The document discusses how consumers are adopting digital interactions for different industries to varying degrees. Some industries like software, airlines, and utilities have many fully digital consumers, while others like telecom, banking, and appliances have strong digital consideration and evaluation but fewer fully digital purchases. It also notes that as consumers opt for more complete digital interactions, challenges for brand marketers will likely increase. Companies need to track emerging digital business models and learn from examples like Mobile Vikings and Free that have strong brand conversion through creating helpful digital communities. The digital revolution both threatens companies as customers have more options but also provides an opportunity if companies can adapt.

4. 39
41
20
Digital play %
Experimenters Engaged & Informed Fully digital
Some notable variations
among industries lie across
this spectrum of journeys. In
the software, airline-booking,
and utilities industries,
consumers are more likely to
be fully digital. Autos,
insurance, and food have
similar numbers of digital
consumers in the
consideration and evaluation
stages, but fewer who
purchase digitally.
Telecommunications, banking,
and appliances have relatively
strong numbers of consumers
considering and evaluating
products and services digitally
but more modest numbers
making digital purchases.

5. The challenges for brand-marketing executives will probably increase as consumers
opt for more complete digital interactions.

6. Darwin understood that it’s not necessarily the strongest or most intelligent species that survive, but rather
those best responsive to change. As companies seek to adapt, they should consider the following:
Tracking emerging digital models
Even in traditional sectors, companies are adopting new digital models, and that should be a wake-up call
for incumbents. In the telecom sector in the Benelux countries and France, for instance, two purely digital
companies have emerged
Mobile Vikings and Free. Both enjoy very strong brand conversion—70 and 80 percent, respectively, versus
industry averages of 52 percent in the Benelux countries and 44 percent in France.
These companies accomplish this feat by
Both Mobile
Vikings and
Free have
created digital-
channel
environments
where
customers
routinely help
each other.

8. The digital revolution cuts two ways for companies as customers with a wider range
of options become more difficult to reel in.