Social and digital media are profoundly changing how we engage with media, colleagues, family and friends, as well as how we conduct business. To maintain a competitive edge, strategy and marketing executives must embrace these changes, create alignment for all senior executives, and drive transformation in their organizations.
Even as marketing agencies reinvent themselves, the reality is that most managers are struggling to learn new skills. More than two-thirds of the managers surveyed by Alterian last year admitted that they are “digitally handicapped” in measuring social media conversations and impacts on their brands. The rapid changes are fueling a growing demand for training.
According to “Digital economy rankings 2010: Beyond e-readiness,” a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit, the “US has gained ground, while Asian countries are on the rise, and Nordic nations continue to rule.” Inconsistent response among US executives has brought forth a “new digital divide” between companies truly committed to a digital strategy and those still struggling to figure it out. Ad agencies are searching for digital talent to bridge this divide. However, among Bloomberg BusinessWeek‘s top 20 business schools, only six offer a social media marketing executive course. MBA and undergraduate programs are just starting to dip their feet into the digital waters.
To fill the void, US executives must go beyond the confines of traditional marketing and embrace digital training as a strategic priority or risk falling behind.
