Thought Leadership

Bret Discovers the Key
to Next Generation
Consumer Exploration

"During my five month tour of agencies, speaking to the creative, account service, and business development teams of the top digital agencies in the country, I got the opportunity to visit an animation studio – and discovered the power of living, breathing visual assets. Is this the missing piece to the next-generation online product experience? Hmmm...time to dive a little deeper..." – Bret Stout

So what is the next big thing? Bret believes he knows. "While 94% of consumers go online to research and compare products - a large percentage then go offline and go retail-level to actually buy. Why? What is the perceived retail experience they feel lacking in the online space? Is it the touch-and-feel world of retail that triggers their code of want/need and the required experience for consumer purchase? Can this brand experience be replicated online? If so, how?", Bret ponders.

"An animation studio seemed like an unlikely next step in my pursuit of the 'what's next' - especially when I had spent so much of my career in the traditional and digital agency space. But BAM! what I discovered was a hyper-relevant opportunity to leap into the future. An animation studio presents an unexpected opportunity to go beyond what you think you know about user experience", Bret says.

"Over the past couple of years I have mentored the Motion Graphics, 3D Photoreal, User Experience and Documentation teams to understand the power they have in their current skill sets to think bigger - much bigger -
the opportunity to break all the rules and redefine the online space forever."

Bret adds, "Integrating a campaign-approach into an animation studio was the easy part - it's all about the age-old art of storytelling. And as such, I had the incredible opportunity to step in and create this storytelling – personally writing full scripts and campaigns..."

"...and in the process discovered the key to deliver hyper-real digital brand experiences to bridge the gap from the retail-level touch-and-feel world of consumers."

– Bret Stout