Media Innovation:  I’ll define it as the new and creative means in which we communicate our message.  Marketing messages, educational articles, heart-warming stories– we now have many more options to reach our target audience, strike an emotional connection and engage with them: print, online, social media, video.  Technology advancements have sparked new creative ideas changing how we approach media; “integration” is our new buzz word– and the new expectation.  Marketers and designers alike are expected to know more, do more and achieve greater results, often with fewer resources.  Unfortunately, many creative artists don’t feel equipped to thrive in our new media landscape.

In research released earlier this year by Adobe, 2 out of 3 creatives expect their role to change in the next 12 months yet 1 out of 3 lack the training needed to advance in this new media era.  Creatives know they need to reinvent themselves…91% say they need to be skilled in more than one area with 90% attributing digital tools and channels as the primary source for the changes.  80% agree: we are in a creative revolution.  (Adobe Survey Data, April 2014; view entire report)

So what’s a creative to do?  How you adapt to the changes is up to you; you control the direction of your career.  As a seasoned creative, I’ve seen my share of media shifts over the years.  I’ve had to adapt my creative skills more than once to fit the market.  The creative artists who thrive embrace the changes, proactively prepare for new client requests, and as a result, their skills are in demand.

As for me, I’d like to help shape the future of media and be on the forefront of change.  New technologies also mean unlimited creative possibilities.  To me, that’s exciting.  The creative world is at our feet. We are indeed in a new era of media innovation.  Are you prepared?