DAM Apocalypse – Brandfolder Integration Swells The Horde

A genre that’s become as tenacious as its undead agitators, the zombie movie has been with us for over half a century now.  In comparison, innovation within the DAM sector appears to have already reached the rigor mortis stage and the whiff of decomposing imagination is beginning to wrinkle the noses of those seeking a fresh approach.

Over the last few years many DAM vendors have succumbed to the ever-growing appetite of those involved in the creation, distribution and curation of digital assets by offering every bolt-on, plug-in and connector imaginable.  As a relative newcomer, Denver’s Brandfolder is no exception to this trend and has recently published a press release announcing the addition of two new connectors to its series of no less than 25 ‘thoughtful’ integrations for its eponymous DAM platform.

This latest offering comprises modules for issue tracking platform JIRA and workflow management tool inMotionNow.

“The addition of these offerings further demonstrates Brandfolder’s category leadership as the premier DAM in terms of usability, simplicity and efficiency; extending Brandfolder’s capabilities beyond traditional asset storage and distribution.” [Read More]

Aside from the corny hyperbole, cross-platform integrations within digital asset management solutions are surely a good thing, and the exodus from monolithic, silo-based systems towards more modular platforms has very few stragglers left on the road.  However, much like that sinking feeling when such ridiculous titles as ‘Osombie’ are released (who on earth funds these films?), it’s becoming increasingly apparent that the DAM industry has failed to reinvent itself, and has done for a number of years.

David Diamond made some astute observations about this trend back in 2014:

“The flurry of DAM integration announcements we’ve seen in the past few years suggests that vendors have discovered life outside the DAM ghetto. Vendors are plugging DAMs into everything, and then displaying those product logos on websites, like they’re the stuffed heads of game conquered bare-handed. (It’s like we’ve traded taxonomy for taxidermy.” [Read More]

As their name suggests, Brandfolder’s speciality is brand control, and CEO Luke Beatty continues the obligatory pitch, with the usual peppering of superlatives:

“The idea of ‘brand’ embodies more than a logo or tagline. We are seeing more organizations take control of their brands with the Brandfolder digital asset management platform to support and align digital marketing efforts – with the ultimate goal of growing brand engagement and ensuring consistency across all channels,” said Luke Beatty, CEO & Chairman, ‎Brandfolder. “We take our responsibility to seek out the most relevant integrations for our customers very seriously, and in doing this, we are building the most intuitive and powerful offering on the market today.” [Read More]

Other vendors bitten by this feature creep, such as Bynder, who might just be the first to herald the end of downloads, are displaying similar symptoms, namely an insatiable hunger to consume every conceivable third-party service available. With ‘DAM Lite’ options disappearing due to scalability issues, broken ROI models and growing competition from file-sharing services such as Google Drive and Dropbox, one might be forgiven for thinking that the industry is returning to the colossal, lumbering platforms of yesteryear.

“Brandfolder’s comprehensive integrations work together to strengthen its overall DAM offering. As a result of Brandfolder’s adherence to its user-first mission, organizations of any size can continue to excel at maintaining their brand health through thoughtful, innovative, and efficient DAM integrations.” [Read More]

Brandfolder’s claim of being “the world’s most powerfully simple digital asset management platform” strikes me as a tired and hackneyed attempt at reaffirming their presence in an overcrowded marketplace.

DAM as we know it neither requires nor deserves the torment of constant reanimation; it requires rebirth, to emerge from the chrysalis as a foundational technology upon which software clients are built.  DAM’s original scope of management and curation is now grossly outmoded, and in a fast-moving world whose very essence is the free flowing of digital assets, it crouches awkwardly on the path to progress, like a greedy ogre, a zombie that just won’t die.

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