Panel
Disruptors, Innovators and Entrepreneurs
- Bonnen Bo expects that by 2020, 100% of sold packages will be internet-connected, potentially positioning Mondelez International as the world's largest technology company, while mobile commerce in developed markets will soon enable product scanning and mobile payment, a trend initiated by retailers like Walmart and Tesco.
- Bonnen Bo plans to execute a two-week employee immersion in startup cultures within Mondelez International to drive internal transformation, intending to award actual equity to internal entrepreneurs by the second year of the initiative.
- Bonnen Bo forecasts that simultaneous digital and TV advertising will achieve double the effectiveness of television-only campaigns, and aims to allocate 10% of total media spending to mobile channels to capitalize on the disparity where only 1% of ad dollars target the 25% of content consumed on mobile devices.
- Bonnen Bo anticipates the obsolescence of traditional 30-second spots in favor of deep storytelling and real-time creative adaptation, and expects television to be reinvented through episodic, "must-see" content to foster co-viewing rather than standard commercial interruptions.
- Gotham Chopra predicts the creation of a global "Marvel Comics of Asia" by 2030 by leveraging Indian mythology, while forecasting that creators in India and China will reach global audiences without traditional distribution channels, and that the 30-second ad model will evolve into real-time brand-creator collaborations.
- Gotham Chopra expects social media to become an integral component of every external-facing organizational role, including support, sales, and management, within a decade.
- Ryan Holmes notes the difficulty of predicting the exact state of Hootsuite even one year out due to the need for agility, and predicts social media marketing will become a standard channel rather than a distinct discipline.
- Ryan Holmes expresses concern that business schools fail to prepare future leaders, noting that fewer than 1% of top 100 program descriptions mention "digital," and fears broken vocational systems and a lack of early STEM education are creating technical skills gaps.
- Ken Lair expects the industry to heavily invest in mobile and social trends while maintaining confidence in content and e-commerce, predicting all major content companies like Netflix and Hulu will become significant video inventory buyers shortly.
- Ken Lair forecasts that traditional TV companies must either develop disruption strategies or acquire new content companies at high prices, while future investment will prioritize monitoring deal flow to anticipate mobile and social trends.
- Ken Lair projects that college economics will remain a gamble with rising costs and uncertain job markets, asserting that building companies from the ground up teaches more than formal education.
- All speakers identify the industry pace as unprecedented; Bonnen Bo states predicting company status one year ahead is difficult, and Gotham Chopra expects innovation in India and China to occur in "quantum leaps," bypassing Western developmental steps due to rapid cell phone technology activation.