Consuming Content – A World Now On Our Terms

The rise of the digital world hasn’t changed everything, what it means is that we are all now consuming content on our own terms.

People today are motivated by the same things that motivated them fifty years ago; it’s just that we are now in control.

It’s All On Our Terms

Today’s consumer is not different from that of previous generations; it’s just that we are now able to govern the world we are immersed in.

I am not a Sky Sports subscriber, but to watch Sunday’s Manchester United v Arsenal game, rather than the previous option to pay for at least a month, there is now the Sky Sports Day Pass, where you can pick and choose what you watch (and no contract cancellation fee). No contract, it’s on my terms.

One also needs to look this year at the popularity of the 5:2 diet, where people restrict calories some of the time (two days of the week) but understand the complete commitment to a hardcore regime, can be difficult. The participant is now in control. Dr. Michael Mosley’s The Fast Diet book has been in the top 100 on the Amazon best sellers list since it’s release in January 2013.

According to Future Foundation, 65% of people avoid subscribing to a product due to tying in to long-term contracts (which now makes me wish my mobile phone contractor could go back to the days of 12 month contracts).

We Are Digital Gatekeepers

This new world that we’re all part of has also meant that we have become gatekeepers of our digital lives. We can pick and choose whom we connect to and whom we participate with. The websites that are directing us to landing pages, to sign-up/subscribe to, we are now more educated as to whether this is a flat out sales technique or can add value.

The days of being prescribed to an ‘all-in’ basis will slowly subside to a culture that promotes flexibility and control to the consumer. A blessing for those who see commitment as an unnecessary bind.