Rethinking the Role of “The Idea” in Integrated Communications

“Nothing endures but change” — Heraclitus (5th century BC) The assumption above is probably very convenient for human-related matters. Communication is built upon human interaction, technology, and trends; therefore, it is open to the effects of change more than any other field. Over the past few decades, marketing and marketing communications have been also experiencing emergent accelerating ideological, cultural, and technological change. Shifting from an offline communication environment to more online and emergent, new and dynamic, communication practices has brought about new terminologies such as engagement, experience, relationship, inside-out/outside-in, viral effect, co-creation, interactivity, customization, and so on. To go further, labelling the current era is controversial; whether to call it still modern or postmodern is difficult due to its elusive but undoubtedly crucial features. In addition to this, the behaviour and attitudes of consumers are shifting especially with the newly joined generation called digital natives. This altered and altering profile of consumers is now smarter, more demanding, empowered, engaged, and even co-creating.