6. Domainization
If several key languages other than Roman alphabets are allowed, it will make the
internet really global. It will be a dynamic adjustment, colorful
and yet at times extremely confusing, so what should brand name holders do?
Scream foul in other languages; buy dictionaries, or simply go exploring on
world trips? A name is the most important and critical component of any serious
business today. If a name is not worthy of protection as it is already diluted
and confusing, then it could surely become a nightmare very soon. Only well
balanced and protected name holders will really be allowed to play the superior
games on new platforms of TLD now offered by ICANN. A serious business without
a solid global name is like a dull joke in search of laughter. Global
understanding of domain name management and naming architecture skills will be
where all the battles of social-media-searching and customer acquisition will
be headed. Is your name identity a shiny star or a dull object?
7. Ghettoization
Is social media in reality becoming an anti-social-media, as Joe-Social has
little or no real relationship with Jane-Public, except as a spectator cheering
at dull events. Is it creating its own social-ghettos, where micro-gatherings
are only blocking crowd-gathering? Will this fad mould into another form of
personal personification like an old phone directory but with pictures and some
quirky messages? If advanced level personal data was manipulated to determine
the next action to plant a selling proposition, would it not eliminate all the
old selling procedures? Can you imagine this as a new online CyberHeaven or
will it be CyberHell? Is it time to buy stock in delivery vans? New processes
will seriously replace old style location and large inventory-based retail
industry thinking, along with the traditional advertising? Are you in
social-media-heaven or anti-social-purgatory?
8. Cybernetization
Once all the processes are electronic, digitized, portable and in cyberspace,
then what is the point of a regimented 9-to-5 Monday to Friday working society?
Free at last! If everyone was working and thinking while connected to
some large portal spread out on a global range, what would it do to corporate
structure,hierarchies, protocols and decorum? Would society cope with such an open ended
free flow of work? Will it change habits and daily routines? Will you
find more people in libraries, cinemas, malls or restaurants? Will they just
stay home and watch 3DHDTV and get more depressed about repeated 'socio- politico-
economico- climatico- damaged- news'? Will the home craft industry boom and
autos stay in the garage? Will back yards turn into small grow-op farms, and
will groceries stores be quieter? Are you already undressed to be hard-wired?
9. Frugalization
While 'shop till you drop dead' created the greatest recession, then 'save till
you drop' will keep you there forever. Was it the failure of capitalism and
liberal economic policies without regulation that resulted in 'beg, borrow and
steal, shop at high interest plastic and boost Dow at 15000'? It will surely
take all the income to finance these shopping bills. The capitalist free
enterprise system seems broken. Communism and socialism is also not the answer.
The society all over the world is getting a free crash course on economy, and
what they are going to derive is that saving is perhaps the only way. Wealth is
created by actual work and not by spending. Is it possible that the USA may end up with a Japan-like decade? The intense frugality at the main street will
spread and linger all over. Are you saving or spending enough or do you have a
printing press too?
10. Globalization
If globalization is the only way to go forward despite all the nationalism,
what will the new world would look like? Will it eventually create select
alliances and free trades? Will it create blocks, or just battles in a sandbox?
The search for best markets, best labor and minimum regulation is where the
private corporate
jets would be parked. The talk of nationalism would primarily feed the
textual lines to the tele-prompters all over the world, but the real
protectionism will not work well for most of the nations. The internationalism
of business is already way out of the bag and this is where all the cutting
edge skills are required. Multiple countries, languages and cultures will all
dance to one tune in the same boardroom. New global standards will drive
marketing, naming and image management. Are you basically local, somewhat
'glocal' or truly internationalist?
Naseem
Javed is widely recognized as a world-authority on building corporate image and
creating global name identities.