The rise of the machine
Advancing technologies and tools, like artificial intelligence (AI) , virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have taken the world by storm. They are changing the experiences that customers expect from brands, and how companies create and deliver those experiences.
Companies are now faced with new opportunities, new ways of working and new possibilities. We spoke to leaders in Asia Pacific to find out the real-world impact on their businesses.
Talent on tap
New technologies are enabling much greater collaboration, as teams work across countries, time zones and devices.
“When the pandemic started, everybody was working in the office. In financial services especially, it was very hard to work from home. With the help of technology, we were connected online virtually, using various collaboration tools. It was a new thing for us, but within a year we were collaborating continuously working from home.”
Kapil Joshi, Head of Experience Design Practice, Capgemini Financial Services
Democratising creativity
While creative professionals continue to play an essential role in shaping the stories that define brands and connect deeply with customers, the relentless demand for more content means that everyone needs to pitch in. New technologies are making that possible.
“Creativity is really important in our organisation. It allows us to create visually accessible and inclusive material. But creativity doesn't just lie within the design team; It really is embedded in the design thinking practices throughout our business.”
Kristina Main, Design and Creative Head, Gilbert + Tobin
Altered realities in real time
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) tools are unlocking new kinds of experiences for customers while delivering improved efficiencies for brands.
“We’ve now got things like the ability to create digital twins of large assets … so you can have them side by side and … this is how you could be more efficient and optimised.”
Leonie Thirkell, Manager of Brand & Marketing, Ventia
![Quote from Norman Pelaez, Design Lead, Blue Dot: “Being in a fast-paced retail industry, 3D photography and virtual imagery definitely helps a lot of our challenges with stock [images] and they'll also open up a lot of doors with AR and VR.”](./media_1b654027151a3b54e809c537aa7892a4bee8c4d2f.png?width=750&format=png&optimize=medium)
“Our customers are telling us loud and clear that it’s one world for them – the digital and physical worlds... If we do play in this space, how do we make it really linked to store, or linked to physical, and not just an online moment.”
Rob Hede, Head of Customer Experience, Cotton On Brands at Cotton On Group
Virtually unlimited possibilities
New environments like virtual worlds and even the metaverse have the potential to transform brand-customer relationships even further. Businesses are already buzzing:
“I'm really excited about the metaverse, I think it's a space which has no limits … And I think it's really exciting to use that. Not just as a space where you can go and choose your Gucci shoes or go and visit Paris Hilton at her house for a cup of tea, but use that to do things better.”
Sarah Norbury, Marketing and Communications Advisor, Ventia
Firefly will bring even more precision, power, speed and ease directly into Adobe Creative Cloud, Document Cloud, Experience Cloud and Adobe Express workflows where content is created and modified. It’s now up to brands to harness this technology to deliver on both the possibilities and expectations.
As we forge ahead in 2023, it’s clear developments in AI, virtual technology, and collaboration tools will continue to power the creative industry. How are you evolving to ride these trends and future-proof your business?