In this new world, the successful brands will be the ones that speak directly to you. These brands will be able to identify not that you are a likely traveler – but that you are traveling to Atlanta next week. They will be able to tell not that you are likely to play games, but that you are a hardcore street fighter player with your own custom joystick. The brands that get you are the ones you will reward with your time, your attention, and your wallet. The critical component that makes this new world work is data – not simply general research data, but data about you. This goes far beyond just behavioral targeting, to your preferences, your interests, your actions – all of the signals you send as you move through the grand stage of life. The revelation is that this new world is no longer the far-off land on the horizon – we’ve hit the beach.