WPP and SuperAwesome, the leading kidtech platform, announced a partnership to advance the standards of privacy for children in the global digital ecosystem.

Responding to ongoing shifts in children’s online consumption patterns, WPP is the first company among its peers to set a benchmark for the highest standards in digital privacy and safety for kids, working in partnership with SuperAwesome.

With children making up 40% of all new internet users[1], the partnership seeks to address the imbalances of today’s internet infrastructure, which was designed for adults. The collaboration will further support brands on how to engage responsibly and in compliance with new global privacy laws passed by regulators – including COPPA (US), CCPA (California), GDPR-K (Europe) and Age Appropriate Design Code (UK) – which have been specifically designed to protect children online and ensure that only zero-data technology is used for digital engagement. 

WPP agencies and clients will have access to the world-leading kidtech team at SuperAwesome and its kid-safe engagement platform and insights tools, including the company’s highly regarded KidAware certification programme that ensures online engagement complies with the latest privacy legislation and advertising standards. The partnership builds on existing controls GroupM has helped to establish that excludes or minimises the risk of exposure to unsuitable content for children in social media. 

Children’s extensive use of technology is continuing to play a more important role in families, the channels they choose to engage with and the decisions they make. With almost half the world’s children now at home during the coronavirus pandemic and spending 50% more time on screens[2], the need for safe and trusted digital experiences has never been more important.

Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “We’re already seeing big changes in family life as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and how we all interact with technology. WPP’s partnership with SuperAwesome is part of our commitment to ensure children’s safety while engaging with content online. It sets the first benchmark for digital privacy for children and provides our clients with access to industry-leading strategies and the latest privacy-by-design technology for the under-16 digital media space.”

Dylan Collins, CEO of SuperAwesome, said: “Kids’ opinions are increasingly important in the family and for society. Retail, personal care, entertainment and brands in many other verticals understand the influence youth have on their businesses, but have been struggling to understand how to engage responsibly and compliantly. It’s a business imperative to evolve how we interact with and support the under-16 audiences, especially as their digital consumption patterns will be forever changed by their COVID-19 experiences. We are proud to be working with WPP and their clients to proactively lead best practices for kid-safe digital engagement everywhere.” 

ASDA’A BCW is also Highly Commended Middle East Agency of the Year

Sunil John, founder of regional public relations agency ASDA’A BCW and President of BCW Middle East, has been named ‘Best PR Professional in the Middle East’ in the PRWeek Global Awards 2020.

This latest individual award for John from the global PR industry coincides with the 20th anniversary year of ASDA’A, the agency he founded. He is credited with transforming PR from a communications function struggling under the shadow of big advertising agencies “to a thriving industry that attracts global capital and talent to the Middle East,” according to PRWeek. Other judges’ comments highlighted his role as “a renowned expert in the region, a true leader with a point of view on all things communications and business related.”

Under John’s leadership, ASDA’A BCW’s achievements include being part of the team which launched the tallest tower in the world, Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010, and supporting the UAE in its bids to host Expo 2020 Dubai and Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi.  John is also the driving force behind the annual ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey – the largest and longest running research into the region’s largest and most important demographic, its youth. The 2019 edition of the survey, titled ‘A Call for Reform’ was shortlisted in the PRWeek Global Citizenship Award. 

ASDA’A BCW was also Highly Commended in the Middle East Agency of the Year category. Judges noted how the agency used the formation of Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW) in 2018, following the merger of two of WPP’s biggest public relations brands Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe as, “a springboard to adopt new methodologies, focusing on culture and training.”

ASDA'A BCW has continued to grow through its five specialist practices: Consumer & Healthcare, Corporate, Enterprise & Technology, Financial and Public Affairs from small shoots as ASDA’A in 2000. It is now the only Middle East geography reporting directly to worldwide among any international PR agency and John, as President-Middle East, has a seat on the BCW global board. John also leads two additional subsidiary brands in the Middle East: Proof, spanning design, digital and social; and PSB Middle East, the research specialists.

This prestigious global award from PRWeek is the fourth individual industry award for John, following the SABRE Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in 2014, and two MEPRA awards, including the Chairman’s Award in 2016 and the inaugural MEPRA Fellowship in 2018. He was also invited to join the Arthur W Page society in 2019. In 2018, he was named among the ‘Arabian Business 100 Inspiring leaders in the Middle East’ and was ‘Arabian Business 100 influential people helping shape the Emirate’.

All nationwide golf courses are scheduled to resume play again this Sunday 31st May

Following government guidance, the Saudi Golf Federation (SGF) has confirmed that all of the country’s domestic golf courses will reopen this week, starting from Sunday 31st May. After more than two months of controlled movement and closures, the Saudi government this week set out a specific timetable to lift current restrictions in three phases. 

All golf clubs were included in the first phase of the government’s plans and have been given official permission to allow their members to return. However, there are strict health and safety guidelines and precautionary measures that golf clubs must adhere to, if continued play is to be permitted. As part of these new measures, golfers must pre-book their round in advance, and wear masks upon arrival. Temperature checks will also be conducted on arrival for all members and anyone showing signs of illness will be asked to leave the course.

Commenting on the measures put in place to ensure golf’s safe return in Saudi Arabia, Majed Al Sorour, CEO of the Saudi Golf Federation, said: “It is great news that we are now in a position to reintroduce the game we all love across the Kingdom, in line with the latest government regulations. As one of the sports which can be played safely during this period, we urge everyone to be respectful of the phased approach taken by the Saudi Golf Federation.”

Al Sorour continued: “We will continuously monitor the situation both in the Kingdom, and across the world and we have not ruled out the reintroduction of further restrictions if the guidelines are not followed correctly. It is therefore imperative that both golf clubs and members take the necessary steps and adhere to guidelines, if facilities are to remain open in the weeks ahead.”

Additional restrictions designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 include the use of physical distancing, with members keeping at least two meters apart from each other at all times. Golf carts will only be permitted to be used by one golfer and concierge services will also be closed, meaning players will need to carry their bags to and from their own vehicles. To prevent overcrowding on all courses, tee times have been extended to 14-minute intervals, with a maximum of three players per slot. This gap will not be altered for one or two balls. Restaurants and cafeterias will remain closed for seating, with takeaway orders possible via the on-course cart or telephone order. For payments, only contactless or card payments will be accepted. Shower and locker facilities will also remain closed.

Player-specific restrictions have also been put in place ahead of next week to prevent the spread of COVID-19. When playing from bunkers, golfers will be asked to make their very best efforts to smooth the sand using their club or their feet, rather than use a rake. Pick and place rules apply for bad lies. It will be forbidden for players to touch or handle the flagstick. Putts will need to be completed with the flagstick in, with players removing their own balls from the hole. Following the play of a hole, players should not enter the next teeing area until all members of the group in front have played their tee shots and left the tee box. Only one golfer should be on the tee at any given time. 

Ahead of next week’s return to golf, courses up and down the Kingdom have been hard at work to ensure conditions are pristine for the return of members. Despite restrictions resulting in a shortage of labour, agronomy teams have continued to work hard ensuring both the greens and fairways remain in superb shape, with their efforts being recognised by Al Sorour:

“Thankfully, all of our clubs have had the experience and skills to remain calm and continue their preparations unheeded, without knowing exactly when golf would be able to safely return. We will continue to remain in regular dialogue with the government, updating golf facilities and players on changes to regulations and procedures as restrictions across the Kingdom continue to lift. Given the continuous change in restrictions, there may be a requirement for the Saudi Golf Federation to update and reissue guidelines at regular intervals to reflect government and global advice.”

Netflix, the world's leading streaming entertainment service, is set to launch “Whispers”, the first Saudi thriller and drama series. The new series is one of many Khaleeji and Saudi titles available on Netflix, offering a different take on traditional dramatic shows in the region that appeal to global audiences.

The new Netflix Licensed Original will start streaming on Thursday 11th of June to more than 183 million users in 190 countries and will be subtitled in over 20 languages. 

The eight-episode series, produced by the Saudi Entertainment Phenomena Company “EP Saudi”, tells the story of a family who face the death of the family patriarch, Hassan, whose mysterious past resurfaces days before the expected launch of his company’s new smart application. The story develops from the different perspectives of the series’ protagonists and examines many social issues, such as family feuds and struggles brought forth by the business world. 

Speaking about the new series, Nuha Eltayeb, Director of content acquisitions for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey at Netflix said: “We believe that great stories can come from anywhere and be loved  everywhere. ‘Whispers’ is a fast-paced drama and every episode holds a new clue that will keep viewers wanting more. We are thrilled to be offering the new series to all our users in 190 countries and to be giving them the chance to discover great Arabic content that is full of mysterious twists.”

Hana Alomair, Director of the show said: “‘Whispers’ is a Saudi-produced dramatic thriller series that offers a new take on storytelling and marks my first time working with the great actor, Abdul Mohsen Alnimer. The series also features several unconventional female characters who truly embody the reasons why this project is so close to my heart. I am very proud that Netflix decided to make the series available to their 183 million subscribers worldwide and I hope viewers in Saudi Arabia, the GCC, the Arab region and beyond will enjoy it.” 

The series features a number of female talents including Shaimaa Al Fadl, Mysoon Alruwaily, Elham Ali, Nada Tawhid, Norah Alanbar, and Leila Arabi, in addition to actors Ali Al Sharif, Osama Al Qass, and Mohamed Ali, who will star alongside Abdul Mohsen Alnimer.

‘Whispers’ is developed by Saudi Entertainment Phenomena Company “EP Saudi”, written by Roolan Hassan and directed by Saudi director, Hana Alomair.

Groundbreaking Streaming Bundle Curates 100 Years Of Iconic And Beloved WarnerMedia Programming, New Original Content, And Fan-Favorite Acquired Franchises & Films

Sign Up Today For $14.99/Month at HBOMax.com or via Participating Partners

WarnerMedia’s highly anticipated streaming platform, HBO Max, has officially launched today, featuring a leading collection of content curated from across WarnerMedia’s legendary catalog and a roster of new Max Originals, plus fan-favorite acquired franchises and films. The launch of HBO Max is the culmination of efforts over the past year to bring the best of WarnerMedia together to launch a new streaming offering, following AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner. HBO Max has an unparalleled backing of distinct talent and industry leaders and demonstrates what can be accomplished when WarnerMedia’s celebrated brands come together.

This new direct-to-consumer experience features 10,000 hours of premium content including the entire HBO service; motion picture and TV series from Warner Bros.’ 100-year content collection; highlights from New Line; catalog titles from DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth and Looney Tunes Cartoons; a selection of classic films curated in partnership with TCM; along with a monthly offering of new Max Originals, guaranteeing something for everyone in the household. HBO Max is available starting today priced at $14.99/month from WarnerMedia.

“Today we are proud to introduce HBO Max – a dream that was created and nurtured by an incredible team of talented executives who dedicated the last year-and-a-half to making it a reality for consumers nationwide,” said Bob Greenblatt, Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer. “However, this is just the beginning of our journey. We will continue to innovate and evolve this one-of-a-kind platform that brings together beloved programming from across the WarnerMedia family and around the world, while also paving the way for the creative voices of tomorrow.”

“Little Voice” stars Brittany O’Grady as Bess King, a uniquely talented performer struggling to fulfill her dreams in New York.

First look revealed for new half-hour coming-of-age drama series featuring original music from Sara Bareilles

Apple unveiled a first look at “Little Voice,” a fresh, intensely romantic tale from the award-winning team of J.J. Abrams, Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson that will premiere globally on Apple TV+, alongside a slate of acclaimed original series and films, on Friday, July 10. Apple TV+ also revealed the first-look image for the highly anticipated series.

A love letter to the diverse musicality of New York starring Brittany O’Grady, Sean Teale, Colton Ryan, Shalini Bathina, Kevin Valdez, Phillip Johnson Richardson and Chuck Cooper, “Little Voice” follows Bess King (O’Grady), a uniquely talented performer struggling to fulfill her dreams while navigating rejection, love and complicated family issues. Featuring original music by Grammy and Tony Award nominee Sara Bareilles, this is a story about finding your authentic voice — and the courage to use it.

“Little Voice” is produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. J.J. Abrams (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Star Trek,” “Lost”), Sara Bareilles, Jessie Nelson (“I Am Sam,” “Stepmom,” “Waitress”) and Ben Stephenson (“Westworld”) are executive producers. Nelson also wrote and directed the first episode.

The new series will join a lineup of award-winning and hit original series on Apple TV+ including “Defending Jacob,” “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet,” and the Golden Globe-nominated and Critics Choice and SAG award-winning series “The Morning Show”; as well as the soon-to-premiere animated musical comedy series “Central Park” from Emmy Award winner Loren Bouchard alongside “Frozen” Grammy winner Josh Gad and Emmy winner Nora Smith; “Dear…,” a new docuseries from Emmy and Peabody Award winner R.J. Cutler; and documentary film “Dads” from director Bryce Dallas Howard.

DAZN will stream nine live matches from the regular season and four relegation matches from the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2

Live matches will be available for all customers on the service in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

This Friday’s derby between Hertha BSC and 1 FC Union Berlin will be live on DAZN

After the re-start of the Bundesliga last weekend, DAZN has today extended its partnership with the DFL to show multiple live matches from the competition on the sports streaming service in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, until the end of the season.

Thomas de Buhr, Executive Vice President DAZN DACH, commented: “We look forward to continuing to present the Bundesliga live to all football fans. The next match is this Friday, with the highly-anticipated derby in the capital between Hertha BSC and Union Berlin. The health and safety of everyone involved remains our top priority in the preparation and execution of our coverage.”

Kick-off is at 20:30 with DAZN’s presentation beginning at 20:15 CET. Lukas Schönmüller will present the programme, with punditry from Ralph Gunesch and Uli Hebel is the commentator. Alexander Schlüter will conduct pitch-side interviews at the Berlin Olympic Stadium. The Bundesliga continues on DAZN on Sunday 24 May, with the game between FC Schalke 04 and FC Augsburg.

Confirmed schedule of live Bundesliga matches available on DAZN:

• MD 27, Friday, 22.5, 20:30: Hertha BSC – 1 FC Union Berlin

• MD 27, Sunday, 24.5, 13:30: FC Schalke 04 – FC Augsburg

• MD 28, Wednesday, 27.5, 18:30: RB Leipzig – Hertha BSC

• MD 29, Friday, 29.5, 20:30: Sport-Club Freiburg – Bayer 04 Leverkusen

• MD 29, Monday, 01.06, 20:30: 1 FC Cologne – RB Leipzig

• MD30, Friday, 05.06, 20:30: Sport-Club Freiburg – Borussia Mönchengladbach

• MD30, Sunday, 07.06, 13:30: SV Werder Bremen – VfL Wolfsburg

• MD31, Friday, 12.06, 20:30: TSG Hoffenheim – RB Leipzig

• MD32, Wednesday, 17.06, 18:30: Eintracht Frankfurt – FC Schalke 04

In addition to the live matches, DAZN will continue to provide highlights of all Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 games on the platform, just 40 minutes after the final whistle.

Led by the strong awards performance of “Bounce” for Apple, TBWA\Media Arts Lab Los Angeles landed the top agency position in the world in the ADC Awards 2020 Global Rankings, revealed today following last week’s ADC 99th Annual Awards celebrations.

Rankings are determined by the cumulative point totals of ADC Cubes and Merits won.  

Highlights of the rankings on performance at this year’s ADC 99th Annual Awards, are below:

ADC 2020 Global Top 25 Agency Creative Ranking:

1. TBWA\Media Arts Lab Los Angeles 

2. Scholz & Friends Berlin 

3. BBDO New York 

4. Goodby Silverstein & Partners San Francisco 

5. McCann New York 

6. FCB Chicago 

7. Serviceplan Germany Munich 

8. Dentsu Tokyo and Spotify In-House New York (tied)

10. FCB/SIX Toronto 

11. antoni garage Berlin 

12. Superunion London 

13. DDB Paris 

14. FCBX Chicago 

15. 72andSunny Los Angeles 

16. Heimat Berlin 

17. achtung! Hamburg, BBDO Pakistan Lahore and Impact BBDO Dubai (tied) 

20. BBDO Minneapolis 

21. BETC Paris 

22. Jones Knowles Ritchie London 

23. No Fixed Address Toronto 

24. Jung von Matt Hamburg 

25. Serviceplan Korea Seoul 

ADC 2020 Global Creative Ranking:

1. Matthias Spaetgens, Scholz & Friends Berlin 

2. Greg Hahn, formerly BBDO New York 

3. David Lubars, BBDO Worldwide 

4. Oliver Handlos, Scholz & Friends Berlin, Robert Krause, Scholz & Friends Berlin (tied) 

6. Gail Bichler, The New York Times New York

Six creatives tied at 7th 

ADC 2020 Global Top 10 In-House Agency/Studio Creative Ranking:

1. Spotify In-House New York 

2. Google Brand Studio San Francisco 

3. RT Moscow 

4. Squarespace New York 

5. National Theater London 

6. Creative X San Francisco 

7. IBM Originals New York, O, The Oprah Magazine New York, Pepsico Design & Innovation New York, Verizon New York (tied)

ADC 2020 Global Top 10 Network Creative Ranking:

1. TBWA Worldwide 

2, BBDO Worldwide 

3. Commarco 

4. FCB Global 

5. DAS 

6. McCann Worldgroup 

7. Dentsu 

8. MDC Partners 

9. DDB Worldwide 

10. Hakuhodo 

ADC 2020 Top 10 Country Creative Ranking:

1. United States 

2. Germany 

3. Canada 

4. Mainland China 

5. Japan 

6. United Kingdom 

7. France 

8. Brazil 

9. United Arab Emirates 

10. Sweden 

“These results are particularly significant because the ADC Annual Awards is one of the only shows to have a recognized global awards ranking this year,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club for Creativity.  “The creative community around the world will look to this ranking to see how they measure up in terms of excellence in craft and innovation, as decided by a leading global jury of their peers.”

The ADC 99th Annual Awards is the world’s longest continually-running global awards program honoring excellence in craft and innovation.  It is part of The One Club for Creativity, the world’s leading nonprofit organization supporting and celebrating the global creative community.   

The One Club awards shows each have their distinct focus.  ADC Annual Awards juries maintain their long-running concentration as the champion for craft, design and innovation, while The One Show judges focus on creativity of ideas and quality of execution.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the privacy debate that had been making global headlines was put on the back burner while the world turned its attention to more pressing matters. But as companies and governments enlist sophisticated tracking technology from biometrics to Bluetooth as a weapon against the coronavirus, privacy implications are coming back into focus.

Tracing apps have become a popular option for citizens and governments to monitor the spread of the virus—but they also open new avenues for unparalleled access to user data. As of May 8, 2020, 5.3 million Australians had downloaded COVIDSafe, an app backed by the government that uses Bluetooth to exchange a “digital handshake” with any other user who comes within five feet, and pushes an alert if they have contact with anyone who tests positive for COVID-19. The UK’s National Health Service is currently piloting a similar app, in which several security issues have already been flagged.

Some governments are taking more aggressive measures, turning national defense software on their citizens in an effort to contain the virus. The Israeli internal security office redeployed counter-terrorism technology to track the movement of COVID-19 patients using phone and credit card data. In Russia, authorities used facial recognition software to locate a woman who had “escaped” from quarantine. In South Korean train stations, thermal cameras monitor travelers’ body temperatures. Drones in the United Kingdom have spotted and reported people violating social distancing regulations. The Australian government is installing surveillance hardware in some homes to ensure that anyone in quarantine stays put—with the threat of fines or jail time if they don’t.

Citizens are expressing qualms about the use of tracing tools. Only 37% of Americans think it’s acceptable for the government to use cellphone data to track individuals in order to ensure they are complying with social distancing regulations, only 45% think it’s acceptable to track those who may have had contact with someone who tested positive, and just over half (52%) think it’s acceptable to track the movements of people who have tested positive, according to April 2020 findings from Pew Research.

Perhaps adding to these reservations, many of the Big Tech companies who were major culprits in data and privacy breaches are also developing tracing technology. On May 20, Apple and Google—two companies that were under significant fire for data harvesting—released their joint Exposure Notification API software, which supports the development of contact-tracing apps. While not itself a tracing app, as was originally planned, it lays the technical foundation for developers to build upon in the creation of their own apps. The companies report that twenty-two countries across five continents have already requested the API to support their app development. Facebook, meanwhile, is sharing location data with COVID-19 researchers to track and predict hotspots.

Less obvious, seemingly innocuous platforms are also coming under scrutiny for privacy concerns. The New York City Department of Education banned the video-conferencing app Zoom from school use after the FBI warned that it was susceptible to digital hacking. Other free applications, such as Google Hangouts and Facebook Messenger, are raising similar concerns. Google subsidiary Verily requires a Google account to locate and book coronavirus testing—and says it may share users’ personal health information with outside parties like contractors and the government.

Privacy advocates argue that the use of tools like locating testing centers, videoconferencing and chat apps is no longer truly voluntary in newly distanced lifestyles. With schools and offices closed, many people don’t have any choice about logging onto Zoom for classes or meetings. And linking to your Google account seems a small price to pay to arrange testing. As The New York Times’ editorial board wrote in an April 7 opinion piece, “many Americans now rely on digital tools to work remotely and stay connected. They shouldn’t have to sacrifice their privacy to use them.”

Especially because, as Senator Maria Cantwell expressed during an April 9th hearing on the role of Big Tech during the pandemic, “rights and data surrendered temporarily during an emergency can become very difficult to get back.” Many of the far-reaching powers granted to intelligence officials after 9/11, for example, are still in place nearly two decades later.

And yet, the undeniable omnipotence that makes personal data a threat to individual privacy is also what makes it a major asset in managing public health. It is an incredibly powerful resource, with enormous capabilities for good alongside its vulnerabilities. “In this particular case, if we have technology for minimizing harm, we have a moral obligation to use it,” Marcello Ienca, a bioethicist at the Swiss university ETH Zurich, told the New Yorker. “But we have to merge it with the best available technology in the areas of cybersecurity and privacy.”

Initiatives to regulate data in the era of COVID-19 are starting to emerge. At the end of April, U.S. senators proposed a privacy bill for COVID-19 contact tracing, while earlier in the month hundreds of academics around the world signed their names in support of privacy-friendly contact tracing apps.

Consumers and experts alike are still grappling with where to draw the line between public health and personal privacy. But one thing is clear: the stakes of the data privacy debate are higher than ever. “It’s important to consider,” Northeastern University professor of computer science and law Woodrow Hartzog said in May during a conversation about privacy and COVID-19, “that the decisions we make now will impact privacy for years to come.”

Source: Wunderman Thompson

Marketers have always been captivated by the future, whether selling it - foldable phones and self-parking cars - or trying to interpret and predict it to gain a strategic advantage.

This has never been more true than over the last decade, where our collective imaginations have been shaped by the technologies and technology companies remaking the way we do business and live out our daily lives.

Yet for all the insight into the potential paths for technologies to evolve over the next decade and well into the 21st century, we were struck by the lack of clarity around how marketing and advertising might evolve in conjunction with those changes.

With so little certainty around what brand marketers should expect over the coming decade, we set out to identify the boundaries of expectation and the areas of conventional wisdom and agreement. We were curious: Do leading decision makers and experts in our own field even believe advertising will continue to exist in ten years’ time?

In a study conducted between January and late-February 2020, we interviewed nearly 50 industry experts, from academia, business, marketing, technology, publishing, and advertising trade organizations around the world to find out. Experts were asked to evaluate the likelihood of 15 different scenarios and their implications for the future of advertising - from data and personalization to AI, creativity, commerce, payments and the environment.

Key findings from the report include:

Companies will need to become more transparent, sustainable, and purpose-driven to meet the expectations of post-Millennial generations over the next decade. As an example, experts predict this audience will make environmental considerations a primary factor in consumer decision making as the 10 year deadline established by the UN to avert the worst effects of climate change draws nearer. 

While experts are optimistic that AI will eliminate inefficiencies without creating widespread joblessness or eliminating the need for people, individuals and companies will need to create new kinds of jobs and embrace new fields in which to apply human creativity. An example of the dramatic impact experts expect AI to have on marketing is the prediction that consumers will begin to outsource purchasing decisions to machines, which will optimize selections based on our goals and preferences. 

Advertising will continue to enable access to content and services for many people, especially in developing countries, but experts also predict companies will begin to prioritize services over products in their marketing. Experts deemed it unlikely that people will be able to opt out of advertising entirely but expect subtler forms of marketing like product placement and sponsorships - integrated into frictionless services and experiences - to play an increasingly important role.

Biometric data is likely to be established as a key component in consumer identity information by the end of the decade, making it necessary to focus on the development of corporate strategies and policies capable of securing its use. 

In lieu of global regulation, experts predict that companies will collaborate to establish standards across transactions, identity, and security that will enable new payment and exchange models that will create scalable alternatives to subscription based commerce.

Written by Kate Scott-Dawkins, Senior Director, Thought Leadership & Innovation at Essence