Consumers are dismantling the traditional boundaries between Marketing and Commerce Channels: SapientNitro Report

SapientNitro, part of Sapient® (NASDAQ: SAPE), today announced the launch of Insights 2012, a new annual report that examines the key consumer marketing trends and digital technologies that will impact businesses in the year ahead. Through a combination of proprietary research and commentary, SapientNitro experts present their global perspectives and recommendations on how companies need to evolve their brand experiences to successfully embrace the challenges posed by today's complex environment.

From enabling the future of mobile payments through the digital wallet to leveraging "the cloud" to create seamless, multi-channel experiences, SapientNitro authors address a diverse range of marketing, technology, and design topics throughout the 100-page report.

"One of the themes that emerged is the convergence between marketing and commerce caused by technology," said Hilding Anderson, senior manager, research & insights, and editor of the report. "Armed with multiple devices and data, today's on-the-go consumers are shifting from browsing to buying within minutes. The need to both immerse consumers and satisfy demand in the same context has a profound impact on how brand stewards market and sell their products. Creating integrated, seamless experiences that blend traditional with digital, marketing with sales, is key to success in this new world."

In this Insights 2012 begins with an in-depth look at mobile, the result of interviews and polling with over 20 mobile industry influencers, as well as heuristics analysis and a proprietary scorecard of applications in categories that SapientNitro strategists deemed ones to watch: mobile wallet, in-store mobile, integrated experiences, location-based services, and emerging technology. Key findings:

· Years after the first smartphone arrived in the market, sophisticated mobile experiences remain in development.

· Key to accelerating mobile payment adoption will be loyalty programs, easy-to-use offer redemption/couponing, and real-time offers.

· Emerging technology that bridges the physical and digital worlds was cited as critical by the mobile professionals surveyed. Augmented reality, motion-gesture technology, telematics, and voice recognition ranked top in strategic importance.

Following the Mobile Moments research study, Insights 2012 delves into SapientNitro-authored essays in three sections:

· Viewsight: points-of-view in the areas of marketing and media, social media, mobile, and technology.

· Foresight: a longer-term (one to five year) trend outlook on innovations expected to impact businesses, including transmedia storytelling, real-time everything, "the cloud," and more.

"The way we go about living our lives has been forever transformed by the unceasing march of digitization and device proliferation," said Alan J. Herrick, president and CEO of Sapient. "Every day, we see the challenges facing our clients and are inspired by the opportunities they present to create groundbreaking customer experiences. In this complicated world where connections and capabilities are being reinvented, we hope that Insights serves as a guidepost and accelerator for businesses."