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In the wake of Airtel rolling out 4G services nationally, and other telecom players planning to follow suit, we explore how marketing communication may be affected by this development and how brands can leverage this new technology.
Mobile network providers promise lightning-fast data speed with 4G, in a nation where mobile seems to be turning into the primary device for internet access for most. Will this create a new channel for advertising or enhance the growing digital arm of the industry? Here's what experts say:
Hari Krishnan, managing director, ZenithOptimedia
4G promises to better overall viewing experience, consequently improving the volume of video consumption in terms of total views and shares. This, in turn, will boost budgets towards OLV relative to TV, encouraging advertisers to divert more funds.
Secondly, the 'content snacking' behaviour of audiences could alter dramatically. Current data transfer speeds make people skim the surface of content and move on without exploring further links. 4G is likely to boost long-form content consumption by audiences, not just longer films, but written content as well. Owned media will gain more traction and hence demand greater attention from marketers. Audiences who currently terminate their digital journey at a single interaction on social platforms will be able to seamlessly transit to further destinations and brand sites, which will need to be updated and monitored with greater degree of detail.
Nimesh Shah, co-founder, Windchimes Communications
Secondly, technology-based innovation, which has been a miss all these years because of low bandwidth, can be driven by 4G. Integration of online and offline ideas will lead to better use of technology to bring out brand experiences in the offline world, using the internet.
Brands may also rethink the way they spend on digital advertising. The money that was earlier spent on acquisition of Facebook fans will now go into creating good content; so, there will be a diversion of funds. The billing by digital agencies may also increase, considering the creation of high-end content like interactive videos and detailed apps.
Keshav Bansal, director, Intex Technologies
The app ecosystem, which is already bustling, will further gain traction with its growing sticky audience and attract attention of marketers. Catching the consumer's attention on his smartphone without intruding his personal space would be a key challenge.
Associations/partnerships/co-branding could rise to grab eye balls without being overwhelming. Exclusive app launch of products cannot be ruled out, as some of the apps are growing exponentially on the back of enhanced data speeds.
Marketers will be forced to plan traditional communication campaigns with social media/digital element upfront, rather than doing it as an afterthought, which happens in many cases today.
Rohit Raj, co-founder, The Glitch
As a digital agency, it will allow us to use heavier content, be it websites, videos, banners or even images, which was not possible earlier. We can now explore interactive experiences and higher quality. It offers us a greater degree of creative freedom to do better things for clients now, the ones we weren't proposing earlier.