What trends will 2013 bring? The next stage in brand management systems will be exploiting social media and entertainment to inspire and engage those who steward brand identity.

In recent years, brand managers have been digging deeper and designing full marketing resource management environments. These enhance original asset management systems to allow users access to everything from guidelines, elements, tools and processes to budgeting and campaign management.

Once functional requirements are met, there’s an opportunity to go further. Brands can immerse users in an open experience from the first screen of the system, bringing the brand to life. This enhances the functional and task-oriented experience to a fully-engaged relationship with the brand.

A well-branded experience layered on top of a brand management system could simply be a page depicting official communications like recent advertising campaigns, employee interviews or interesting discussions about positioning the brand in local markets. It could also harness all the content brand advocates inside or outside the organization create.

Similar to a company’s Facebook page, the content could include member updates, ratings, brand-sightings and experiences. An app could allow enthusiasts to capture pictures or videos of the brand in the marketplace and post for review on the system.

Viewers could rate execution (on brand or not), ranking most popular or most current. Videos depicting personal experiences with the brand can generate inspiration to other visitors. Also, the company could use this feedback as ethnographic research and ideas for innovative product or service development.

A platform for exchanging “learning experiences,” those stories we generally wish to forget, could collect challenging in-person experiences in applying the brand in local markets or in staging events. Inaddition to supplying a vehicle for storyteller catharsis and visitor entertainment, this series could be instructional for others struggling with or embarking on similar journeys.

For the global brand manager, documented war stories add insight to problem areas. They also create opportunities to innovate, tailoring brand materials and outreach for specific markets.

Given that the rest of the system would house and promote official communications, material and guidance, a well-curated brand experience section should comprise just 20-30% official corporate communications. The majority should contain user-created content.

For the brave brand manager – the “brand experience” and a downloadable element gallery could be open to the outside world for browsing, co-creation and content supply. Many organizations already open access to at least some of their downloadable brand assets from their corporate website.

Open access acknowledges a loss of complete control over the brand, but capitalizes on the opportunities this presents. If the brand identity is going to be used outside of official company communication, it’s best to provide access to pre-approved material that is on-brand.

An open-access brand experience portal tests the brandpromise (not a bad thing necessarily). It gives the brand management team real-life insights and interaction to their most committed consumers.

Whether the site is open to a select group of brand stewards, or welcomes the world at large, there will of course be inappropriate, off-brand or even damaging material posted. Yet, if your brand is truly living its promise, clear and consistently, the message will prevail.

The experience the consumer has with a well-managed brand will transcend attempts to misrepresent or discredit. The efforts and enthusiasm of user advocates can make the strongest case on the brand owner’s behalf.

Robin Rusch is the CEO of BrandWizard.

As Kevin Perlmutter mentioned in his last blog post (and describes in his article), the way we live, work and play is changing, thanks to wireless technology. In fact, I recently read that having no presence on mobile devices in 2010 is like not having a website circa 1999.  So true! The digital age is in hyperdrive.  3G access continues to increase (and 4G is already here!). Some stats say that up to 99 percent of the population will have some sort of data capability on their mobile phones by 2011.

So what does this mean for retailers?  It means the need for a whole new view to their digital strategies. When a shopper can enter a store, scan a barcode, see that the same product is cheaper at a nearby competitor and click a link for directions to take them straight there, the game has suddenly been changed, so to speak.  There is an ever-expanding catalog of apps out there to enable this type of shopping behavior (in the store, in the car or on the run), and manufacturers like Apple are training customers via commercials and advertisements on how to use all these apps to simplify their lives.

It might be easy to dismiss this trend given the relatively small percentage of people with iPhones or Droids today, but now is the time to start investigating and investing in individual strategies. Almost one third of Americans are already shopping via their mobile devices, and the number grows when you talk about Millenials and their mobile shopping habits.

Two brands getting it right so far are Best Buy and Target, which both have useful apps. Best Buy’s app not only let’s you browse its extended online product assortment, but allows you to actually purchase via your mobile device (not many retailers are doing this yet). The app also lets the user locate stores and provides a map given your current location that leads you right there (the icon actually moves while you’re moving so you can see where you are in relation to the store). Finally it makes it easy to navigate, providing a “deals” page, as well as “ideas” and “gifting” pages, not to mention access to your “Rewards Zone” account.

Meanwhile, while Target’s similar app doesn’t let you purchase via mobile, it provides a barcode scanning option that can be used in and out of the store to allow shoppers to find out more information about a product. Beyond price, it offers product information, customer reviews, and availability in your local store.

So, like Target and Best Buy, the next move is to gain advantage and protect sales by offering shoppers what they want in the modes they desire. Not every retailer will need a full-blown program, but each must understand the needs of its customers, what information and access they are looking for and where or how they want to access it. Once these insights are known, the appropriate level of investment and how to spend it will become much clearer.

As already discussed in a number of our “That’s Debatable” posts, social media empowers consumers and has forced brand marketers to adapt and evolve. As the power of “social” makes itself clear, we look to the near future and wonder: What is the limit of social? Is it possible for all media—even more traditional media, like television and print—to develop a social aspect? How far will social spread? And how could the stretch of social change the way we think about communications— forever?

While it might be difficult to imagine social shifting from a subset of communications channels to the overarching category, it’s an interesting thought experiment—and it’s actually not so far-fetched.

Below is a breakdown of a few key factors that could foster the spread of social media–and some that could limit or halt a complete social takeover. Signs that social media is taking over.

Signs that social media is taking over:

1. The media landscape is going digital.
Although traditional media seem to be fading in popularity at first glance, in reality, traditional channels aren’t disappearing but evolving. Newspapers are becoming online news sites. TV shows are moving online. Magazines are offering online content. While the technology changes, content and format is evolving to incorporate more aspects that facilitate social behaviors. The New York Times already includes a “social sidenote,” if you will, to each article. TV shows like American Idol encourage interaction through text votes; others almost ubiquitously send you to “see more!” or  “see behind the scenes!” on dedicated blogs, Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. As traditional content increasingly expands into the digital space, the content will increasingly mash up with social media services.

2. Digital properties are dissolving barriers and opening a direct exchange between brands and people.
It’s an obvious but important point. Brands are given new possibilities to interact with and gain key insights about their customers. From customer feedback to crowdsourcing, social media platforms enable two-way communication that can be both risky as well as enriching for brands. But the fact is that the company walls are breaking down—so those that embrace what customers have to say and actually showcase how listening to customers influences the business (like MyStarbucksIdea and VitaminWater’s consumer-named new drink) will have a much easier time adjusting to the new world of media.

3. The influence of advertising is shifting.
Consumers increasingly rely on social recommendations, which they more often find online by using search engines or social media outlets. The data, like that shown in the Razorfish FEED study, is strongly behind the digital influence on purchase behavior.

4. Current advances in mobile technology will leverage social media even more.
By mashing up traditional mobile communication like text messaging with social media services, the consumer stays connected at all times and everywhere. So when consumers can see specials or recommendations through their mobile devices, your brand better be present and accounted for (remember our argument for getting location-based channels like Foursquare in the mix?).

5. Internet use is near ubiquitous among teens and young adults, and rapidly growing with older audiences as well.
This is the first generation to grow up with digital media, and they embrace social media now and in the future. They don’t even know the internet without it. But social media growth is high among Boomers and their seniors. If the adage is “go where your audience is”—well, all forms of media are going to need to integrate in some way to the social spots where their audiences thrive.

6. Certain social media platforms have passed a key tipping point—and a network effect has taken over.
Facebook, with a total of more than 400 million users—fifty percent of whom visit every day, and on average spend an unbelievable 55 minutes on the site per day (PER DAY!)—is impossible to ignore. By becoming communication and information hubs, both for consumers and brands, services like Facebook are the driving force behind social media, and can be used to feed information and experience into more traditional media.

Ok – social definitely isn’t everything, everywhere—yet:

1. Usage of social media channels is currently on the rise—but we shouldn’t forget that traditional media is still highly relevant.
Although some channels might need a change in direction and strategy, radio and television are still highly relevant. In fact, while social media is becoming an important tool in brand communication, it only works as an integrated part of a broader channel mix. Particularly because the internet hasn’t reached the simple mass penetration of the market that radio and television enjoy (yet).

Also, although there’s been decelerated usage of traditional media among all age groups, most users still trust traditional media more than other channels. Other media channels are rated more favorably in terms of accuracy, credibility and telling the truth.

2. If social media platforms continue to fumble when it comes to confidentiality, customers will avoid using it.
People expect to know how their communication will be distributed online. If consumers are insecure about how their confidential information is handled, they avoid using a social media service or use it with reservation.

In conclusion...

There’s no doubt that social media growth will continue rather than decline at this stage in the game, particularly given that it is becoming integrated into every other media channel.  So keep your eyes open for the day that “social media” will no longer be referred to as a separate channel—it will just naturally be a part of everything.

Still, if there’s one obstacle the social media phenomenon faces, it is this: establishing trust. It will be up to social media platforms to step up to this challenge. To avoid becoming just the flavor of the week—or turning off users forever—platforms will need to prove their credibility and be more and more transparent about how they benefit users and what they do with users’ personal information.

This post is the eleventh in a series called That’s Debatable: Social Media Edition – posts designed around oft-debated topics in our community, meant to spark conversation and gather different perspectives. Learn more about That’s Debatable, and take our social media survey, and join the debate on brandchannel.