Tomorrowthink | A Word You Need to Know
It’s not exactly a new concept; planning for tomorrow. ‘Be prepared for what’s ahead’ is a mantra we’re taught as soon as we start to understand the basic concept of time. So why does it seem that in today’s ever connected and synchronous world, we seem to have less time to adapt to change? It used to be that belief systems, politics and technology would take generations to change. Then years, then months, then hours. And, as we are all unfortunately well aware, today, a simple tweet now has the power to change the course of history in a couple of seconds.
The pace of change is one that is undeniable to ignore. The fact that those of us born before 1950 have seen during our lifetimes more population growth than occurred during the preceding four million years is enough to make you stop for more than a second. Those of us working in digital don’t need to look further than the fact the strategies we used a year ago are no longer relevant today. Audiences are changing. Brand loyalty is on the decline. The diversification of platforms presents challenges that cause old rule books to be thrown out the window. Titans of the past are disappearing at an alarming rate, while the smallest start-ups are now the most important players in the world. Dentsu Aegis Network’s very own Nigel Morris captured this shift perfectly when he said, “If you’re not a start-up, you’re a turnaround.”
iProspect has always been a change leader, and globally, we lean forward with a relentless focus on keeping our people and our clients ahead of the pace of change. It’s this changing landscape that caused us to launch the notion of tomorrowthink at its 2017 global summit in Singapore, and continue that mindset at events around the world.
Tomorrowthink
/təˈmôrō-thiŋk\
Noun
The mental state of understanding that the future is now today. A mindset anticipating change while embracing innovation, inclusivity and imagination.
Innovation keeps us asking, and solving the most difficult problems we place. Inclusivity celebrates that undeniable fact that the best ideas are born when you invite everyone to the table. But it is the last part of that definition, “Imagination” that stands out to me most. Imagining that the world can be different, and must be different, is what compels us to bring about change and shatter traditional rules. And as I connect daily with teams around the world, I see that it is this crucial mindset that allows us to consistently innovate, create solutions, products and strategies that make sense in this brave new world.
Humanity and society have only advanced because we are able to imagine a different world. Change is inherently in our DNA. Today, tomorrowthink may simply be a concept we are using to underpin our ideas, but tomorrow…?
