At Nurun Toronto, a few of us had the opportunity to attend this year’s NXNE Interactive. With a varying line up of presentations and panel sessions, inspiration was served up in many forms as we learned about what creativity looks like today and how it’s connecting a span of digital and physical platforms.

As our smartphones and devices become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, digital media is becoming much more than just entertainment or a utility in today’s society. Whether it’s viral videos on YouTube or a gallery space filled with iPhone photography, digital media is evolving at an incredible pace and often through unpredictable methods.

A common theme across the various sessions was the importance of human connection. Putting the focus on people – not the product – and emphasizing emotional connections are integral parts of any successful brand campaign, particularly when it comes to digital. Although digital media may seem intangible, human connection and sentiments can still be projected through methods such as storytelling, brand personality and curation. Deeper connections must be formed as we experience a cultural shift in the digital space, where the line between online and offline is becoming more blurred.

The evolution of interactive social content is also bringing about a new appreciation for analog. As emotional connections are formed with tweets, texts or Instagram photos, we’re seeing an increase in services that allow you to bring this content to life through physical keepsakes such as Printstagram or tweet2hold (co-created by our very own Ryan Bigge!). This hybrid of physical and intangible, known as the “PhysiDigital,” may be something that you’ll be seeing more of in 2012 as we continue to connect, consume and create online.

Tags: Marketing, North by Northeast Interactive, NXNEi

0 comments