The new digital environment is bringing about a “renaissance” for marketing, which can be defined as “meeting customer requirements,” notes Digitas and Razorfish Chairman Rishad Tobaccowala, who was interviewed at ShopLocal’s 8th Annual Retail Forum this week in Chicago by AdAge’s Maureen Morrison.

Tobaccowala says that the obvious parts of the new digital environment for marketing are the focus on local, social, interchange markets and data. “Digital gives us new ways to tell stories,” he notes. But the connected network and the empowerment of the customer are less obvious.

“Everyone talks about the empowered customer. Many clients say they empower customers as part of their vision,” says Tobaccowala. But unless you are household names like Apple or Samsung, “that’s actually not true. Most struggle to empower customers.”

With opt outs just a click away, that represents a real threat. “The reality – as even Apple is finding out – is you can’t keep people hostage.”

The marketing funnel itself is under attack, adds Tobaccowala. “There is no zero end game” anymore. “You can go from not knowing about a product to being an advocate for a product in about four minutes.” And that leads to marketing and commerce “becoming basically the same thing.” Winners in the new environment will focus on adapting to the newest media channels – which can all be classified as different screens of glass – and adapting to “a more kinetic, fast moving environment.

“It isn’t real time, it is faster time,” he says.

Tobaccowala also suggests that Facebook should have a “dislike” button. “It is much better for marketers. You learn much better when people say they dislike you.” But in a Google-led era, is there an ongoing role for media (and agencies)? Yes there is. Publishers and other media companies are about seduction, he says. Google is all about sex.

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Gannett Digital Marketing, the umbrella division of Gannett that includes ShopLocal, BlinQ, PointRoll, DealChicken, Key Ring and Clipper Magazine, relaunched today as G/O Digital. The new unit – which is adding a massive hub in a Chicago skyscraper, and is specifically kept separate from Gannettt’s media properties — is lead by longtime ShopLocal head Vikram Sharma. It also adds ecommerce vet Mark Maranacci (Edo, Google, Yahoo) as ShopLocal President, where he will lead the sales marketing team interacting with national brands and retailers.

The rebranding was announced today at ShopLocal’s 8th Annual Retail Summit in Chicago. Gannett CEO Gracia Martore, at the event, said that the effort is part of “transforming Gannett into an innovative media and marketing powerhouse,” scaling local audiences “to a national level.”

Staples SVP of U.S. Stores Alison Corchoran spoke about the value of having all the Gannett services under one roof. The company views Gannett as a major marketing partner, along with companies such as Constant Contact, Google, Groupon, LinkedIn, Facebook, Cheetah Mail and Mcgarry Bowen.

Corcoran noted that Staples now has 1,500 stores, but it isn’t about the stores so much as being a “b2b marketer” both online and in the stores. With the rise of search, Direct Mail, email marketing, social media, ecommerce and loyalty services, she noted that the goal posts have dramatically changed.

While Staples continues to focus on “easy,” “the meaning of ‘easy’ has changed. Retailers have more dots to connect. Gannett’s new focus on integrated offerings have really helped the Staples team get over the dual dilemma of being “very data driven but risk averse,” she says.

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