The product placement and advertising between soft-drink giant Pepsi and Fox's breakthrough dramatic series Empire typifies a synergy that flows with the natural current of the show, the brand and the character Jamal; culminating in a Pepsi commercial that blends perfectly with the hit TV program, its fans and Pepsi's target urbanite audience. A tie-in that works so well where so many others have failed.-pep boy

Always consider where your target audience are more likely to consume your marketing and advertising content and connect with them on those particular platforms. Go directly to your segment, and create content specifically geared towards the consumption patterns of the platform. Don't expect them to come to you.-pep boy

In the digital age of marketing and advertising there is a sixth sense which is pivotal; that sixth sense is product and consumer engagement--pep boy

The traditional roles of connecting to consumers by means of advertising and marketing has drastically shifted throughout the years. Consumers are younger, busier and more tech and digitally savvy than ever before, so there is no surprise that the likes of Facebook (pun intended), YouTube, Google and content marketing are becoming the forerunners in the way brands and services connect to consumers, and how consumers "consume" a product.

The constant retraining of staff, and the rise of digitally focused agencies and strategies are a direct result of this paradigm shift. In my opinion, the focus must now be: brands and services have to be able to engage the consumer as opposed to just compete for their attention. A great strategy and concept that lives within the social, digital and mobile space that utilizes the dynamics of  a 360° campaign and synergy to facilitate consumer engagement is a great start. With strong emphasis on a great concept, of course. After all concept is the new copy.

Omnicom's CEO, John Wren, sums it up when he says in an interview conducted by CNBC, "the marketplace has moved, and it changes everyday now. Up until 10 years ago it didn't change very rapidly. You had time to absorb the changes; re-educate your people. Now changes are instantaneous." -pep boy

Marketers and companies within the travel industry are rapidly implementing strategies to gain the loyalty of the Millennial Traveler: 18 to 30 year old business travelers who are expected to be the largest segment of the travel market by the end of the decade.

Lee McCabe, global head of travel at Facebook, states that, "Millennial Travelers want spontaneity and they want to be connected, and with Facebook, they can see which hotels their friends have stayed and liked. The face of travel has moved from having one person as an expert to having your friends as the experts. Airlines and hotels have to understand and move with the Millennial generation and technology."

McCabe emphasizes that the travel industry is targeting young travelers at the places they are going, the websites they are visiting and the devices they are using on a daily basis. "Companies now have smartphone only rates to target Millennial Travelers on their smartphones," McCabe commented. Founder of cool hunting, Josh Rubin, says that, "The Millennial Traveler travels differently, they have a sense of entitlement, they are ready for something new and they are very open to a company that can mirror that."

The Marriot International hotel has already implemented plans for the AC Hotels by Marriot to target the younger and technologically aware Millennial Traveler and their growing purchasing power. By 2020, the younger, more racially and gender diverse Millennial Traveler will account for over 20 percent of business flights, a segment usually dominated by  middle-aged men.

Personally, I think the companies that are able to integrate and create a synergy between technology, social utilities and concepts to offer an efficient and memorable user experience from booking to checking in and checking out will be the ones that will stand out and appeal to Millennials. They will be the more likeable, shareable and talked-about companies on social media, which will have an influence on their bottom line-pep boy

My article currently trending on Chris Brown -pep boy

Concept Is the New Copy -pep boy

Advertising has drastically changed from simply being about brand communication to product or brand experience.  Technology in its digital format has both caused and enabled that paradigm shift. -pep boy

These are the brands of our lives and the companies that own them. Starring Nestle, Kraft, Coca Cola, PepsiCo....-pep boy