[Posted by Ed Hadley
Senior Marketing Manager, Neolane, Inc.]

Last week, Eastman Kodak Co. filed for bankruptcy protection, becoming the latest victim of digital disruption.  The 132-year-old company and photography icon follows the likes of Borders, Blockbuster, and numerous others who failed to adapt to changing times.

The reason: Kodak viewed digital as a threat to its lucrative film business.  Instead of jumping in early like rivals Canon and Nikon, the company waited until it was too late.  CEO Antonio M. Perez acknowledged that Kodak was five years too late to accelerate its shift to the digital age.  The irony is that Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975, but shelved it because of the perceived threat.

We’ve seen similar storylines play out in the retail, publishing, music, media, and entertainment industries, all of which experienced disruption as consumers shifted their purchasing patterns and product format preferences to digital.  Those who adapted and innovated thrived; those who didn’t died.

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[Posted by Jason Vicinanza,
Pre-sales Manager, Nordic Region and International Markets, Neolane]

The UK’s Royal Mail and Opt-4 recently released the results of their ‘Permission Please’ survey, which surveyed a variety of marketing, CRM, and privacy professionals to help understand the impact of data protection legislation on direct marketing and the value of data as a business asset.

The survey found that opt-out rates are rising, with more and more consumers refusing to share personal data.  While such behavior is not entirely surprising—especially given the numerous, high-profile cases of data theft in recent years—it’s nonetheless disconcerting to marketers, who view it as a serious threat to ongoing campaign results and revenues.

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[Posted by Kristin Hambelton
Vice President Marketing, Neolane, Inc.]

This October, the city of lights will shine bright once again for Neolane Evolution, our annual worldwide customer and partner event.  Taking place October 20-21 in Paris, this invitation-only event will feature a stellar line up of keynotes from industry luminaries plus numerous case studies and break out sessions focused on the latest marketing strategies and best practices.

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There are so many interesting and insightful conversations taking place in marketing right now, so we thought this was the perfect opportunity for Neolane to jump in and provide our perspectives on various topics impacting our customers, partners, and the industry as a whole. This blog, The Cross-Channel Conversation, will not be just Neolane-focused, but instead community driven – written by marketers for marketers.  We invite you to join in the conversation!

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