The three ages of tech branding report

Technology has transformed every facet of modern life. In this brave new world every company is a tech company, and every person is a tech user. A far cry from the engineering-led heyday of Silicon Valley, modern tech businesses show up differently today in order to connect with people in the modern, tech-infused world.

How can your tech brand show up in ways that are modern, relevant, and also authentic?

In this report we dive into how tech brands have evolved over time and we see three distinct “ages” emerge, with clear guidance on how to resonate in today’s world:

1. First age: The age of trusted reliability. This age was about establishing legitimacy, and brand ethos, positioning, and design were in support of this cause. Thus, brands focused on trust, reliability, optimizing business, productivity and the “company man.”
2. Second age: The age of disruption. The Internet went mainstream in this era, kicking off the start of digital transformation. Brands focused on disruption, democratization, rethinking connection and commerce, personalization, and making tech approachable.
3. Third age: The age of intentionality. This emergent age is about tech that helps people belong, believe, empower, and further their goals. This age is about acknowledging technology as an embedded way of life, here to serve the world and humankind better. In this world, every kind of company is a tech company. And, tech brands are moving to “consumer grade.”

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We aim to show how tech brands have changed to stay relevant in each age and particularly how they are showing up in today’s “third age” of tech in ways that are impactful, real, and purposeful.