Converge: Transforming Business at the Intersection of Marketing and Technology

Converge: Transforming Business at the Intersection of Marketing and Technology [Hardcover]

Bob W. Lord (Author), Ray Velez (Author)

Publication Date: April 29, 2013

The leaders of Razorfish share their strategies for merging marketing and IT

To create rich, technologically enabled experiences, enterprises need close collaboration between marketing and IT. Converge explains how the merging of technology, media, and creativity is revolutionizing marketing and business strategy. The CEO and CTO of Razorfish, one of the world’s largest digital marketing agencies, give their unique perspective on how to thrive in this age of disruption. Converge shares their first-hand experience working closely with global brands—including AXE, Intel, Samsung, and Kellogg—to solve business problems at the collision point between media, technology, and marketing.

With in-depth looks at cloud computing, data- and API-enabled creativity, ubiquitous computing, and more, Converge presents a roadmap to success.

Explains how to organize for innovation within your own organization by applying the principles of agile development across your business

Details how to create a religion around convergence, explaining how to tell the story throughout the organization

Outlines how to adapt processes to keep up with and take advantage of rapid technological change

A book by practitioners for practitioners, Converge is about rethinking business organizations for a new age and empowering your people to thrive in a brand, new world.Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Marketing and technology have been two separate worlds, speaking different languages, using different processes, and valuing different kinds of talent. For businesses to succeed today, this has to change. Marketing and IT must “converge” in order to create rich, technologically enabled digital experiences that engage, delight, and serve the consumer. It’s easier said than done, but the reality is stark: the lines between creativity, technology, and media are rapidly blurring, revolutionizing marketing and business strategy and empowering the consumer. It’s a convergence that’s filled with opportunity and fraught with challenge—and one your organization can’t afford to ignore.

Authored by the CEO and CTO of Razorfish, one of the world’s largest digital marketing agencies, Converge shares their firsthand experience working closely with global brands—including Unilever’s AXE brand, Staples, and Mercedes-Benz USA—to solve business problems at the collision point between media, technology, and marketing. With an in-depth look at cloud computing, data- and API-enabled creativity, ubiquitous computing, and more, Convergepresents a road map to success. It explores why and how this convergence is happening and explains how to restructure your organization to thrive in an age of constant disruption.

Converge offers real-world examples of how the consumer voice has changed and what to expect in the future, addressing topics like business transformation, omni-channel commerce, mobile, and interactive marketing. You’ll learn how to create a religion around convergence, telling the story throughout your organization and inspiring your workforce to believe in its importance. And you’ll get critical insights on how to:

Place the consumer at the center of your thinking

Apply the principles of agile development across all marketing functions

Adapt processes to keep up with and take advantage of rapid technological change

Break down silos, cross train, and embrace the power of partnerships

Adopt next-generation storytelling techniques in order to reach your audience

Convergence is the key to reaching customers in the new world of digital communication. It’s time to rethink your business, and empower your people.

From the Back Cover

Praise for Converge

“Converge delightfully explains why marketing and technology have never been more intertwined and how your organization can and must adapt. If your job is about communicating on behalf of a brand—at an agency or client organization—and you’re looking for a practical and innovative guide to thriving in this age of disruption, this book is for you.”
Tim Armstrong, CEO and Chairman, AOL Inc.

“As a CEO whose business is at the intersection of technology and marketing, I know how important it is to understand and adapt to this powerful shift. Converge tackles important issues for digital communicators in today’s hyperconnected marketplace. This book is not just a recap of the latest innovative technology; it explains how leaders can empower their teams to thrive. It should generate some great conversations.”
Shantanu Narayen, President and CEO, Adobe

“At Razorfish, Bob Lord and Ray Velez have witnessed advertising’s technology-enabled shift from passive, traditional messages to the re-imagining of brands as services and experiences. With firsthand accounts and practical insights, their book makes a chapter and verse case for a future based on collaborative creativity and an open source agency model that can produce multiple ideas for multiple audiences. By dissecting the disruptions deployed by brands as diverse as AXE and Audi, Converge presents a cogent argument for a future where art and science intersect, where Data, not Don Draper, is the true messiah.”
Paul Kemp-Robertson, Cofounder and Editorial Director, Contagious Communications