Happy Belated Birthday to the World Wide Web

When Tim Berners-Lee put forth his proposal for a revolutionary way to reinvent management information systems in 1989, little did anybody realise the dynamic transformation this vision would undergo.

The modern web has introduced technologies, systems and processes that were seemingly unimaginable three decades ago. The online world of <WWWdot> (a quirky “abbreviation” which is oddly longer to say than the three words they represent – try it!) has proliferated into a resource so powerful, it reaches all corners of the planet and connects billions of users every day. Despite this, it has come with its dangers. Irresponsible use and ill behaviour endanger Internet users and threatens to undermine its existence. Privacy, or the lack thereof, also continues to be a key talking point for internet governance and regulation, as does the free flow of misleading information. Although threats persist, our efforts to create a better Internet for all bode well for a more collaborative future generation.

For the marketing communications realm, this innovative tool has provided immense opportunities for marketers to explore new channels of advertising and digital creativity. It has also redefined how we interact with consumers and inspired new levels of creativity and communication.

If you had asked me thirty years ago what the internet would look like in 2019, I would have said ‘it will be lucky to last 30 weeks’. However, it has evolved and we have grown alongside it. In view of this, here’s to another 30 years of connectivity and collaboration bringing us all closer together.