What has been the most significant change in consumer behavior in the last 10 years, and how has it impacted the way you think about marketing and communications?
Since November 2022, we’ve begun to speak with computers in natural language, that’s far and away the most significant change in consumer behavior in the past decade. And it’s just starting to change marketing and communications as text and image generation get better.
I think we’ll see A) More interactive conversations with brands, and B) More personalized creative.
What do you read, listen to, or watch to keep track of developing issues and consumer dynamics?
I am still hooked on X, I read almost any AI story I can, often from the WSJ, Wired, and CNBC. And I speak with people in the industry weekly on Big Technology Podcast. Actually, those conversations and the feedback to them are main sources of learning for me today.
Has there ever been an issue, trend or dynamic that you thought was going to be bigger than it turned out to be?
Yes, ad blocking. It turned out to be overblown because A) Programmatic advertising never achieved its revenue promise B) The anti-blocking tech got really good, and C) Not enough people turned ad blockers on.
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Looking into the future, which fast-moving issues and and consumer dynamics will marketing and communications leaders need to be aware of?
It’s hard to pick one, but the only constant today is change. I’m sure that by the time this publishes something I was sure of will be obsolete or discredited. That’s why it’s crucial to always be ready to adapt, and be ready for your assumptions to change in an instant.
What has been the defining moment of your career, and why?
Covid. It pushed me to leave a steady reporter job at BuzzFeed News and start out on my own, founding Big Technology as a way to report only on stories I was interested in and invite the people I found most intriguing onto my podcast. It was a horrible time, but perhaps gave me a necessary shove to make a big career pivot.
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What one piece of advice would you share to those starting their career in marketing and communications?
Write a lot, start a newsletter, and keep those in your network up to date about what you’re doing. Writing leads to clear thinking. So write, and hit send.
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Where to find Alex:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexkantrowitz/
- X: @Kantrowitz
- Website: https://www.bigtechnology.com/