Digital Signposts: Right Brain vs. Left Brain
Feb 25, 2013 10:57 AM,
By Vern Freedlander, vice president, production, X2O Media
As the information age continues to redefine society and business, some analysts are predicting that a significant sub-age is bubbling up. This has been described as the “conceptual age,” which is typified by the gradual decline of the analytical, linear, left-brain thinker and the rise of the creative, empathetic, right-brain thinker. Technology and business writer Daniel Pink in his book A Whole New Mind popularized this idea about eight years ago. The underlying concept is that left-brain-dominated occupations that involve tasks such as number crunching or code writing can be performed more efficiently by a computer or outsourced overseas, while creative pursuits such as design and storytelling will always be in demand and have an ever-growing value.
The transition to the conceptual age dramatically amplifies the importance of visual communications in the enterprise. As more visually focused, tech-savvy employees join the corporate ranks, these right-brain thinkers will expect and demand that their communications be presented in a well-designed, creative, and compelling format. Corporate communicators will be faced with a double challenge: viewers that are very sophisticated and used to professional production values and quality storytelling based on their media consumption at home, and an audience that expects a consistently creative and original presentation. The solution lies in bringing the most creative corporate storytellers into the production process and a welcoming management that values their input and expertise.
For integrators this means setting up technical processes and introducing technologies that will allow creatives to do their very best work. The enterprise needs systems that allow inspired communicators to produce and distribute innovative, high-quality content quickly, yet still allow them to put their creative mark on content and maintain the company brand. Ultimately one quality will consistently make the difference between mediocre and outstanding corporate communications: creativity. A visual network that takes full advantage of great design, across all platforms and harnesses effective storytelling that delivers a deeper meaning to its right-brain audiences will achieve maximum effectiveness. Integrators, software partners, and hardware suppliers must be aware of these dramatic shifts within the enterprise and commit themselves to providing solutions that continually allow professional communicators to be inventive, efficient, and impactful.
Vern Freedlander is vice president of production services for Montréal-based X2O Media, a full-service provider of technology, network management, and content services for professional digital signage applications. With more than 20 years of broadcast television experience as a producer, director and executive, Freedlander oversees all of X2O Media’s content initiatives. He can be reached at [email protected].
