The Divergence between Supply and Demand of Information
Since the early nineties the new relationship between consumption and production has cast a new light on the brand world. Similarly, in the last decades human development has undergone a tremendous change, which also means drastic changes for each consumer. Many aspects of this evolution were brought about by technological innovations. Similarly the now sociologically established and oft-documented evolution in social values was massively influenced by these new technologies, which are in large part responsible for putting everyone in competition with everyone else while simultaneously increasing the wishes and demands of the consumers. The concept of “handmade mass production” is one such paradoxical example. A few major brands have perfected this concept within digital brand management. A few examples are Adidas’ sneakers (www.myadidas.com) which are customized to perfectly fit their customers’ feet, personally tailored cosmetics and perfume (www.reflect.com), or C&A’s 3D body scanner, which allows clients in selected shops to buy clothes that are tailored to their body to the inch. In a way, it could be said that consumers have practically become product managers; they spread their impressions and their knowledge about the products, which enables companies to bring products onto the market much faster and tailor them even more perfectly to the consumers. As I said before, we are seeing a new way of operating which spans from the production process to communication management and which now involves consumers to such an extent as has never been seen before. While companies have been losing ground, consumers’ influence, understanding and power have continually been on the rise.

The resulting divergence between supply and demand of information is becoming wider and vaster. Consumers themselves feel the