Home Resources Avoiding obsolescence: A marketer's guide Avoiding obsolescence: A marketer's guide Technology can feel like it's moving faster than the speed of light these days - and its incumbent on us to keep up. Alex Hayes, Principal at Clear Hayes, explains to ADMA why upskilling and tapping into industry knowledge are the best tactics to stay ahead of the game. "It feels like we've always been in transition with technology and one day we're going to get there. But that's never going to happen and we're always going to feel like we're in transition to something else." This comment from media consultant Hal Crawford on the Tech Fuelled Future of Media panel I led at this month’s Advertising Week APAC really resonated with me. We tend to have a bias of looking at the future as a destination where everything will be settled. But clearly we all need to accept that’s never going to happen. Progress, like death and taxes, is inevitable. But keeping up with change can feel exhausting, especially as you get older and much of the technological and societal evolution isn’t necessarily aimed at you. And when you work in an industry like marketing, where being on the bleeding edge seems to be a prerequisite, it’s inevitable you will get worried. Even marketing itself is under pressure. Renowned marketer Raja Rajamannar, CMO of Mastercard, observes the marketing boss is now often pushed down a level from reporting to the CEO. As he laments, with other roles like Chief Customer Officer and Chief Product Officer now taking precedence, “what’s left for marketing”? Staving off obsolescence might seem like a grim prospect, but there are ways we can continue to make ourselves indispensable in the face of rapidly evolving technology. Foremost among them is upskilling. The importance of keeping our digital skills up to scratch is a key reason why Clear Hayes works with events like Advertising Week, and important industry bodies like ADMA. It’s an organisation that does absolutely instrumental work in preparing marketers for what’s coming next. I found myself nodding along when ADMA’s CEO Andrea Martens told the Advertising Week audience what motivates her most: “The opportunity I've got in my role is to help build capability on behalf of the industry. Our responsibility is to make sure we're setting up data-driven marketers for the future - to make choices that are right for their customers and consumers in general. “We’re really focused on making sure that the industry is prepared for what is coming and addressing the changes on the horizon.” None of us can see the future - that’s what makes it scary for some and exciting for others. Generally I find the optimists are the ones who have taken the time to educate themselves about emerging technologies and ways of working. As is proven time and again, those who have sound foundational knowledge and understanding of marketing as a discipline will be able to cut through the noise to understand where the opportunities lie for them. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that planned obsolescence doesn’t exist. It’s those who don’t plan who risk becoming irrelevant. You can read the wisdom of Andrea and scores of other thought leaders from Advertising Week in Clear Hayes’ comprehensive Trends Report. 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Article 29th Aug 2022 6 mins Avoiding obsolescence: A marketer's guide Technology can feel like it's moving faster than the speed of light these days - and it's incumbent on us to keep up. Alex Hayes, Principal at Clear Hayes, explains why upskilling and tapping into industry knowledge are the best tactics to stay ahead of the game. Article 14th Jul 2022 7 mins XPON Technologies: Members Spotlight Jennifer Killian, Chief Marketing & Experience Officer at XPON is no stranger to the rapidly evolving world of marketing. A dab hand at helping brands prepare for the future, here she explores the techniques she's used to add value across her career. Article 09th May 2022 6 mins Kathmandu: Members Spotlight There are few companies more aspirational than Kathmandu. Eva Barrett, the business's Chief Customer Officer, explains why knowing the consumer at every stage of their journey is key to her success. Article 13th Dec 2021 7 mins Marketing Mistakes & Lessons from the Experts “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” - Eleanor Roosevelt. Load More
Article 16th Sep 2022 8 mins Privacy regulation: Things to know while we wait for Australian reforms As the United States is set to pass a new bipartisan federal privacy bill, UM Worldwide’s Chief Privacy Officer Arielle Garcia spoke to ADMA about what marketers need to know.
29th Aug 2022 7 mins Advertising Week: APAC Trends Report 2022 Find out what you missed out on during 2022 Advertising Week's APAC.
Article 29th Aug 2022 6 mins Avoiding obsolescence: A marketer's guide Technology can feel like it's moving faster than the speed of light these days - and it's incumbent on us to keep up. Alex Hayes, Principal at Clear Hayes, explains why upskilling and tapping into industry knowledge are the best tactics to stay ahead of the game.
Article 14th Jul 2022 7 mins XPON Technologies: Members Spotlight Jennifer Killian, Chief Marketing & Experience Officer at XPON is no stranger to the rapidly evolving world of marketing. A dab hand at helping brands prepare for the future, here she explores the techniques she's used to add value across her career.
Article 09th May 2022 6 mins Kathmandu: Members Spotlight There are few companies more aspirational than Kathmandu. Eva Barrett, the business's Chief Customer Officer, explains why knowing the consumer at every stage of their journey is key to her success.
Article 13th Dec 2021 7 mins Marketing Mistakes & Lessons from the Experts “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” - Eleanor Roosevelt.