I guess when I first started this blog I should have focused on what emerging media is and what it means for marketing and communication today. Traditional media — print, television and radio — can still be found on a regular basis, however, those mediums are falling behind in use, due to todays dependency on digital technology.
Something that is really impressive is the number of people technology is allowing to gain access to information. The explosive expansion of mobile phone subscriptions in developing countries could soon erase a substantial portion of the digital divide between rich and poor. With such a wide variety of people accessing information they want to get it in the quickest and easiest way possible. Agencies from marketing to public relations need to get that information into their hands in words or images that relay the information properly. Visuals are a great and effective way of getting that information across.
Visual information is provided through social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Written communication has not disappeared and blogs are still being used (obviously), however these social media platforms provide micro-blogs. Even micro-blogs became more multi-media driven as we watched Tumblr take off and YouTube reach more than 4 billion views daily.
Emerging media has helped take information from 1,000 words to 140 characters in some cases. Now the public is in large part the advertising voice of a company product, for better or for worse. The public having more control over companies has forced some of our favorite brands to interact more with their customers. That interaction has lead to a transparency where consumers are able to better trust companies and see how they are striving to offer what the customer wants.
Media will continue to change and there will be innovative accomplishments and there will be those that just don’t work. Regardless, companies of all types need to stay current with these medias or fear falling behind and out of the reach of their consumers.
erineblake 
You touch on a very valid point when you stated, “Now the public is in large part the advertising voice of a company product, for better or for worse.” Those 140 characters you reference can be so helpful to a brand, but can also be so damaging. Brands must be so aware of what is being said about them, and ready to respond to both the positive and negative feedback. Without the back and forth between the consumer and the brand on social media, you lose the most important part – social.
I love your ending comment in this blog post! It is my belief that companies have been slow to use social media effectively within different sections of the organization in order to better reach the consumer. At first, I think that most companies thought social media was a fad and that it provided no benefit to their business practices. Now that most organizations see a benefit to social media, they lack the knowledge to use it effectively to provide the consumer with some sort of benefit.
If we learned anything from social media, it is that we will see new emerging trends in media come up quicker than before. And as you mentioned, companies must be quick on the uptake or face the consequences of being left behind.
Really great infographic!
I think posting that wonderful visual element into your blog only validates your point further. As consumers and media users, we are bombarded with a plethora of content everyday! More than I think we actually realize. But, I myself prefer a quick synopsis of news, stories, or messages. I don’t have the time to sit down and read everything that comes my way, even if it interests me. I am much more apt to remember something when it’s short and sweet, and even more so when it’s a photo or video. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know that I am an avid follower of brands that can understand this need. I enjoy seeing their images on Instagram, and their short 6 second videos on Vine. I’m far more aware of them, and probably more prone to buy their products and services.