Digital communications and the future of advertising

Industry leaders from advertising, marketing, media and research industries attended the symposium to listen to experts in the field of media audience and product/brand research share their knowledge of worldwide developments and trends in media.

Transformation of communication

Garton addressed the recent transformation of communication and the global digital target audience that advertisers must now engage. These people are technologically savvy and able to use the power of digital technology to its fullest potential. There are also unprecedented social networks forming and this means that people are listening to each other instead of marketers.

Speaking on the importance of youth, Garton references this market as “digital natives”. They have grown up with digital communication and they are the driving force of this sea change. It is vital to understand them and talk to them about this culture and the thinking behind this communication transformation.

Speaking of a new trend, Garton described the Third Screen, which follows the television and the computer. The third screen is the small screen found on a cellphone, iPod or PSP. It brings with it many opportunities for advertisers to find ways to develop more engaging relationships with their audiences, as these become more popular. Synovate conducted a study in September 2006 to understand the usage and perceptions of the third screen.

The research was conducted in Seoul, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Singapore and respondents were aged between 18 and 30 years old. The research found that the The third screen is mostly used for “killing time” and “filling the gaps”. Favourite content amongst users is real time news, music videos and sports. The challenges with it include its expense, the small screen which strains the eyes, slow downloads and its short battery life.

Still gaining momentum

While South African usage of the third screen is still gaining momentum, African Response looked at some of the activities South Africans use cellphones for weekly (source: AMPS 2006):

Of the total population, 16% send SMSs weekly. This form of communication is most popular amongst the 25 – 34 year old age group (just over a fifth send SMSes weekly).

Downloading ringtones and logos is most prominent in the 16 – 24 year old group.

Internet and email via cellphone has not yet gained ground in South Africa. Only 0.8% of the population report using this email and 1.2% have browsed WAP or the web from their cellphone.

The third screen offers both challenges and opportunities to advertisers, media buyers and owners, and marketers. They must:

• Find new ways to develop more engaging relationships with their audiences
  
• Use social communities, viral marketing and multi-platform entertainment
  
• Recognise that consumers are empowered and no longer ruled by the 30-second TV spot
  
• Consider branded entertainment as a means to engage.

As target audiences and media types fragment, media research will have to adapt to target, time, place, medium, needs and moods. Specific measures will become the norm.