Life moves pretty fast—especially in the digital sphere. This week we celebrate Deloitte Digital's first birthday with plenty of awesome sauce, and we’re taking a look at the many changes that have gone down in the industry since we launched globally. We’ve had an exciting seat at the digital table.
From studios in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and India we’ve both observed and been the drivers of disruption in the digital marketplace. Since the acquisition of Übermind in January 2012 and the launch of a global brand Deloitte Digital one year ago, we’ve continued to build and acquire studios worldwide—with South Africa, Japan, and Canada opening soon. And more are coming.
As we celebrate, the leaders from our three original countries took some time to reflect on how digital technology has changed businesses and lives over the past year.
Frank Farrall, Deloitte Digital Australia Lead
Digital disruption is pervasive, and no Australian industry can ignore the fact that if they don’t adapt to new technologies, they will become obsolete.
In the last 12 months we have seen major shifts in the Australian government’s attitude towards the digitalization of its functions. The government sector is now recognizing the importance of mobile and the role it plays in connecting and educating a broader audience within the Australian community.
We have also seen digital movement around the introduction of BYOD. Organizations are working to integrate more flexible IT policies around devices, digital platforms, and networks to make the workplace a more productive environment. As we move into our second year, Deloitte Digital looks forward to being a part of the continued theme of device independence. We anticipate that the Australian government will continue to reap the rewards of mobile and social media as they have done in the past 12 months.
In the coming year, we also believe education will be another huge industry to make their mark in the Australian digital world. With international student populations set to grow by 30 percent before the end of the decade, and mobile-savvy students demanding a more digital and socially interactive approach to learning, education is certainly forecasted digital growth point.
We look forward to meeting the challenges all these industry shifts bring.
Mike Brinker, Deloitte Digital U.S. Lead
What is the definition of awesome? Riding a digital tsunami in a market that is exploding with innovation, disruption and real business value—that’s what I’d say.
In the U.S. last year, we watched digital go from talk to walk, myth to margin, and concept to customers. Digital advertising exploded in social media. Mobile and tablets dominated the landscape. Marketing got smarter. Websites got responsive. And “spend in big” signs shifted to big data. At the same time, PC sales plummeted, old industry icons struggled, and almost every industry witnessed disruption.
Retailers got real around mobile commerce and are rethinking every part of their business, from in-store shopping, POS and the entire digital experience. In media, consumers are rapidly shifting their eyeballs to the small screen, second screens, and augmenting their experiences with social media in real-time. Education is being reinvented on tablets. Banking is pushing the mobile-only button. Insurance is using big data, GPS telematics and mobile to create smarter policies. State governments are engaging constituents through digital channels. Innovative digital solutions are better connecting patients and doctors. The role of Chief Digital Officer emerged in the past year. Every part of the enterprise is being mobile- and tablet-enabled.
In short: Digital innovation is having a profound impact on every industry. The mobile revolution and the disruptors we talked about two years ago are now being realized, but this is only the beginning.
Beyond the convergence of mobile, social, cloud, big data and analytics, new disrupters are rocking the landscape. 3D printing, wearable technologies, machine-to-machine, in-dash applications in cars, digital currency, wayfinding, augmented reality, and many more innovations are on the horizon.
This is truly an exciting time to be riding the digital tsunami. We’re glad to be hanging 10, and here help our clients shape their responses to this enormous sea change.
Samuel Roddick, Deloitte Digital U.K. Lead
In the U.K., retail reached a digital tipping point in 2012. Growth of the sector was driven by e-commerce, while traditional stores were flat. The net result was minor growth for the sector overall, but this was clear: The winners had a strong online presence. Those that had not responded quickly enough to the changes in consumer behavior, especially the shift toward cross-channel shopping, missed out.
Much like retail, a digital tipping point has been reached for the banking industry as well. In the U.K. and in Europe, bankers woke up to the fact that during this same period, the preferred channel for customers’ most common transactions had become digital. In parallel, the number one priority for bankers changed from regulatory compliance to customer retention, and the quality of the digital proposition within a cross-channel framework was a key factor in this.
The insurance industry is now actively considering the challenges and opportunities associated with digital. The business model has remained largely unchanged for years. But new digital entrants have disrupted and removed intermediaries in the market to such an extent that the giants of insurance have woken up. The last 12 months have seen a huge increase in the development of direct-to-consumer and digital-first propositions that allow large insurance companies to reconnect with their customers. In the year ahead, Deloitte Digital will work with a number of leading insurances to develop and launch these D2C propositions.
Where do we rank in all of this?
There’s no doubt that within these larger contexts, it has been an awesome first year for Deloitte Digital. We have grown in scale, capability, and industry recognition.
The U.K. was named in the top ten of Econsultancy list of top 100 UK Digital Agencies. In the U.S., we were ranked by AdAge as a top-three mobile marketing agency, and recognized by Forrester as a leader in Enterprise Mobility Services. The Australia teams have been pulling in awards for their innovative work.
Our unique perspective on the market has been carved out, and we’ve laid solid foundations for our future growth and innovation, riding the wave of the digital tsunami.
All that to say—we think this is a very happy first birthday! We can’t wait to see what accomplishments our second year brings.