Recruited cyberconsumers
Tomorrow's target group was the topic of discussion at the IAA Young Chapter podium
Tomorrow's target group was the topic of conversation at the IAA Young Chapter panelBy Stefano Monachesi New forms of media are announcing themselves with pressure: UMTS, broadband networks and pay-per-view are increasingly in the headlines. Meanwhile, research institutes are outbidding each other with figures on how many users will be on the Internet in the future. If you don't want to miss out on the trend, you have to ask yourself in good time how your advertising is going to reach the consumers of tomorrow.
Since 1998, the term "viewser" has been haunting the English media trade press: Like television and the Internet, the viewer and the user are now to merge. The Young Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) Switzerland found yet another term for the target group of tomorrow: "How to reach cyberconsumers with advertising" - this was the motto of a panel discussion, to which the IAA invited to the Zurich Taverne zur Linde in early November.
"We don't want to organize an argument here, but a technical discussion," said panel leader Wolfgang Frei (Head of New Media NZZ), opening the discussion. Contributing their expertise were Ronny Schmid, Managing Director Universal McCann, Martin Radelfinger, Managing Director AdLink Switzerland, and Kai-Uwe Seelig from Cablecom. Seelig represented Peter Trinkl, Head of Business Area Planning at Cablecom, who was absent due to urgent matters relating to UMTS.
"What is a cyberconsumer anyway?", Wolfgang Frei asked the question rhetorically - yet in the course of the conversation, at least circumstantial evidence accumulated about the character of this apparently still mythical being. The cyberconsumer is open to advertising: Martin Radelfinger pointed out that, although ad blockers have been available for four years, they have not become established on the Internet.
Web users have accepted the gentlemen's agreement that they receive valuable content for free thanks to advertising. The high quality of advertising-financed offerings has weakened the former free culture and resistance to commercialization on the Internet.
The cyberconsumer also has needs: "Sports, top movies and erotica - although he would never admit that," enumerated Kai-Uwe Seelig. Seelig sees a market for such offerings in pay TV. In principle, consumers will receive a bundle of offers tailored to their needs in the future: They will only pay for those channels they actually use, and at the same time purchase other cable services such as voice over IP, Internet and more along with the TV offer. In this way, Cablecom also wants to cross-finance non-profitable offers in the future.
Rich media banners vs. TV advertising: thirty to zero
If advertising is to reach cyberconsumers, it must meet their needs. For Ronny Schmid, it is clear that a media mix is still necessary. The question is: "Where do I pick up my target group?", i.e., at what time of day does which medium reach them best? And, if advertising is to sell, "Where does my customer tend to need my product?"
Radelfinger hooked in: Besides the measurability of contacts, sales are the strength of the new forms of advertising. The bulk of the shift of advertising money to interactive media will therefore flow through direct marketing. In addition to the famous click on the TV presenter's tie, which redirects directly to the fashion house, Radelfinger emphasized above all the next generation of rich media banners: Thanks to broadband access, real multimedia will become the rule, and via database connections, banners will become actual mini-websites. According to Radelfinger, such banners could generate a clickthrough of up to 30 percent - compare that with the zero percent of conventional TV advertising.
It remains questionable who will reach cyberconsumers with advertising. Radelfinger expects consolidation in the market for online advertising intermediaries. It is not enough to simply play banners on websites. What is important above all, he says, is the development of know-how and new forms of advertising. In view of increasingly sophisticated channels such as interactive television, Radelfinger expects a separation of technical and advertising intermediaries: The required technical know-how will become too big for marketing companies.
Content Summit
Since 1998, the term "viewser" has been haunting the English media trade press: Like television and the Internet, the viewer and the user are now to merge. The Young Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) Switzerland found yet another term for the target group of tomorrow: "How to reach cyberconsumers with advertising" - this was the motto of a panel discussion, to which the IAA invited to the Zurich Taverne zur Linde in early November.
"We don't want to organize an argument here, but a technical discussion," said panel leader Wolfgang Frei (Head of New Media NZZ), opening the discussion. Contributing their expertise were Ronny Schmid, Managing Director Universal McCann, Martin Radelfinger, Managing Director AdLink Switzerland, and Kai-Uwe Seelig from Cablecom. Seelig represented Peter Trinkl, Head of Business Area Planning at Cablecom, who was absent due to urgent matters relating to UMTS.
"What is a cyberconsumer anyway?", Wolfgang Frei asked the question rhetorically - yet in the course of the conversation, at least circumstantial evidence accumulated about the character of this apparently still mythical being. The cyberconsumer is open to advertising: Martin Radelfinger pointed out that, although ad blockers have been available for four years, they have not become established on the Internet.
Web users have accepted the gentlemen's agreement that they receive valuable content for free thanks to advertising. The high quality of advertising-financed offerings has weakened the former free culture and resistance to commercialization on the Internet.
The cyberconsumer also has needs: "Sports, top movies and erotica - although he would never admit that," enumerated Kai-Uwe Seelig. Seelig sees a market for such offerings in pay TV. In principle, consumers will receive a bundle of offers tailored to their needs in the future: They will only pay for those channels they actually use, and at the same time purchase other cable services such as voice over IP, Internet and more along with the TV offer. In this way, Cablecom also wants to cross-finance non-profitable offers in the future.
Rich media banners vs. TV advertising: thirty to zero
If advertising is to reach cyberconsumers, it must meet their needs. For Ronny Schmid, it is clear that a media mix is still necessary. The question is: "Where do I pick up my target group?", i.e., at what time of day does which medium reach them best? And, if advertising is to sell, "Where does my customer tend to need my product?"
Radelfinger hooked in: Besides the measurability of contacts, sales are the strength of the new forms of advertising. The bulk of the shift of advertising money to interactive media will therefore flow through direct marketing. In addition to the famous click on the TV presenter's tie, which redirects directly to the fashion house, Radelfinger emphasized above all the next generation of rich media banners: Thanks to broadband access, real multimedia will become the rule, and via database connections, banners will become actual mini-websites. According to Radelfinger, such banners could generate a clickthrough of up to 30 percent - compare that with the zero percent of conventional TV advertising.
It remains questionable who will reach cyberconsumers with advertising. Radelfinger expects consolidation in the market for online advertising intermediaries. It is not enough to simply play banners on websites. What is important above all, he says, is the development of know-how and new forms of advertising. In view of increasingly sophisticated channels such as interactive television, Radelfinger expects a separation of technical and advertising intermediaries: The required technical know-how will become too big for marketing companies.
Content Summit
An umbrella event for various online publishing events:
7th Interactive Publishing:
Conference for interactive content strategies, Nov. 15-16, "Swissôtel," Zurich. Cost: 1880 euros (excl. VAT).
The Content Show: exhibition for companies in the content industry, Nov. 15-17, "Swissôtel". Cost: free for conference and seminar participants, otherwise 80 euros (advance booking) or 100 euros.
TV meets the Web/Fall:Seminar with case studies around broadband and interactive TV, Nov. 17, "Swissôtel," Zurich. Cost: 590 euros.
IP TOP Awards 2000:Toponline Publications Awards, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., High Voltage Laboratory, Seefeldstr. 305, Zurich.
First Tuesday:Contact forum for start-ups and investors, Nov. 15, 1-7 p.m., "Swissôtel".
The Masters Series:Three workshops on topics such as newsletters, calculating the value of content, 15. and
Nov. 17, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., "Swissôtel."
Content Networking Night:Inform. Networking event for Content Summit attendees/exhibitors: Nov. 15, 7:30- 11 p.m., Rest. Stars, Zurich.
Information: www.contentsummit.com
