Believe it or not, there was a time before television. Radio was the broadcast media, and audiences found live radio ads just as ear-catching as the programs they sponsored. When TV programs started around 1940, most advertisers took what they knew from successful radio creative and tried like the devil to paste it into TV ads. Oops.

It took a few years for technology to align with creativity, but alas we finally saw the last of singing Texaco gas station attendants and Old Gold dancing cigarette boxes. Agencies and brand managers finally realized TV viewers wanted something completely different in a television ad. Good radio creative required theater of the mind, but good TV creative required doing the mental work for the viewer.

Fast forward to 2015. Here’s what you’ll probably read…

Believe it or not, there was a time before the internet when broadcast TV ruled media, and audiences found good TV ad as enjoyable as the programs they sponsored. When digital advertising was launched around 1990, most advertisers took what they knew from successful TV creative and tried like the devil to paste it into online ads. Oops.

It took a few years for technology to align with creativity, but alas we finally saw the last of the :30 second one-way interaction commercials that had been cut and paste from TV to online. Advertising agencies and their clients finally realized online viewers wanted something completely different in an online ad. Good TV required doing the mental work for the viewer, but good online creative required involving the viewer. (Think World of Warcraft)

Check back in five years and see if we were right.

Now, replace this office space design process with your website development process. These days, there’s not much difference. You’re just replacing tangible brick and mortar with virtual space. But if you consider which of these walls and roofs more people visit, you’ve figured out the true value of your website.

So back up for a moment and ask yourself, “How much am I willing to pay for experts who know how to turn a cookie-cutter office space into my company’s brand?” Chances are good you’re willing to pay more than a few dollars. So, why, when your website is your opportunity to show your unique brand, would you settle for one that has nothing unique?

Interesting paradox, huh? Websites are much less expensive to build than they were just a few short years ago, but if you want to make yours stand out, to represent your brand and do a big part your selling for you, you’re going to have to pay for some real experts. Not just programmers who know html, php and css, but designers and brand strategists who know how to represent your best assets online. And writers who know how to take the hundreds of keywords necessary to help your site show up well in search results, and incorporate them into enticing content that flows seamlessly.

Websites like this are not just necessary for e-commerce businesses, they’re imperative for any business that wants to take advantage of the wonderful benefits the web has to offer your brand. It’s a new way of thinking, isn’t it?

What gives them so much confidence consumers will adopt this technology? In addition to their own testing, they’re following the success stories of businesses like Starbucks, who in January began accepting mobile payments via the Starbucks Card Mobile iPhone and BlackBerry applications at 6,800 company-operated stores. Within 90 days more than 3 million people had paid using Starbucks Card Mobile, twice their expectation.

But what about consumer fear? If there’s risk with transactions on computers, won’t security be an even bigger issue with mobile devices? This will be the challenge to overcome. And yet, history will most likely repeat itself.  Remember the introduction of ATM cards?  The idea of having your checking account directly connected to a piece of plastic with only a four digit pin as protection was met with huge hesitation. It lasted just about as long as it took the convenience of this process to overpower the fear of this new technology.

Time will tell, but time is moving fast. To us, it would be no surprise if we’re bumping and flashing over swiping by 2015. And what will happen to pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters? They’ll end up somewhere, but probably history museums.

But is this really a new technology? Not really. Not by the new definition of new, aka developed within the last 6 months. Augmented Reality (AR) has been around for several years, you just may not think of it as that. How about that Yelp app on your smart phone that finds and reviews restaurants you’re close to via your phone’s GPS. Or how about Layar, a popular app that shows you what is around you by displaying real time digital information (layers) on top of reality. Augmented reality (AR) has been growing rapidly since 2009, but what’s exciting (and a bit creepy) about this tool of late is the way marketers are starting to use it. Here are just a few:

POS augmented reality application: LEGO augmented reality kiosk shows what’s inside the box.

iPhone RFID: object-based media – location-based urls with your phone – wave your phone by an object and it tells you something about it, drives you to a URL.

Tissot watches – sit in front of your computer and virtually “try on” the different styles.

These are most likely just teasers for what media and communication experiences will look like in the near future. According to Juniper research, the current global revenue for augmented reality (AR) is currently less than $2 million, but is projected to be around $1.5 billion globally by 2015. At this past spring’s SXSW conference, a panel of augmented reality developers said the future of AR is working it into the everyday, via glasses/goggles or even AR contact lenses. They said once these tools are available to the masses, marketing and advertising as we know them now will once again be a thing of the past.

Hold on. It’s coming fast. And it will give all new meaning to the term “reality check”.

Think about it. Why would you pay to advertise in a medium that allows the viewer (aka potential customer) to skip past your television ad with one simple click? Or to have your product shown to a semi-targeted demographic audience that’s been defined by way of archaic technology (can you say Diaries?) Why would you, the advertiser, invest in this form of media when you could pay for only your exact target audience’s guaranteed viewership? That’s the difference that will become increasingly obvious over the next 12 months as online video really takes over the internet.

Why hasn’t it happened yet?

Until recently, online streaming was limited by bandwidth challenges, interrupting viewers enjoyment of what they were watching online to buffer the next chunk of media. Those days are almost gone, which is the last big challenge the online world had to conquer in order to become the source of choice for viewership.

So, imagine this…

You’re an advertiser. You can now pick and choose where your television ads run based on finite behavioral consumer characteristics, one viewer at a time. You can pay a premium to have your ad run in a venue that does not allow viewers to fast forward past it, or you can pay a lower fee and take your chances they’ll still watch your ad. Either way, you know the viewer is a perfect target for your message. Or maybe you’re willing to pay a higher fee, but only when they click on the ad that lands them on your web page. The common denominator – no waste. Compare that to today’s average television advertising options. There’s no comparison.

The powerhouses currently in charge of accepting media and advertisements in the online world are aware of the flaws broadcast television has when it comes to offering advertisers the best choices. You can bet they will not be cutting and pasting a strategy that no longer works into a new media ripe for gleaning billions of ad dollars. And YouTube (aka Google TV) will lead the way.

What will consumers expect from the increasing number of ads that will find their place in front of their eyes? A lot. First, it had better be relevant. Next it had better be refreshing (and trustworthy). Then, if it’s persuasive enough, it had better allow them to click through to something equally relevant and useful. Otherwise they will click on the button that reports back to YouTube (or whoever) that they found the ad a waste of their time.

The days of media placement costs sucking up 80% of an advertising budget while creative costs about 20% are quickly coming to an end. Certainly the immediate future of online advertising video placement costs will be nowhere near the cost of traditional television ad space. (Don’t hold your breath that this will stick) But the requirement for the very best, smartest and most trustworthy message will increase greatly. It would come as no surprise to us if, in the next few years, the “idea”, along with its creative execution, switches places in the 80/20 scenario. Time will tell. What do you think?

Digital gift cards on Facebook

Facebook is taking online presents to the next level with digital gift cards that make online print and cut coupons seem old fashioned.  Now you can record a voice message with a digital gift card, and send it to the recipient via mobile phone, email or even a Facebook post. Check out Applebees Facebook Page where they’re offering digital holiday cards you can customize with your recipient’s personal Facebook features.

QR Codes in Catalogs

Have you seen this year’s Target holiday catalog? You’ll find QR Codes resolving into videos showing special features – even special reduced prices – for hundreds of items. They’ve already experienced huge success with a QR code that loads a mobile shopping site specifically for Target’s Holiday Toy Sale catalog. You can easily buy the items, and get the discounts right from your phone. All the information in the catalog’s bar codes can also be accessed via text message. You text a code to Target, and they text you the link. Over the top? Nope. And just wait until next year.

Mobile App Gift Wish Lists

OK, a bit creepy, but kids have already moved from regular mail to email in their letter writing to Santa. This year they can upload it via one of several mobile phone apps, so mom and dad can use it to order gifts directly from their phones. Or to get coupons text for the items on little Johnny’s Christmas list.

Geo-Fencing

This hyper-local marketing strategy allows retailers to track the location of customers through signals sent from their mobile phones. Shoppers who opt in receive a mobile text message as they get near a store location or other relevant point of interest. Messages can be tailored to a different time of day and area. This “moment in time” communication shows promise of strengthening relationships with customers through relevance. Starbucks is an obvious user of this. But companies like The North Face are taking it to new customer service levels by sending customers branded text messages about weather conditions when they get to hiking trails.

What sounds unusual and a bit intimidating this year will most likely be the norm (if not outdated) this time next year. But, as long as marketers strive to offer consumers great value, convenience and enjoyable experiences, cyber shopping tools like these will continue to grow and exceed most of our expectations. That’s refreshing.

Mashable recently surveyed 2600+ people, asking them how they’re watching TV’s new fall lineup (TV sets or Computers). Although the top answer was still good old fashioned TV sets (at 28%) the combined answers of the other 72% were some form of the internet. It’s no surprise that, for now, Hulu owns a bug chunk of this 72%.

But, just like you can’t cut and paste radio ads into TV commercials, you can’t expect a typical :30 second TV spot to have much effect online. People expect more these days. Choices, interactivity, and amazing creative. In fact, interactivity and behavioral targeting are already becoming the norm, like Hulu’s “Which ad experience would you prefer?” commercial option. New technology like this allows consumers to pick the commercial they prefer to view. They’re willing to watch a commercial they can’t fast-forward through, but it better be worth it. That means relevant, useful or just darn good fun to watch.

Most Hulu viewers say they don’t mind watching good commercials online.  A recent study showed they’re even willing to view more than the average four-minutes-per-hour of commercials currently being aired. BUT, they’d better be good. Which is where targeted consumer behavior comes in. The Hulu commercial choice in the photo above allows viewers to choose which type of hair product they want to view, so they can watch an ad that is relevant to their specific needs. Soon most video ads online will be behaviorally geared, derived from online viewing preferences like this. It’s just like what’s happening now with most online banner ads. Video commercials that are always specific to the viewer are the obvious next step in online technology.

While all this can seem a bit creepy, consumers seem to get past their privacy concerns quickly, seeing that the benefits of more targeted and relevant ads are worth allowing some cookies on their site. For advertisers, this means a much higher ability to fine tune target audiences than just gender, age and income brackets. Nielsen has already made great headway into this new genre of ratings with the intent of cutting out wasted airtime to the wrong audience.

The million dollar question remains. Will viewers gain a new level of appreciation for advertising online as the messages become more targeted, relevant and (hopefully) memorable in a good way? So far it seems that answer may be yes. But if and when tasteless, poorly produced ads start popping up one after another to the point that viewers forgot what they tuned in to watch, this new opportunity will die a quick death. It’s up to the ad industry, and our clients, to make sure this doesn’t happen. (Wish us luck)

Can’t keep up with the changing times in technology? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. But be prepared because things are only going to get crazier. Maybe we should all just buy stock in headache relievers?

Better yet, maybe we should just give ourselves a break. After all, our brains weren’t meant to complete multiple algorithms of complex problems in fractions of a second. Sure, today thousands of pieces of information are being put in front of us every moment via online technology, but that doesn’t mean we’re supposed to understand it all. We’re not stupid. We’re just human.

If you don’t quite get what we’re talking about here, it’s the intimidation factor. Have you said this lately: “I don’t understand Twitter. I don’t know what Google Analytics really is. I can’t figure out my email campaign report analysis. I don’t  know what HTML5, java, css and Google Instant are.”

YOU’RE NOT ALONE. We hear it from our clients all the time. They often feel like everyone else knows all this stuff, but they don’t. Wrong. Most still don’t (Case in point, per a Forrester Research study this past July, only 2% of the US population can accurately explain what Twitter is). Feel better?

But face the facts, you’re going to have to find others you trust to help you integrate your business into this new world. You don’t have to know it, but you have to know and trust people who do.

What a surprise…once again it all boils down to that five letter word: T-R-U-S-T.

But, if you only have time to read a few books over the summer, how do you choose from Amazon’s 33,000 titles in marketing, advertising, and social media?  Ugh.

We filtered through our library and found what we believe are today’s five best books to read. They offer you a well-rounded understanding of the latest consumer preferences, marketing strategies and technology need-to-knows. Hopefully you’ll have time to devour a few. (Oh, and for those of us who spend more time in their cars or at the gym than sitting with a book, there’s always Audible.com)

1. DON’T MAKE ME THINK – Steve Krug

Although it’s a couple years old, it’s still the best book on what makes a great website. It’s written in plain, and downright funny, language. We often give it to clients as gifts. It’s not for programmers. It’s for the rest of us.

2. TRIBES – Seth Godin
Seth hit another home run with Tribes. He took what is happening in the world of marketing and applied it to basic human behavior. By the time you finish this short book, you’ll feel like you’re viewing the world through a whole new lens.

3. THE NEW RULES OF MARKETING AND PR – David Meerman Scott
David just revised this book with new updates, so make sure you get the latest edition. It has the best examples of how things have changed for marketers, along with the new rules of engagement. It’s simple, useful and inspiring.

4. TRUST AGENTS – Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
For anyone who has spent a year or more in social media, this book may seem a bit simplistic. But the overall message of how trust drives today’s world of marketing is the most important and valuable take away. It makes you want to be a better person (and marketer).

5. WEB ANALYTICS 2.0 – Avinash Kaushik
OK, maybe sections of this book get into a little too much detail, but you can skip those parts. Avinash is so entertaining in the way he explains current web technology, you’ll be chuckling while learning. Don’t be afraid of the title (or his name).

What books would you add to this list?

The on-demand web video site Hulu announced a new subscription service Tuesday called Hulu Plus, which will allow users to unlock full seasons of premium shows on ABC, NBC and FOX across a variety of new platforms for a flat monthly fee of $9.99. This includes a growing library of 120 seasons of TV and 2,000 episodes, according to Hulu.

While the business world debates Hulu’s business model, we marketers are looking at it as one more significant move that will put television as we know it in the grave. Especially because Hulu is offering its new service in mobile formats on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, as well as select Samsung internet-enabled TVs and Blu-Ray players. It will also soon offer Hulu Plus service on PlayStation 3 and X-Box 360, as well as devices from Sony and Vuzio.

Advertising space will continue to be sold, which means Hulu is adopting Cable TV’s strategy of collecting fees from both advertisers and subscribers. But advertisers will soon be able to geo-target specific messages to specific audiences in specific areas making their ad dollars much more cost-effective. And millions of people have already said they’re willing to pay $9.99 a month in order to watch almost any show they want anywhere, anytime, on any media player.

But don’t throw your TV set away. After all, antique shops are always looking for classic oldies. Your 72″ screen may someday become a valuable relic.