This is the question that the new Vanksen study "Connecting The Digital Dots in 2023" aims to answer. In 2023, conducting periodic monitoring to display individual trends loses its meaning. Socio-digital evolutions are constant. Behaviors and innovations fluctuate organically, iteratively, and continuously. In this context, Vanksen experts have attempted to translate them into a mind-mapping in order to better visualize the correlations impacting brands in their digital strategies. They can thus better understand the dos and don'ts adapted to their DNA and business challenges, activate technological, tactical, marketing, and communication levers that generate meaning and performance for them and their communities. https://www.vanksen.com/en/insights/socio-digital-evolutions-micro-communities-business-opportunities-for-brands

1. Connecting the digital dots in 2023
WIP – En attente du visuel de Dino
PRÉSENTE

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Introducing a new observatory-like approach
to analyzing trends and guiding brands’
digital marketing and communication performance.
Connecting the digital dots
2023

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We truly live in a « beta » world as each day new functionalities and incremental change take our apps,
devices and the diverse range of services we use forward. Continuous improvement is something most business
players now do naturally.
It is therefore impossible to keep announcing lists of key novelties in our studies as some of these will unavoidably
feel… well not so new, just organically evolved. And that’s ok, because the shift is now ongoing.
We have been talking about AI, crypto, metaverse related topics for a while now and yet there are plenty of new dots
that got connected in the past months, new causalities came to life, new users’ habits took shape….
Cécile Lorenzini
Managing Director

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That’s why in 2023, as Vanksen, we would like to launch a new observatory-like approach based on an
in-depth news and reports’ review to capture the state of « the global village » (as we like to call all things
digital) at this given time.
In this mapping, we will share with you the main digital levers and evolutions that seem to drive the change
and impact the positions brands may have to take.
Armand Lebrun
Managing Director

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Where to begin ?
There is no beginning to our mapping as this « web »
could very well be represented on a spheric surface :
dots can connect with each other from multiple angles.
We will focus on the « links » that feel most impactful in terms of repercussion for brands’
present and future digital marketing and communication strategies.
Everything in the digital world (platforms, services, communication, technologies…) being designed around the requirements and
influences of our relationships and online behavior, that’s where we will have to put our initial focus.
This led us to picking trends relative to micro-communities as a starting point.
45°21’603.1N
0°28’566.6W

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From the fantasy of
The truth is, for a long time, these new touchpoints were nothing more than pages on
which people could follow top- down publishers and interact with each other, comment,
like, share opinion, post their own content when they were allowed…
Since the democratization of Social Media, we have been reading, writing and fantasizing about “online communities” and
even more so about brand communities.
But these hubs were not yet generating the true proximity of an authentic community.
That is now changing thanks to new dynamics triggered by new platforms and social change.
online communities…

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… to an all inspiring
Specialized social platforms now offer internet users the possibility to draw their own daily digital journeys.
Social - maturity - shift
For instance, a fellow gamer can say “good morning” on Discord to people they talk with throughout the entire day, meet up for a
live sess’ on Twitch, catch-up on others’ games on Youtube…
Each person develops their own transmedia experiences, collecting and sharing
information throughout organic ecosystems. While mainstream channels still exist,
micro-communities are rising and allowing the deeper connections
we were all waiting for.

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1 map, 5 key areas
Our analysis revealed 5 key areas of expectations relative to different roles that internet users play in
their communities and throughout their unique personal digital journeys. They act as :
PARTNERS
MEMBERS who need support in expressing themselves fully in their communities.
who need help in creating a better world.
CREATORS who need tools.
USERS who want control.
GAMERS who value immersive entertainment.

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Our mission
Helping you understand the changes and how brands need to communicate through digital in 2023 in order to :
Reach their KPIs and
business performance
Be aligned with the new
do’s and don’ts
Be relevant for their
unique brand identities

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DESIGN YOUR JOURNEY
Would you rather… ?
Explore the map immediately > Yep. Let’s go !
01
02
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Go through the insights and the news review > Let me see the detail
Read our experts’ digest > That’s more like it

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Explore the map

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Let’s connect
the dots of change
Explore the mapping
Read the digest
Read the insights and news

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The Mapping : Insights and News Review

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MEMBERS
As mentioned before, there are 5 areas on our map :
Members, Partners, Creators, Users and Gamers.
Each define a role the consumers may sometimes play through their online interactions
and which your brand can empower.
Your brand will not be concerned by each one of the trends and changes that our
study explores. Instead, you may use our mapping to detect the key topics of your
brand’s digital marketing and communication challenges:
Which are the insights that best represent your communities’ needs ?
Which trends are most important for your company or your industry?
On each slide’s top right corner, you will find the location of the trend on the
mapping.
Let’s get started ….
Let us guide you through
the connections we made

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Click to read articles
to content generators ?
CREATORS
A 2022 Linktree study has shown that our world is now home to 200 million content creators.
Amongst the top downloaded apps in 2022, Capcut, a content creator tool, appears in the 4th place leaving a social
media leader such as Snapchat behind.
Users and creators are both looking for technological solutions to facilitate and diversify what they can make and
express online. From searching the web to writing our essays or even our obituaries… humans seem to have been
waiting for an AI empowered life-style.
Today content creators are also welcoming a new kind of species amongst them : content generators, also known as
prompters – people who understand how the algorithm thinks and know how to brief them for a specific result.
From content creators
GPT-3 is what you might call an “alternative intelligence”. It is an alternative approach to intelligence, which must be based on statistical and mathematical calculations to be effective.
Gary Marcus

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EMPOWERING QUESTION
The variety of content your audiences are exposed to daily is continuously increasing.
Here are a few questions to help you stand out amongst those content creators, generators, prompters…
or whatever we will be calling them tomorrow ;)
FOR YOUR BRAND’S DESIGN
What is the unique value proposition that your visual assets should absolutely express ?
Is your design system differentiating enough vs current graphic design trends to emerge
and recognizable enough to be associated with your brand ?
Is your brand ID diverse enough to offer a rich visual vocabulary adapted to each
touchpoint and editorial topic ?
Dino Zara
Head of Design

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Opinion leaders
The line between the consumers of social media content and those who create it is made very thin by the constant
feedback loop that connects them. Gen Z wants to be accepted in their complexity and they want to see representation.
They follow and give voice to those who have something to affirm, to say, to stand for, a change to accelerate.
60% of Gen Z Storytellers say they are more likely to buy from brands that represent diverse and minority identities
and experiences in their adverts and on social media – even if they don’t belong to these groups.
PARTNERS
Gender-fluid fashion is still relegated
to spectacular displays on red carpets,
stages, billboards – that is beautiful,
but that is not yet translated into
meaningful safety for those of us who
practice this in public spaces.
Alok Vaid Menon
that “represent”

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EMPOWERING QUESTION
Grand purposes have always proven to be engaging, which renders them quite attractive to marketers.
That’s why we must double check, even triple check, before we allow our brands to address them.
We must make sure to handle sensitive subjects with the respect they deserve.
Or we can count on gen Z to call us out anyway…
FOR YOUR BRAND’S IDENTITY
Do you always make sure you are legitimate before addressing a sensitive topic
or a specific community ?
Which are the tangible actions you have taken in the fields of your commitments
(making sure you are not accused of cause washing) ?
Do you know your community well enough to determine all the identities your
communication should represent ?
Lucile Gouvernel
Head of Strategic Advisory

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Brands and platforms
The word inclusion is more and more called out as it “implies a dominant crowd being kind enough to include a
secondary population”. The current opinion leaders on diversity prefer the term “belonging”.
In the meanwhile, no word has yet been able to efficiently replace “inclusive’” when it comes to defining the kind
of marketing and digital experience our industries must comply with.
One key learning : if we want everyone to belong, we need data on all populations’ everyday lives, realities and
struggles, so we can actually design solutions and services that fit their needs and culture.
We need to work on the data gap and our (sub)conscious bias.
The result of this deeply male-dominated culture is that the male experience, the male perspective, has come to be
seen as universal, while the female experience that of half the global population, after all--is seen as, well, niche.
Caroline Criado Perez
MEMBERS
learning to be inclusive

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EMPOWERING QUESTION
Content is one thing, but 99% of digital is made of experience. Which brings us to the fundamental
expertise of… UX.
Heavily informed with user insights and data, the design of your navigation journeys must be developed
with the needs of all potential visitors in mind. Does your website make sure everyone belongs ?
FOR YOUR BRAND’S USER FRIENDLINESS
How do you monitor the accessibility and usability of your website ?
What are your KPIs and how do you challenge them ?
Do you need to be certified for accessibility compliance or do you truly want
to improve the quality of your user experience ?
Samuel Mazars
Head of Data & UX

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Abolishing linguistic
According to Meta, no language must be left behind. Internet has allowed our world to become an information-led
economy and it goes without saying: if you don’t speak the dominant languages out there, you will be left out.
To offer equal power to all, and obviously, to increase the number of transactions possible throughout the world, tech
firms are heavily investing in AI empowered translation tools.
In the meanwhile, to communicate with all cultures brands and institutions must also learn their values, sense of humor
and subtleties related to the interlocutors. Transcreation helps them adapt their content to local codes.
Languages with a relatively small
number of speakers,
like Kochila Tharu, do not have
enough digitized material for
linguistic communities to thrive,
no Google Translate,
no film or television subtitles, no
online newspapers.
In industry parlance, these
languages are “underserved”
and “underresourced.”
Madhuri Karak
USERS
CREATORS
MEMBERS
and cultural barriers

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Niche-creativity,
Online communities allow us to find « our people ». There, we can confide in others knowing they go through similar
experiences, joys and frustrations. And that’s where some strategic thinkers collect all the juicy frictions and insights
made in heaven and develop niche platforms, community led projects and specialized apps which guarantee high levels
of engagement. Frequent users of a platform will also get creative in the ways they use a platform.
That’s how a growing number of opportunists have spotted job opportunities in dating apps’ chats when there was no
love match… so why not send a CV instead of a cute selfie ? Last but not least, the influencers of niche networks are
incredibly efficient when it comes to generating performance for brands they partner with, as they hold unique
knowledge of the targeted sub-culture.
Co-parents can also share access with others who may
need to view the schedule or retrieve data, such as
grandparents, therapists, and attorneys. The ability to easily
share data with these professionals also saves co-parents
time and energy and makes it easier to export data if
needed for parenting disputes.
Family Wizard Review and key insights
MEMBERS
Made-in-community
Andrew Roth
You don’t have to be pretty, you have to be functional, work, and be fun. You just have to have your unique role and play into that.
(Gen Z expectations from brands).

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EMPOWERING QUESTION
New insights come to light each day in micro-communities, but what good is it for your brand if you are
not aware of them ?
You could be inspired to improve your editorial line to better engage your audiences, to develop a new
service or to adapt your product functionalities to better serve your customers. Insight is… everything.
FOR YOUR BRAND’S RELEVANCE
Do you regularly dive into your communities’ conversations to understand their
topics, interests, issues… ?
Are you equipped with social listening tools to collect online feedback and
generate insights ?
Vanessa Diemer
Head of Social Listening

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A decentralized web and financial
Gen Z has lost trust in institutions and wants to take the matters in their own hands when it comes to preparing
for their future. That’s why many of them are spending time trying to improve their financial literacy and show interest in
the development of Web3, aka the path towards a safer, a more private and more decentralized internet that would give
more power to the « ordinary users ».
USERS
empowerment
The top resolutions for Gen Z included saving more money (40%), paying down debt (28%) and spending less money (26%), according to the Fidelity survey.

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EMPOWERING QUESTION
New generations are looking to stand up for themselves. They may have lost trust in traditional
institutions, but they are still open to connecting with reliable allies.
Your brand could play that part and support them in their goals, not only as smart customers but
also as better citizens.
FOR YOUR BRAND’S UTILITY
Would you describe your social brand content as empowering
(through information, tutorials, educational topics…) ?
Does your social strategy allow your audiences to use your platform,
to speak their truths and ask their questions ?
Joffrey Martin
Head of Social Media
Do you support your audiences in better managing their budget
and optimizing their consumption ?

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Seamless Stream’n
The more internet users try to escape negative news and platforms which they don’t trust, the more their time is spent
on streamed content and social networks. That’s where they find their inspirations but also, products and services they
may be interested in. Brands have well understood this opportunity.
Marketing efforts are focused on avoiding disturbance of the online experience while enabling “shopability”.
Services like Netflix and Disney+ now account for more than
45% of the time working-age internet users watch TV.
2023 Internet Use Insights
USERS
GAMERS
When you are watching episode six of Emilie in Paris’ last season, you will see a storyline on a
perfume. They are immersed in Provence in the lavender fields, so we developed, with Darren Star,
a perfume that really captures the essence of Provence. As the viewer's watching, they’re able to
buy in real-time into the storyline.
Jill Martin – Shop the Scenes
Shopping

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EMPOWERING QUESTION
You may not sign social commerce partnerships and product placement deals with every new pop-culture
sensation out there, but surely there must be a way for your brand to be visible “around” those trending
interests…
FOR YOUR BRAND’S TACTICAL VISIBILITY
Antoine Forêt
Head of Media
Have you thought of adapting your content to the formats that best fit the favorite
platforms (social, streaming…) of your communities (ex : creating audio content to be
visible on Spotify or YouTube audio ads) ?
Have you thought of targeting the audiences that interact with the names and keywords
of your communities’ favorite shows and games on their social touchpoints ?

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The Meta Push
Educational tech startups are developing platforms such as Hatch Kids, to help the youth get involved with metaverse-
relevant coding. While today’s users are not entirely « there yet », organizations seem eager to develop marketing
campaigns, activations and entire working and training spaces designed for these immersive virtual environments
inspired by the leading game worlds and the types of experiences they allow. One of the main steps ahead : developing
pathways between compatible metaverses with interoperable collectibles.
Three billion people are playing some kind of video game in 2022, which is expected to rise to 3.32 billion by 2024.
GAMERS
in a gamers’ world

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From digital natives
We are no longer living in a dominantly physical world. We are at all times connected one way or the other, merely
taking digital breaks to get back to reality. Just as we have filled our houses with jars to avoid being exposed to
marketing packagings in the comfort of our kitchens, we are also starting to look for technology that can hide in plain
sight thanks to design hacks. Like these earrings that are actually… wireless earbuds. Such seamless digital
accessories and mixed reality experiences allow us to remain connected while feeling present here and now.
Nearly 9 in 10 US Gen Z adults spend more than an hour on social media each day,
and nearly half spend more than 3 hours with the platforms, according to a Creatopy survey.
USERS
GAMERS
to digital inhabitants…

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A space yet
From fake news, malignant bots, influencers giving advice on financial topics which they know little about,
to the physical harassment between avatars causing MeToo movements in virtual spaces… The web is not yet a safe
space where people behave as model online citizens. In order to anticipate all the crimes that may arise in the Metaverse,
Interpol has built its own VR space (a duplicate of the Lyon offices) to train teams and create awareness.
Influencers have a lot of weight, so
they have a lot of responsibility. The
rules are not sufficiently respected,
and they must be reinforced.
Bruno Le Maire,
Minister of the Economy & Finance
USERS
to be made safe

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FOR YOUR BRAND’S ONLINE SECURITY
Have you implemented a security
system to keep cybersquatters
(brand identity theft, platform
copycats), scams and spamming
campaigns away ?
Have you made sure you would
be the first one to know in case
of a breach to protect your
business and brand’s image ?
EMPOWERING QUESTION
There are plenty of “bad guys” out there and you know you’re not one of them.
But let’s make sure everyone knows it and that it stays that way.
Head of Social Listening
Vanessa Diemer
Head of Intellectual Property
Guillaume Vion

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Self-conscious
You know binge watching is bad for you when your streaming platform starts turning your jogging kilometers into free
series’ episodes (like Canal+ started doing). Internet has been around for a while now and its users are no longer
oblivious to the negative effects it can have. New studies and documentaries prove each day the toll it can take on your
mental health if you are not good at setting some protective boundaries.
Data analysis indicates
that people are
seeking a more select
use of Internet,
prioritizing quality over
quantity.
USERS
Just as they started doing with nutrition or any other type of consumption, new
generations are looking to spend less time online, while better choosing what
deserves their attention (paid subscriptions, sorting out who they follow…).
Teens who visited social media
platforms daily were 19% more
likely to get inadequate sleep.
Documentary Anxious Nation
digital users

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FOR YOUR CONTENT’S RELEVANCY
Do you make sure to only create
content that is useful and interesting
vs your audience’s insights instead
of adopting a “maximum content,
maximum visibility” approach ?
Have you made sure to tailor
design your content and your
SEO keywords according to
what internet users really want
to find on your pages ?
EMPOWERING QUESTION
One of the best ways to offer internet users a healthier web experience is to make sure
we’re only giving them what they truly asked for. Zero waste of attention !
Head of Data & UX
Samuel Mazars
Head of SEO
Jonathan Gerome

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Sustainable x Digital :
The carbon footprint of digital content and advertising was largely overlooked until recently.
The technology used to track emissions is still a work in progress, but the shift is real.
Sustainable and digital are two words that go hand in hand now and from the way platforms are designed to the choice of
formats, the industry is learning how to ask the right questions at the right time. Brands and companies are also exploring ways
to use digital levers to lower their impact on the environment but also to share engaging content to prove their commitment. In
the meanwhile, new laws are regulating entire industries and Fashion is one of the main targets of the change.
In order to enable a circular business model transformation,
we need to turn physical products into traceable assets.
Natasha Franck, founder and CEO of Digital ID company Eon
PARTNERS
49 out of 100 senior level UK marketers surveyed thought attention metrics are beneficial for reducing campaign emissions
a new kind of transformation

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EMPOWERING QUESTION
While brands are doing their best to lower the carbon footprints of what they sell and how they
produce, it is also time for their digital assets to align with the same eco-responsible goals.
FOR YOUR WEBSITE’ EFFICIENCY
Have you optimized your web architecture (by adopting a headless approach for
instance) in order to minimize the resources being consumed by your platform ?
Was your website designed to minimize your carbon footprint ?
Julien Grossio
Head of Development
Have you proceeded to minimizing your digital ecosystem’s servers’ load ?

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Digital can help brands empower their communities.
In other words…

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protagonists
With over 30 years of digital experience, humanity has started grasping the potentials
that are presented to us as well as the negative consequences we need to watch out for.
Accountability is a key word to keep in mind alongside empowerment, as all the dots
can now connect and show us the way towards mindful business creativity.
In today’s world, users are members of circles, partners and allies for a better world,
mature users of digital tools and platforms, gamers immersed in all kinds of entertaining
experiences and creators – or generators - of the content that connects them to one
another.
They are digital protagonists and the brands’ main role to play is to offer them the
appropriate equipment to design their own online experiences as they intend : through
responsible products and services, relevant, useful and/or entertaining content, social
and interoperable goods, platforms to give voice to their truths, equal representation…
Internet is not a teenager anymore. We are finally (almost) adults.
A WHOLE-OF-SOCIETY APPROACH
TO DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION,
AS OUTLINED BY THE UNDP.
Empowering digital

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Digest : 5 key areas of expectations,
connected to one another

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Here are the main insights of the trends’ mapping.
Long story short…

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Micro-communities,
More than ever, everyone is looking to connect through topics of
interest : based on their hobbies, life goals, the causes they support,
the common culture or identity they share.
Spending time with one’s people nurtures the feeling of belonging. It
creates a sense of shared space where one can fully commit to
expressing their truth, their identity, their personality. Anonymity is
fading as digital proximity increases.
HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR PEOPLE YET ?
deeper connections

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Members of circles,
In these smaller groups, one needs to take responsibility for what they say and do.
Demanding to be personally respected in one’s differences makes them care about other’s rights and freedoms as well.
New generations expect every type of person to be represented on online platforms and are ready to fight for it.
Partners for life
Ethics and activism are at the heart of this new dynamic. Consumers feel as accountable for improving
their own habits as they expect brands to help them on this path by leading the way with cleaner
products and services.
They become “partners” and allies, aiming to collaborate with their circles and legitimate organizations towards righting
yesterday’s wrongs.
Consequently, the digital realm is undergoing a sustainability & DEI driven
transformation : all platforms and services must be inclusive, respectful, eco-
responsible, user-friendly.

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Creators and generators
If there is an information that may be useful or interesting to an individual or people they may bond with, no obstacle is
considered acceptable. Language is one of those barriers, innovators are working hard on overcoming.
The more people with needs and passions alike spend time together, the more insights come to the
surface. They are no longer “socio-demographical target audiences”. They adopt behavior that fits a given
context and shared culture.
Specialized apps and niche platforms appear to serve their needs and bring them even closer together, while easy to
use tools help them better express themselves and create content, or even… generate or prompt content
with the rise of automatization and AI empowered solutions.
pushing boundaries
The more the world turns into a global village, the more translation and transcreation gain weight :
brands’ and institutions’ content must be adapted to each local- or sub-culture, to remain accessible,
relevant and respectful.

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Users looking for control,
Self Distract - Seeking refuge in entertainment :
gaming at various levels (mobile, console, PC, VR..), spending
time in virtual spaces, *binge-streaming tv series and movies
(audio, video…) and shopping on the go within leisure platforms
Set Up - Consuming less and better (products, services, online content) :
quest for higher quality, a higher fit with individual taste and needs, subscribing to paid
medium, better choosing who to follow, keeping one’s connections private, using social
media as a search engine but also for news…
Evolve – be the change you want to see :
pushing for the development of Web3 for a decentralized
power through crypto, looking for platforms with increased
levels of privacy, causing new regulations and laws, self-
educating for financial literacy to prepare the future…
This leads to three types of responses and consequences :
As our world is going through all the crises at the same time (ecological, economical, political, loss of trust in institutions, in crypto, in the media...), more
and more people have adopted habits to protect themselves from the negativity of news, from the dangers of infobesity, from misinformation, online
bullying, and so on.
*As contradictory as it may be with the aim of consuming less and better. Human nature loves a good paradox. ;)
Gamers in alternate realities

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Keeping some physical
The digital is no longer a medium one consumes as a format. It is increasingly becoming a
main space in which we live. So much so, that we use digital devices and accessories and make sure we are never fully disconnected…
although we are tempted to hide them in plain sight for well being purposes thanks to design hacks.
in an always-on virtual
As the physical worlds expects of companies to progress towards net-zero emissions, to abolish
waste, repair and recycle everything, the metaverse is becoming the next promised land for
businesses, an Eldorado in which they can already see themselves be eternally creative of new
products and services. Social goods and digital collectibles, tokens and NFTs are the new
types of equipment users will progressively need to navigate social, professional and
entertainment spaces, to self-express and interact.
While we are not fully there yet, leading immersive games and the behavior of their communities are already helping
marketers imagine what the future meta-economy may look like.

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In short, consumers play one or more of these
roles throughout their digital journeys :
You may empower the digital protagonists of your communities in their various roles and engage
them by detecting and understanding the trends and digital levers that are relevant for your brand…

46. 04
Our Mission :
Wait for it….

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Switzerland
France
Belgique
Luxembourg
Present in
…and beyond, since we became a part of Datawords Group in 2019
of accompanying the most
ambitious brands in Europe
and in the world with their
digital marketing and
communication projects.
+20years

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How can we further empower
Let’s determine which trends are relevant for your brand’s DNA, goals and challenges and
activate the right digital levers together to maximize your long-term business performance.
your brand in 2023 ?

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Our experts are here to accompany
Our Strategic Advisory and Project Management teams are present at every stage
of the collaborations to provide a holistic view and an optimized performance in the long term.
BRAND
PROTECTION
SOCIAL
DIGITAL
PLATFORM
DATA &
ANALYTICS
BRAND DESIGN PERFORMANCE
you on all your digital challenges.

53. Part of Datawords Group
And don’t forget to check out our new website ;)