The Future Of Digital Marketing - CEO Interviews (Part #3)

This is already the third article of my interview series. On a regular base, I ask CEOs or Managing Directors of digital marketing agencies and also senior managers in companies about the future of digital marketing. You'll find the other articles here: Part 1 and Part 2 .

And also during the last four months, I had the chance to discuss with some leaders of digital marketing agencies or executives of relevant companies the impact of the metaverse, artificial intelligence, or virtual influencers on digital marketing in the future.

It was in every case a really interesting discussion and I want to share the findings in this LinkedIn article.

1.) Iris Heilmann - Managing Director at Palmer Hargreaves

I met Dr. Iris Heilmann at Deutsche Telekom headquarters in Bonn and discussed with her the future of digital marketing. Iris is the owner and Managing Director of Palmer Hargreaves Germany and for years, a particular focus of her work has been on all communicative issues relating to the digital transformation of companies.?

Here are my questions and her answers:

What will the future of digital marketing look like?

There will be a strong switch from a pure awareness focus to a focus on the experience. Optimized by highly specialized AI tools. And its growth engine is coherent storytelling across all touchpoints including new ones like AR, VR, Web-GL, Metaverse, or new social media channels.

What's the impact of social commerce on Europe?

Social commerce doesn't only include marketing and the checkout process. Also support, interaction, reviews, ratings, and so on. Depending on the customer journey, highly individualized offers on social platforms tailored to specific needs are usually necessary here. In comparison to China, this naturally poses data protection challenges for us in Europe. Solving these challenges will contribute to the further growth of social commerce.

What will digital marketing look like in the metaverse?

At the moment the metaverse is synonymous with "hot shit digital marketing" in many marketing departments. Brands have to find out which role they want to play in the virtual life of their customers and whether are they able to do so. What can these customers experience with a brand in the metaverse? The following applies: Try it out according to a clear principle: Think big - start small - learn fast!

Thank you so much, Iris, for your time and the great discussion. I'm looking forward to seeing you again.?

2.) Alexander Kettenbach - Managing Director at Accenture

When I was in San Francisco for Dreamforce, I met Alexander Kettenbach . He's Managing Director at Accenture in Switzerland. I joined a round table discussion about the metaverse where he was the host. Of course, I interviewed him afterward.

I had the chance to discuss with him digital marketing in the metaverse. Here's a short summary:

• We'll see much more personalized advertising based on data in the metaverse.
• There will be small pilots to test and learn new digital marketing formats.
• A combination of blockchain, augmented reality, or AI will bring new digital marketing formats.
• In the beginning, digital marketing in the metaverse will work quite well because it's new.

Thank you, Alexander, for the nice conversation during Salesforce's Networking Tour and after the round table session.?

3.) Evan Shapiro - CEO of ESHAP

I had the honor to meet Evan Shapīro , a media universe cartographer, and CEO of ESHAP. In addition, he's also an adjunct professor at the NYU Stern School of Business in New York. I had the chance to join one of Evan's presentations and interviewed him afterward.

I discussed with him digital marketing with the metaverse. Here's a short summary of our conversation:

• The metaverse will be a mirror of our world. So we'll see similar advertising as we have in the real world.
• Virtual influencers will be important as influencer marketing is important today.
• We'll wake up stupid every day to learn how the metaverse will work.

Thank you so much, Evan, for our brief discussion. I also liked your presentation about the media universe. My favorite quote was that disruption is our new operating system!

4.) Tino Krause - Director Central Europe at Meta

I had the chance to meet Tino Krause , Director Central Europe at Meta , during an executive training at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. In his previous positions, Tino was CEO at Mediacom and CEO Germany at MEC . So, he has deep digital marketing knowledge!

It was great to get the possibility to discuss with him the future of the metaverse and digital marketing with it. Here's a brief summary:

• The metaverse is the future of social media but it will take 10 - 15 years to make this happen.
• To build the metaverse successfully, we'll need cooperation and interoperability is important.
• VR and AR are the biggest opportunities for creators and businesses since the invention of the internet.
• The metaverse will change customer relationship management due to more virtual meetings.
• Brands will experience new possibilities to stage their products in the metaverse.
• Digital marketing will be more contextual within and outside the metaverse.

Thank you, Tino, for your inspiring speech at the University of St.Gallen and your answers to my questions. It was a pleasure to meet you in person!

Summary

I like my format to meet outstanding minds in the digital marketing industry! With this interview series, I get always the latest updates and it's really inspiring. So, I want to continue it. I hope the insights I shared are also valuable to you. Please leave your feedback in the comments. And if you are a CEO or Managing Director in the marketing industry, please drop me a message. I would love to discuss with you the future of digital marketing.

And by the way: I really have more than only one polo shirt! ??

About the author:

Bj?rn Radde ?is Vice President Digital Experience at?T-Systems International? - one of the world's leading vendor-independent providers of digital services. Before he joints T-Systems he was Director Digital Experience at Sabre and Vice President?Digital Marketing at Trust International. In this role, he was worldwide responsible for all digital marketing products?of the company. Previously, Bj?rn was Director of Digital Marketing & E-Commerce at Okanda, an internet startup in the meeting's business, and Head of E-Commerce at the Steigenberger Hotel Group. After studying economics with a focus on online marketing and e-commerce, he initially worked at T-Online International AG and later at Deutsche Telekom AG within the Products & Innovation business unit.