It's been a defining year for sure, not only has this virus managed to upend business sectors of all kinds it's also accelerated the move towards business transformation just like the earlier industrial revolutions seemed to have done.

Ironically we have seen a return to a couple of traditional engaging consumer experiences such as mail order, and the continued growth of all manner of social platforms, including a myriad of video conferencing solutions that managed to keep us all in touch with family and friends over the recent festive period. 

As we are forced to spend even longer in our lockdown bubble, and digital has taken over the families daily activities it seems we also have responded to a medium once in perceived decline.

Without a doubt the 5th Industrial revolution is now a rapid work in progress.

A third of all Christmas shopping was forecast to have been done online this year as coronavirus lockdowns across the UK - and across the globe - made many shoppers decide getting gifts delivered to the front door is safer and easier than buying on the High Street.

It also seems that 'Mail order' is also now big, big business, so perhaps swap London - Paris - New York for London - Paris - Newtown (Wales) for what is described as an "extraordinary" rags-to-riches story. (link below)

I don't know about you but I think the whole advertising experience on mobile is quite frankly shit. I use my phone like most other people I know - to stay connected with business and family activities. 

Combine that with the rapidly growing use of free to use communication tools like Zoom, Chime, 'Messenger, Whatsapp' and the fact we're making even less of those calls via the paid cellular network, our online social experience is not going away.

We are all addicted to our phones, I'm not sure how healthy it is, not for me to say, but take a look at photographs from the days before the 'mobile' was widely available and you would see pictures of people on the morning and evening commute reading a paper, primarily for the news and entertaining stories, but also to help fill in the journey time.

All those newspapers carried their 'advertisers' message, which they hoped would subliminally encourage us to buy the headache tablets, new tracksuit, investment package, insurance, or luxury holiday to 'Wales.'

Social media has changed how we all consume stories and news today, fake or not. 

Twitter has been used to topple dictators and regimes, and if you believe the hype FaceBook has been used to influence the outcome of presidential elections. 

We use the mobile phone to access this information, and more, all the time, it's become our 'de facto' newspaper or favourite magazine, but it's also become the place where we can now check out what our friends and other people think about that story, your products and company.

As for those holidays to 'Wales' - It's also a place that apparently was the birthplace of the 'Mail Order' industry as mentioned in the article link in this post here

Forget the internet and delivery drivers, Pryce Jones used the superhighway of the day - the railway and parcel post.

He didn't have an app or website, but in 1861 he started delivering catalogues - thought to be the world's first mail order catalogue - of his latest fashion items, from bloomers to a three-piece suit, to his 200,000 customers around the UK and the world.

He even went so far as a purpose-built warehouse - with its own post office - next to the railway line to connect his premises to the rest of the world, making a small market town in Montgomeryshire a "major centre of international trade".

So, does mail order fit with your plans for 2021?