AListDaily digs back into its archive of exclusive interviews and feature stories from 2017 across the gamut of marketing beats it reports on and aggregates some of the most interesting marketing quotes executives had to share with us.

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“There’s a constant drumbeat of marketing technology coming onto the scene. As a marketing leader, you have to understand all of the possibilities, and make decisions about expensive martech purchases. Your tech strategy is also a constant piece of the puzzle, and I don’t think that will be stopping anytime soon. Breaking through and getting to your buyer set in a compelling and engaging way is always big. I see the frenzy of marketing automation still very relevant.”
—Lauren Sallata, Panasonic USA’s chief marketing officer and senior vice president

“Amazon is basically trying to become the one-stop-shop for everyone and remove brand value. They’re trying to disintegrate into different areas by saying ‘the brand is separate from the product.’ Relevance is a very big aspect of that . . . How you really connect with consumers, both as brands and retailers, in an omnireality world is the next question that marketers need to start answering. Start thinking, preparing and integrating for that world a little bit more, not just waiting to see who’s going to do it next.”
—Lokesh Ohri, a principal at Deloitte emphasizing in omnichannel retail, digital and supply chain strategy

“Our research indicates that millennials are looking to make an emotional purchase . . . Millennials want to be different and make decisions on their own. They don’t want to follow the status quo—but they do like a status symbol.”
—Katie Inderelst, head of Alfa Romeo marketing and communication

“If you become data-obsessed, then your videos will quickly deteriorate and lose their appeal. In social and digital platforms, data is important, but it’s also ephemeral, so basing everything on the data of last month can have devastating effects on the long run.”
—JP Polo, director of social and digital video content for National Geographic

“In my mind, the thing that should change [about video is] the value of digital video advertising, and I think it will. There’s a death grip on legacy advertising formats. Pre-roll has been a part of the equation for some time, but obviously, there are a number of other platforms—particularly on the social side of things—that are emerging faster than ad formats can be created. But that’s the way it works. Monetization will come eventually, so we’re focusing on creating great programming to accentuate each platform and on building an audience—the fun stuff.
—RJ Bentler, Pitchfork’s vice president of video programming

“As voice itself evolves, along with the technology platform evolution, we will evolve with it because this isn’t just a nifty gimmick. The thought of interacting with voice is something that will become part of our everyday lives . . . There’s no question in my mind that when done right, voice makes everything easier. I think it’s unquestionable that it’s here to stay. It’s going to get exponentially better and faster. The fat fingers will go away, and we can have a natural conversation with whatever platform it is.”
—Lee Applbaum, Patrón’s global chief marketing officer

“I think that mobile gaming is the fastest growing entertainment medium. It’s actually bigger than the movie business right now. So, if you own a brand or IP, thinking about what you’re going to do with it from a mobile gaming perspective is one of the first thoughts that will come to your mind.”
—Chris DeWolfe, Jam City CEO and co-founder

“Today’s consumer, this generation, has been spammed with advertisements since the inception. They have access to every device known to mankind, and just the consumption of esports and video game content as a whole has gotten easier because it’s everywhere and it can be in your hand and on your laptop—it can be whenever you want it. What I’ve seen in the content that has reached and connected is there has to be an authenticity there. A genuine desire to engage and participate, not just talk to and dictate. When you see a consumer come online and spend their quality hours—which a lot of them do two to three hours on end when they sit down to game—that has a core authentic background to them.”
—Rick Fox, owner of esports team Echo Fox and three-time NBA champion