Cision’s Innovation Lab to unveil its latest inventions at CommsCon

Steve Jobs once said that innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.

Given that Cision is the market leading earned media software provider, it needs to channel the spirit of innovation in order to prove that it is indeed a leader.

This is why the company has created the Cision Innovation Lab. Led by Cision’s president of data solutions and innovation, David Barker, the Innovation Lab team is busy planning, developing and experimenting with new products and features to further evolve the Cision Communications Cloud.

Given the importance of the lab to Cision’s acquisition and product development strategy, the company is pleased to confirm that David Barker will be throwing open the Innovation Lab’s doors to showcase the future of earned media technology at CommsCon; Cision’s inaugural communications congress taking place in London on November 6 this year.

Barker and Kaila Garrison, Cision’s VP marketing strategy and innovation, will present Cision’s earned media management vision and will provide a taste of the tools which communicators will be able to use to elevate their output and demonstrate their value to an organisation.

“When driving innovation we’re working 12-18 months ahead of what PRs want,” says Garrison. “David’s job is to come up with things that communicators don’t even know what they want yet, but they’re going to need them and going to want them.”

Barker added: “I think the comms professional has just got used to the tool set which they’ve had at hand. They have got into a workflow which is limited by their tools and technology and our purpose is to expand upon that.

“What we’re doing is launching things that communicators have always wanted but never had thought were possible.”

Among other new software developments, the pair will unveil Cision ImageIQ; the Cision Communications Cloud integration of recently-acquired ShareIQ. Cision ImageIQ will now make it possible for Comms Cloud users to monitor images and logos in exactly the same way as they currently monitor text.

By effectively creating DNA on images, this software is able to track the way an image has been used across the internet at a vast scale, even if pictures have been slightly altered. This means communicators can now plan strategies around image use knowing that they will be able to track the end result, ideal for campaigns across visual mediums like Instagram.

“Not only will you be able to see how the content is being used, Cision ImageIQ allows you to see which influencers share your content the best and who reaches more people downstream,” Barker reveals. “It could change your workflow, as you may be going after influencers who write about you, whereas you’re missing influencers who use images.”

Garrison adds: “I think with all of the technology coming out of the Cision Innovation Lab, such as Image IQ and others, it’ll provide fascinating insight into data, the audience and movement, information about their brand message which earned media managers didn’t have before.”

So, to find out more about Cision ImageIQ and the rest of the exciting developments being concocted by Cision’s innovation team, make sure you attend the “What’s in the innovation lab?” session at CommsCon.

CommsCon takes place on Tuesday 6 November at Hawker House, Canada Street, London. Head to the event website for more information on the agenda, speakers and for more details about the day.

Tickets are free: sign up using the button below.