getting back the power; wholesalers better shape up or ship out! Customers are more aware of business behaviour when it comes to purchasing. It’s no secret that wholesalers are essentially in the business of making money as a middle man. Though there is nothing wrong with that, we are just asking you – the wholesaler – to offer us something more. Shape the incentives for people who don...