Proximity BBDO

According to Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, keynote speaker at Microsoft’s Future of Digital Marketing Congress,
the future of digital marketing means 2 things to the advertising world  (at least the ones I found memorable enough ;-) :

1. All media going digital
2. Expanded Marketing choice

The first point means that creative people need to adapt. The 2nd point that also media people will need to adapt.

1. All media going digital

In ten years from now there will be no more difference between print, digital and video ads, there will be just ads, according to Steve Ballmer.

Example : Microsoft is currently talking to a company that will be able to produce a digital carrier that will have the same features as a piece of paper. It will be as light-weighted, flexible and easily to write on as paper. One difference however, it will able to ‘connect’.
2. Expanded marketing choice

Steve Ballmer means that a marketer you will be able to :
1. buy based on context, demographics and/or behaviour
2. choose between fixed or variable placement. The latter meaning that you don’t know exactly when your ads are going to appear.
3. have pricing based on negotiated rate cards and/or auction systems (cfr. Google adwords of today)
4. have different formats to pick from : text, picture or video
5. pay per impression, click or action from the target.
6. choose the screen on which the ads will be appearing, being pc, tv or mobile.

Note that point 1 to 5 are inspired by the online ad industry mechanics of today. If this vision is right, the media players of today better learn fast.

In order to help marketers connect to publishers through this multitude of combinations and choices, software comes in.
Microsoft will try to deliver the platforms and (online) marketplace where this advertising demand and offer will meet.
Only a few companies will be able to deliver such a platform, being Microsoft themselves and Google or Yahoo!.
One of the reasons why Microsoft is trying to buy Yahoo!.