In the midst of the 19th Century, a British Naturalist, Charles Darwin, proposed the ’Theory of Evolution’ and the term ‘Survival of The fittest’ was coined. A concept that revolutionized the very idea of existence of the living organisms on the face of the earth. The notion of applying the same theory in a digital era is a topic of high relevance. It would be interesting to know how brands, which don’t evolve themselves with time, are plundered.
‘Digital Darwinism’, coined by Brian Solis, is an evolution of consumer behavior when technology and society evolve faster than the natural ability to adapt. Every word in its definition, is in itself a concept which requires deep analysis. The factors like emotions, attitudes and preferences affect the buying behavior and these factors are highly influenced by technology and society. For example, between 2000 and 2012 book retailer Barnes and Noble lost almost half of its market share while, Amazon grew tenfold; the primary reason being, adoption of relevant technology by Amazon.
In the year 2009, the Indian Government launched a GIS tool named ‘Bhuvan’ developed by ISRO, to counter Google Maps. ‘Bhuvan’ gave the users access to 2D/3D maps, especially of India, over the internet. The software was useful for government, as it mapped for disaster services, climate and environment. However, it did not provide any services which were accommodating for a layman. The basic utility like location tracking, traffic updates were missing. On the contrary, Google Maps sensed this missing link and provided all the necessities to the general public which captivated them and eventually ‘Bhuvan’ lost its existence. This highlights that if the brands do not evolve and act in accordance with the consumers, the brand eventually dies.
The process of digitalization has given an impetus to the accessibility of information, and brands which have deciphered this notion at the right time emerged leaders in their sectors. Right timing is another factor of paramount importance. Many organizations digitalized their process. However, they were late in adapting it. The most well-known examples being Kodak and Nokia. It can be concluded that ‘Digital Darwinism’, is also a factor of time; not just relevant technology adoption but, timing of adopting is also a crucial aspect.
How To Survive ‘Digital Darwinism’?
How to be the fittest to survive the age of cut-throat competition and cognizant customers?
Firstly, there are plethora of brands that think innovation always mean to create something ‘new’ but, the primary objective of innovation should be to generate ‘net new value.’ If an innovation adds value to the previous process and increases its efficiency, it could make the brand more competitive in the market. Secondly, brands are made by customers not just by products or services. If the products are irrelevant to the customers, it is carcinogenic for the brand. Knowing the customers shall make you the brand cherished by all and make it an alpha predator (the species which is at the top of the food chain), in the era of ‘Digital Darwinism’.
(The writer is a student of NIT Warangal).