Marketers and media executives are spending 10% or more of their annual budgets on innovation. But the martech and adtech landscape is full of literally thousands of choices. The time and cost associated with identifying, vetting and evaluating these companies is daunting. And for the disruptive startup that seeks the attention of these potential buyers, it is nearly impossible to get an invitation to the dance. In this article, we share five important steps startups can take to elevate their game, and share why this year will be when the good ones do so. 

IoT executives must place the consumer experience first through added value and utility, to resist thinking of IoT as another media channel, and to leverage IoT in the context of customer loyalty, rather than customer acquisition. I believe that when marketers and device manufacturers partner to make IoT more affordable and valuable in the eyes of consumers, the payoff will be a win-win-win for everyone involved. In this blog, three prominent trade leaders respond.

2016 will be the break-out year for the Internet of Things. IoT presents an intriguing opportunity coupled with a complex challenge not previously faced by marketers and media executives. That is because the Internet of Things, as a class, is the first consumer-oriented Internet-connected device ecosystem that is not centered around media. In fact, the majority of IoT products showcased at CES this have little to do with media at all.... they are all about consumer utility and experiences.