Who is Alex Smale?
Alex Smale is an award-winning photographer and developer, as well as being a expert digital marketer and business consultant.
Digital marketing expert Alex Smale is the developer of award-winning VR software designed to help those with dementia. He has two decades of experience in marketing, including working at two different zoos as a marketing and business development manager, and has also held the post of chairman of the marketing and communications committee at the national zoo organisation BIAZA.
Mr Smale was formerly the CEO of ImmersiCare, a company he founded that developed a range of relaxing VR experiences for dementia sufferers as well as those with other healthcare needs. The software was also used by medical and care staff to reduce stress levels and improve attendance and quality of life. Unlike other similar types of VR projects, ImmersiCare was created exclusively in real-time 3D, facilitating a higher level of immersion.
Mr Smale has been a business coach for around five years and now runs the business Operation Profits, which aims to help entrepreneurs make their online businesses as profitable as possible. He is also an award-winning photographer who offers a range of services including wedding photography, wildlife photography, horror photography, graphics and business training.
Alongside his wife Amina Shaaban, Mr Smale is the founder of the charity Classrooms for All, which aims to provide educational opportunities for both children and adults in developing countries. The charity does this by funding infrastructural development, improving school systems, and supporting skills and enterprise development. To date, the charity has provided more than 25 scholarships and has six infrastructure projects in process/built.
You can learn more about him HERE.
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This is the blog of Alex Smale
This is the blog of entrepreneur and digital marketing expert Alex Smale, who has over 20 years of experience working across a wide range of industries.
This blog will explore various aspects of Mr Smale’s professional life and personal interests, covering a variety of topics including how virtual reality can help those with dementia, marketing and AI trends for 2024, and trends expected to be seen in the leisure market throughout 2024.
The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which currently affects over 850,000 people in the UK – a figure that’s expected to rise to two million by 2051. While there is no cure for the disease right now, there are things that can be done to help make life easier for sufferers, including the use of technology. Researchers have discovered that exposing dementia sufferers to VR (virtual reality) environments resulted in less aggressive behaviours and improved interactions with caregivers; it even helped sufferers with memory recall.
Through VR, dementia patients can experience activities they’re no longer able to in their day-to-day lives due to secure environments and/or declining health.
The year 2024 is expected to be one of sizable changes in the marketing sector, with shifts in the digital marketing landscape the result of a continuing focus on sustainability and new technologies becoming more widely available. The use of AI in digital marketing is set to be a key trend of 2024. These tools use capabilities including natural language processing, data collection, machine learning and data analysis to automate marketing tasks, aid decision making and gain valuable customer insights.
These insights can be used to respond to customers and tailor services to their needs. Furthermore, AI tools can adapt over time, using new data and feedback to do so.
While the hospitality and leisure industry battled with the challenges presented by inflation throughout 2023, it is anticipated that 2024 will provide a significantly more positive operating environment for businesses within this sector. Although energy costs remain very high, food and beverage costs are much lower than they were in 2022. Furthermore, staffing issues are easing. With the general perception of jobs in the hospitality industry improving, vacancies are expected to decline throughout the rest of 2024.
In more good news, pubs are expected to prosper in 2024, with consumers increasing their visits to these establishments by as much as 11% as inflation normalises and consumer confidence increases.
What are the symptoms of dementia?
Dementia symptoms may include problems with thinking speed, memory loss, mental sharpness, understanding, judgement, language (such as trouble speaking or using words incorrectly), movement and mood. The condition can make it difficult for the sufferer to undertake normal daily activities.
Those with dementia may find it difficult to manage their emotions or behaviour, lose interest in activities they formerly enjoyed, and experience visual or auditory hallucinations. Aspects of the sufferer’s personality may change, and they might lose compassion and empathy.
The Virtual Reality Tech Revolutionising Dementia Care
The company ImmersiCare has developed a VR system featuring a headset that can be used by dementia sufferers. A typical session lasts around 20 to 25 minutes, with the patient experiencing up to three different VR scenes. Carers remain on hand throughout to ensure the user is comfortable and doesn’t become distressed. Visiting the seaside, space travel and swimming with dolphins are among the scenes available, and many dementia sufferers are already enjoying the stimulation and benefits offered by these devices and their supporting software, which was developed by Alex Smale.
The Marketing and AI Trends Predicted for 2025
Marketing and AI experts predict that 2025 will be a year of major change, with seismic shifts in the digital landscape driven by the increasing availability of new technologies and the growing concern about sustainability.