While it's now clear the earth is flat, data intelligence is key, and integrated marketing is all the rage, too often I find that Brand strategies are still linear and often media focused. With the media landscape evolving incessantly these days, Brands and Brand strategy need to be agile and all-inclusive.
The concept of open source was initially a software development method that allowed for distributed peer review and transparency of process. Opensource.org believes the promise of open source is better quality, higher reliability, more flexibility and lower cost and this has generally proven to be true. But open source has evolved beyond software in my opinion. Wikipedia explains the open source model as allowing for concurrent input of different agendas, approaches and priorities and made available for public collaboration. Just like web 2.0.
Brands today need to adopt an open source strategy. Along the marketing continuum, the media and touch point options will continue to segment and proliferate. A strategic position reliant on only current options is doomed to long term failure in our new environment. However, a strong strategy that allows for immediate execution in any media stream or any environment and that allows for ongoing customer interaction is one that will survive as well as thrive.
