Digital communication. New possibilities all the time.
Be reachable everywhere. Be able to communicate everywhere via smartphone, email, instant messaging, social media, and so on. Find every answer online. Network knowledge. And objects too. Be able to buy everything at any time, and pay for it immediately. At home, at work, on the go, on an airplane … a matter of course today, especially for the generations that cannot possibly imagine a life without smartphone and Internet. The history of the non-military network, the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and the World Wide Web is only about 30 years old. Only since around 2006 has Internet content increasingly been created by Internet users themselves. In 2016, annual IP traffic exceeded the mark of a zettabyte, which is one trillion gigabytes. There is no end in sight to this development … compared to the history of industry, we are at the beginning.
1.0, 2.0, 4.0 — the digital transformation is just beginning…
Information and communication technology in general, as well as the Internet, email, and mobile communication, are seriously changing life, including working life, where it is hard to escape the developments. Here are a few highlights of many that are important to us as a B2B branding agency:
Changing industries
Digitalization is changing the way we work. On the one hand, there is the automation of production processes. This involves cooperation between humans and machines, which creates new forms of work, facilitates work, combines automation and autonomy, and increases productivity. Agility, flexibility, and courageous decisions are also required in order to seize opportunities for optimization and growth. Open-mindedness towards digital transformation is the prerequisite, especially in the IT and engineering professions, in order to meet the unavoidable disruption of many industries and business processes on the one hand and to combine the broad knowledge of production, the knowledge of customer needs, and the feeling for trends on the other.
Changing working environments and processes
Digital communication has made the world more global and transparent. Search and be found — on the Internet it’s very easy. As a branding agency, we focus on brand building, brand management, and brand experience. Here, new opportunities arise to present the brand, to enter into dialogue with new target groups and buyers. Visiting the website, watching some videos, and reading reviews becomes a contact if the brand is well perceived and interest exists. Maybe a first inquiry or a video presentation takes place. Then there is a test purchase, with subsequent experience revolving around information and support online. Finally, a loyal customer relationship is established. Many steps on this path are supported digitally. Many processes — data acquisition, preparation of the quotation, purchase contract, activation, support, remote maintenance, etc. — are also digital and networked. Customer touchpoints are more diverse and must be planned and managed in line with the brand.
Digitization, generational issues, and cultural change
Today, some five generations work in a team. Some have grown up with the Internet and mobile phones; others have moved with the times and know both the analogue and the digital world. Another part is struggling with the digital world. Naysayers and regulatory frenzy are opponents of progress. This damages the companies, their products, and the brand image. But the pace of digitization and digital transformation continues to gain momentum. Young, motivated people with technical training or degrees in engineering disciplines are entering the job market. Programming is not as much of a topic as before. Project and teamwork are being learned. Creativity and innovative spirit are the driving force. Networked production (Industry 4.0) is becoming a reality. Training and further education promote progress. Managing change is a management task and a question of internal communication. The big topics of change management and accompanying cultural change are part of digitization. As a B2B branding agency, we know the challenges and what is to be done.
Digitization in other countries, regions, continents
Digitalization knows no boundaries. The state of digitization can be determined by aspects such as the degree of networking (access and speed), digital skills in the population, use of the Internet by citizens, integration of digital technologies in companies and businesses, and digital public services. The differences are great — within the EU and in Europe, and even more so worldwide. A different cultural approach, more playful handling of the possibilities, or the view of being able to significantly improve a country’s chances through digitization in the medium term open up new perspectives for economic outsiders in the future.
Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and SmartContracts
Blockchain technology is revolutionizing the Internet. It will make Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things, mobile payment methods, digital contracts, and digital licenses and much more more efficient, independent, and practical. This is simply because complete information and documentation is possible with this technology. And it is because everyone can trust the decentralized and unchangeable entries of the blockchain. Hardly anyone is aware of what will be possible today. The most advanced cryptocurrencies in this discipline are Bitcoin and Ethereum. Countries are starting to accept Bitcoin as a means of payment. This is what is getting this technology off the ground. In a subsidiary of INCREON subsidiary, the INCREON Digital Lab, we are already working with these solutions, experimenting, developing scenarios, and implementing solutions. And as a B2B branding agency, we are a sparring partner for our clients for the use of this up-and-coming technology for their own brand and marketing communication.
Brand management in digital communication
Digitalization and digital communication have changed brand management. Companies, agencies, media partners … all of them have tried it out and gained experience. Well-known brand and marketing knowledge was labeled in melodious terms for digital communication and presented as an innovation or revolution. The knowledge of how marketing communication functions and works and how it can be measured in the digital space is available today. What makes a “good” website and successful B2C online campaigns is researched and tested.
B2B brand management in the complexity of the digital space and the diverse interactions with customers, employees, stakeholders, and other socially relevant target groups can be much more coherent and sustainable. And it can be done internationally! As a B2B agency with many years of branding expertise, we bring the “old” and the “new” worlds together. We interpret brands holistically — always with a view to brand goals, brand positioning, and strategy. Brand management, brand perception, and brand experience in the various communication channels play an important role.
Brand management in digital communication is more than a uniform appearance in print and online. Digital brand management is reflected in web and web applications, in the GUI (Graphic User Interface) of software and apps, in video branding, and in audio branding. Nevertheless, the basic constants of logo, typefaces, colors, design constants, imagery, and tonality must be found, and the digital requirements of readability and usability must be fulfilled. Digital branding turns the brand into a sustainable brand experience at customer touchpoints in the customer lifecycle, in presentations, but also in social networks and social media. Content marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) are also digital brand management. Everything belongs together — for truly integrated brand communication. As a B2B branding agency, we know what we are talking about.
Use digital possibilities
In addition to the aspect of digital brand management, “being found” is always a topic. Internationally. The Internet has already contributed greatly to internationalization and globalization, and will continue to do so. Brand management must focus on positive brand perception and authentic brand experiences. The principle “There is no second chance for a first impression” applies both online and in personal communication. And these must be seized, designed, and used in a business sense. Our B2B branding agency combines branding expertise with an understanding of technology, processes, and sales and distribution. This, too, must be designed in the sense of digital B2B brand management.
INCREON Digital Lab
The Digital Lab of INCREON is a digital consultancy and digital agency specialized in technical search engine optimization and web apps with a focus on business-to-business (B2B) challenges and solutions. We combine your digital future with what is digitally feasible. We advise you, filter out the most promising solutions for you, test them, develop them, and integrate them into your company.