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RESEARCH
ANALYSIS
Impact of digital transformation on TRENDS

marcoms’ everyday life

29% of those surveyed believe, it will not be part of
most companies' repertoire until 2030. In contrast to AI,
the Internet of Things and blockchain will also have the
least impact on communication. Augmented and virtual
reality (mixed reality), on the other hand, will play a
central role, especially for content production (48%)
and human-machine interactions for the marketing
organization within the company (42%).

New technologies are both a support and a
challenge
Like hardly any other topic, the digital transformation is
currently shaping public discussion in the However, the study also shows that many issues
communications industry, but operationally it has barely appear to become relevant much faster than
reached the marketing, PR, and social media organizations can adapt to them. For the area of
departments, yet. Only a minority is currently using external communication with stakeholders, in particular,
future technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the experts predict that technologies such as mixed
blockchain or mixed reality (MR). This is now confirmed reality and “Internet of Things” applications will spread
by an international survey of 155 communication quickly, but at the same time believe that the concrete
managers, designed and carried out by the integration of such technologies will pose significant
Macromedia University of Applied Sciences in challenges for many companies, which many are not
cooperation with the PR agency cocodibu. The so- up to.
called “Values & Visions 2030” study is planned to be
conducted on a regular basis in the future with different "We are currently observing an exciting competition for
focuses. the future viability of agencies and marketing
departments, which will only remain successful if they
Artificial intelligence affects most manage to adapt their technological skills to the new
communication disciplines requirements in a few years," says Florian Haumer, co-
author of the Macromedia study.
Just under 15% of those surveyed are currently
involved in the development of AI applications in their “It is therefore becoming increasingly important not only
company. In blockchain projects, there are even only to understand the support that technical innovations
5% that deal with specific application scenarios. such as AI applications or new visual and acoustic
human-machine interfaces offer us in a first step, but
Respondents predict personalized advertising to also to use it courageously in a second step automate
develop the fastest: 39% indicated that it will become processes and make the remaining work easier, ”adds
the standard in 2020. The experts foresee the tide will Professor Castulus Kolo from Macromedia University.
only change around 2025, but then even more
dynamically: by then, most technologies would be used “Companies and agencies face the challenge of
in both external and internal communication. planning a future that is becoming increasingly difficult
Furthermore, 23% of the communication experts to predict. It only seems clear that the relationship
surveyed believe that, for instance, artificial intelligence between man and machine is being explored anew in
in the form of voice assistants will have achieved a the communication departments and service providers,
breakthrough. They see further areas of application for and that job profiles, requirement profiles and
AI primarily in the field of communication strategy, processes are changing radically. Even if 2025 is still a
creation, and the way in which companies bit to go - now it is a matter of creating the conditions
communicate with stakeholders. for this,” adds Stefan Krüger, managing director of the
cocodibu agency. ◊
A significantly longer time frame is forecasted for By MediaBUZZ
blockchain technology: In the form of smart contracts,

21 July 2020: Virtual-, Augmented & Mixed Reality: revolutionizing the customer experience