Sarah Fay's predictions for 2007 and beyond
Introduction
Word of mouth vs. conversation marketing
The hyper-changing media landscape
Is there an exodus from Carat Fusion?
Sarah Fay's predictions for 2007 and beyond
Berens: Here at iMedia, we're always interested to see where the interactive folks sit within the broader scope of all advertising and marketing. For the longest time, the question was, "when will digital/interactive/online get a seat at the grown-ups table?" At some brands and agencies, that's no longer a real question... but at others it is. Do you have a sense of where digital is within the industry overall and where it's going?
Fay: Aegis Media has taken the position that its holistic approach to client strategies is "Consumer Insights Driven and Digitally Lead." This makes me proud of the impact Isobar has had on our entire organization, and our increased ability to move our clients' businesses forward through digital strategies.
We no longer need to worry about whether digital will be forgotten or under-represented in the media mix. In many cases, digital is central to the communication strategies our company recommends. You know integration is working when various specialists from around the company can tell each others' stories. We know enough about our peripheral service partners to be dangerous!
There are now many people around the Aegis Media network (who are not part of Isobar) that can speak the digital language, and who understand the role digital media plays in the overall mix. We are definitely at the grown-up's table, and sometimes we occupy the head seat!
Berens: Let's wind up our chat with me inviting you to look into your crystal ball for the next year or two. What do you think is going to be hot in interactive marketing? Conversely, what isn't real yet? What might excite you in a few years but isn't there in 2006 and 2007, and what would have to happen to get dollars and interest from Isobar?
Fay: I believe we are at a pivotal point for mobile marketing, and we will see this space move significantly very soon. I think of mobile as the sleeping giant in the marketer's toolbox.
Mobile devices are being used heavily by a large part of the population, so the user base is well established. Most media have only been considered successful upon reaching mass distribution. This was true for radio, TV, cable and online. When I think back to the early days of internet marketing, we were trying to get the ball rolling with less than 20 percent of the population using the internet regularly-- and we called "once a week" heavy access!
Today, 70 percent of the population has a mobile phone and/or some other sort of wireless device. In 2004, an estimated 20 billion wireless-originated messages were sent. That number doubled in 2005, and is continuing on the same growth trajectory through 2007-- so we are talking rampant growth in adoption of wireless text messaging.
People are beginning to think of their mobile phones as much more than just a talking device. Devices like the iPod and Sony's PSP have opened our eyes to new definitions of wireless. This is no "chicken and egg scenario" where, as with other media, the infrastructure of the medium will only grow and attract consumers as advertisers' dollars support the growth, and vice versa. Again, the user base is already there, it is powerful, and it is waiting for marketers to tap in.
My other prediction is that mobile will evolve far more rapidly than any other medium to date. Devices are evolving at an incredible pace, and so are applications and the technology infrastructure that will enable a richer creative experience. Already video advertising to web devices is an option. However, like online, creative will need to fit the medium, and 30-second spots are certainly not the answer. The bar is set very high right at the beginning. It is not just an advantage to create a message that the consumer wants to engage with-- in the mobile medium, it is an absolute requirement.
As ever, creativity will play the biggest role of all. The most memorable and effective mobile programs have yet to be imagined. It's very exciting to think that there are ideas that will change our perception of mobile devices and that will change our perception of marketing.
As an industry, we need to be careful not to kill this opportunity by not getting the creative side right. I would hate for someone out there to start a wave of pop-ups for mobile, or some such thing! We need to tread carefully in the consumer's most personal of spaces, and tap into our most consumer-centric thinking to produce mobile creative that helps, entertains, fosters communication, and (dare I say) delights recipients.
Brad Berens is the executive editor for iMedia Communications. Read full bio.