Digital media will alter, but not make obsolete, traditional channels, Ann Winblad, founding partner of Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, said yesterday at the Direct Marketing Association’s net.marketing conference in Los Angeles.
Winblad made the statement in response to an audience question after her speech during the Tuesday morning general session. “Nothing ever dies, but sometimes they become seriously maimed,” she said.
The venture capitalist gave as an example call centers, which are being transformed by new technology. She mentioned the collaborative-filtering recommendation system by Net Perceptions, a company Hummer Winblad has invested in. Net Perceptions first developed the system for Web marketers and is now backtracking to offer it to more traditional media.
Winblad also said that people will still be using the phone. “Many of these digital customers will pick up the phone and call,” she said. “Customers are creeping toward the digital age. Everything is being reinvented. Combining channels has always been challenging.”
Most of Winblad’s speech focused on what Web marketers could do to make themselves attractive to venture capitalists. She said Venture Capitalists are looking for unique approaches, not just things that are slight improvements. “It’s the wild ideas that are open for funding,” she said.
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