Digital Shift, a quarterly service from Econsultancy, is intended as a guide to support strategic thinking. This quarter’s update is brought to you by shoppertainment, inside AR, virtual Easter eggs, moons and bricks, digital tokens and pocket franchises.

More specifically, this Digital Shift looks at developments in video commerce, some interesting examples of the integration between physical and virtual world assets and the rapid growth in social audio. It also takes a deep dive into NFTs and their relevance to the creator economy.

Focused tightly on digital technologies, marketing and ecommerce, it is about delivering actionable insight on trends that will be significant in the short- to mid-term, and can be used to generate new ideas, improve business performance and stay ahead of the competition.

The latest report in this series, also available as a presentation and webinar recording (see link to the right), looks at the following:

Also included in this quarter’s update:

  • Video and visual commerce: The rise of ‘shoppertainment’ is a long-term trend that has been accelerated by the consumer shift to online during the pandemic. Some significant announcements this quarter indicate just where the long-term future of video commerce may lie, and which players will likely be notable innovators in the space.
  • Real-world/digital integration: New functionality is helping provide new opportunities for integration, which enhances real-world experiences through virtual and vice versa. Meanwhile, AI is creating lifelike customer service avatars.
  • Reddit: Is this the most undervalued and under-recognised social network? With rapid growth, new functionality and commercial opportunities, Reddit might just be the dark horse of social.
  • Social audio: With the rise of Clubhouse and a number of similar products being launched by competitors, suddenly the rise of social audio has become real.
  • NFTs and the creator economy: Shift demystifies one of the other most talked about recent trends – the rise in digital and social tokens and, in particular, NFTs. What are they, and how might they be disruptive to traditional internet dynamics? What is the potential for marketers and for creators to use NFTs and tokens to drive loyalty and community?

As ever with Digital Shift, plenty of challenge but also plenty of opportunity.