Entertainment and movie brand MrMovie is now available through the mobile phone (mc, Dutch). He or she who wants to see the latest film news, see listings or find upcoming movies, can visit MrMovie's mobile pages. If in the future everybody has Messenger on their phones, we automatically connect to MrMovie's chat bot from the restaurant we're at, find what top movie they show in the neighboring cinema, and reserve directly. Then we finish our espresso and walk to the cinema. This is a small step in that direction.

Telefoongids.nl recently has started its beta version of its own chat bot, named Finnu. Who adds msn@detelefoongids.nl to his contact list in Windows Live Messenger (still consequently called by its old name, MSN Messenger) can search for companies, services and people in a typed dialogue, and call them in one click. Telefoongids is the first guidebook in the Netherlands working with a chat bot (tc, Dutch). Brands have more and more dialogues with their customers. Now through a typed dialogue on the computer, more and more often through Instant Messaging on the mobile phone, and after that we will be able to talk to Finnu. If Telefoongids becomes a social coaching brand we will say: "Finnu..." "Hi Erwin!"; "call John for me please"; and John will be called. No matter if John is on our contact list, or has to be found somewhere else: that doesn't matter to the consumer. As long as he gets called. This is a small step in that direction.

Video sharing site YouTube can now also be entered through mobile phones. At m.youtube.com a special menu is available (mc, Dutch). All brands automatically adapt their communication with the consumer to the size of the display. The information we can see on this small display will later be in line with our personal profile: what did our friends (or friends of friends) watch? If we then want to see a bigger image, we just have to keep our mobile phone close to a bigger display and transfer it with our fingers, and a real full-screen experience can start. Interactive, if we want. This is a small step in that direction.

Rabo Mobiel, the mobile division of Rabobank, has her virtual employee Lisa advise consumers what phone to choose. Lisa welcomes you in spoken language, and asks what you are looking for. Then the website user gets a menu of choices he or she can click on. Lisa then continues in spoken language. This way brand agents slowly evolve. Now still on a sub page, later prominently on the home page. Now just through the computer screen, in the future through the mobile phone, TV, TomTom, e-paper and every other possible display still to be developed. Now still in textual surroundings, but in the future we will see Lisa in a RaboMobiel specific surroundings. This way the dialogue slowly comes to life. This is a small step in that direction.

Video portal Blinkx identifies language in its videos. Then advertisers (brands that still want to 'shout' ) can buy words or categories comparable to the Google AdSense program (mb, Dutch). Now Blinkx identifies language, in the future it will also recognize objects in videos. If we then see a handy tool, a special pair of jeans or fancy sun glasses, we can react to those immediately. Also through (our) spoken language. Every brand that supplies us with (interactive) video material will know exactly what there is to hear or to see, and can help us handling our next questions. Then it is not about advertising any more (giving suggestions when the consumer didn't ask for them), but about answering the consumers' questions. This is a small step in that direction.

At Udoo consumers can now design their own avatar, and show it on their mobile phone. Avatars are like the voice mail of the 21st century: they are electronic versions of ourselves. Like the tape on the answering machine, or the Out-Of-Office message in our mail program. We can let these smart avatars handle contacts with other people in our name. In the end they become so real, that for other people it feels like they have had real contact with you. Now they still look as characters, in the future they will really look like people. And the fun part is: we see a mirror image of ourselves in the avatar, only just a little fancier, a little smarter, a little more fun. When we communicate with this 'mirror', our avatar learns our way of speaking, our gestures, and our facial expressions. And our avatar this way can better and better represent us in the virtual world. This is a small step in that direction.

Online community MySpace now has its own (beta) version of Messenger (Instant Messaging). Earlier MySpace had a web version, and it looks like they keep developing this (dc, Dutch). This way social coaching brands evolve. Social coaching brands facilitate mutual contact between people, irrespective of through what display. They recognize you instantly, know in what dialogues you are involved with which friends, know who are your good friends and who are not. And they bring the contact to a higher level. It starts with facilitating contact in different ways. First a synchronized through pages, then through Messenger. And in the end we will also have live text, audio calling, and video connections through social coaching brands. This is a small step in that direction.

YouTube is going to internationalize. Local sites for Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, the UK and the Netherlands will be created. In a first phase every local site will be translated and given a local start page and search function. Afterwards every site will be given a 'local' user experience that makes it possible to have, amongst others, country-specific rankings and commentaries. Brands are entering an (automated) dialogue. To start with by speaking the consumer's language, then by taking over the consumer's specific idiom and later even their accent in pronunciation. With that brands will become a full conversational partner. This is a small step in that direction.

Videosharing site YouTube is going to localize its services. There will be local sites in Brasil, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In the first phase, the YouTube site will be translated locally, and have a local starting page and search engine. After that, every site will get a 'local' user experience function, which among others will make it possible to make more country-specific lists and comments (dc, Dutch). Brands start (computerized) dialogues. First by speaking the consumer's language, then by taking over the specific use of words of the individual and later even the specific pronunciation. Doing this, brands become 'people' we like to talk to. This is a small step in that direction.

The fast growing Danish furniture chain BoConcept has consumers design their own furniture, and place it in the virtual version of their own home (through Dana Connor at DMN, Dutch). Here home coaching brands find their origin. Now the consumer still has to provide all the measurements, later home coaching brands will have those available for us, anywhere we are. Now we still have to draw our existing furniture ourselves, later these will also be available already. And the same for the lighting plan. Now we still do this through TV screens, later through every possible display, even in the shop. Now consumers have to design their furniture themselves, later they will be able to ask a designer from Canada, Taiwan, or India. This is a small step in that direction.

The new European video portal Babelgum has the ambition to make all content for consumers available. Meaning all content made by consumers themselves. The money is (still) to be made through advertisements (mf, Dutch). This way a new home entertainment coaching brand comes into being: a brand that entertains us on a TV night. A brand that knows how to deliver top-content specifically in our interest. A brand we will be willing to pay for. This is a start.

The newest TomTom navigation systems can be operated through speech. Users can say the names of millions of cities and streets, and then drive to their destination (in most West-European countries for a start). Besides, text messages can be opened using speech as well. For example: "Do you want to hear this message?" If you say yes, TomTom will read it to you. With this option TomTom has the world premier in the navigation industry (tt). Brands start spoken dialogues with us. Now we start a dialogue with TomTom through TomTom's display, in the future we will also talk to other brands through the same display. And we will have dialogues with TomTom and other brands through the PC, then through the mobile phone, TV, and all other possible displays. The brands will have themselves represented by a visual brand agent who visualizes the dialogue. I wonder what Tom will look like in 'real' life...

TomTom as a world premier makes it possible for motorists to improve their maps through its TomTom Map Share™ technology. All users of this system can change maps themselves, and at the same time take advantage of the changes made by others. This way they always have the most accurate maps (tt). People share their experiences with others, real time. Now for road maps, later for nice restaurants or new shops. We won't just see what people thought about it, but also what our friends thought about it. Coaching brands will assist us and will find solutions for the problems which then arise: a new shop that attracts so many people on its opening day, that it is too crowded to normally serve people. TomTom takes a step forward again in developing itself as a mobility coaching brand.

Related trends

• Coaching brands

Many clips of video-sharing site YouTube are not watched on the YouTube site, but on other websites, like here at erwinvanlun.com. YouTube now automatically adds recommendations for other related clips to these. If you move your mouse over the clips, a carousel of clips automatically appears. YouTube this way develops itself further as a home entertainment coaching brand. Now through related clips, later through related clips within our personal interest, background and related to the moment. After that also through interactive experiences. It is like taking a friend to a boutique: you like something you see, and your friend has some more suggestions based on what you just said. Because there is always more... This is a small step in that direction.

Customers of Dutch Internet Service Provider Het Net from now on don't have to commit to a year's subscription any more (dc, Dutch). A typical sign of the development of the network economy. Brands don't buy loyalty through contracts any more (contracts don't lead to emotional loyalty anyway). It is easy to switch between transaction brands. Their service is monitored by coaching brands worldwide and so their quality (value for money) has to be perfect. Het Net with this choice shows it is developing to be a high quality transaction brand. This is a step in that direction.

Related trends

• Coaching brands
• Network economy

If you park your car illegally in Dubai, officials will send your parking fine to your mobile phone through MMS (via mc, Dutch). National governments, 'brands' connected to a region, a strong brand culture and with that solidarity and loyalty, start real-time control of the rules made by the inhabitants. We will be followed everywhere, our behavior will be analyzed on the spot and be corrected immediately if we do something that the majority of the inhabitants don't want us to do. That is how we will keep our countries safe in the future, so we can move comfortably and freely. Just a very subtle difference with a Big Brother which you can't influence. So if you get out of your car at a spot you are not allowed to park at, you will be informed directly, fully automatically. This is a step in that direction.