Robotics And VR: Engagement Just Got A Lot More Interesting
In this guest post, Atomic 212’s chief executive Jason Dooris (pictured below) says, with all this new tech now available to brands, it’s taking the CX/customer engagement thing to a whole new level and it’s the marketers who need to keep up…
Do you remember those 3D images you used to get in magazines from the newsagents? You know the ones – you’d have to put on a set of flimsy glasses and suddenly the image was alive?
I used to be obsessed with them. Morning and night, I’d be looking for new magazines and new images to bring to life with my magic glasses. I didn’t realise it at the time, but the reason I loved them was probably because they increased my level of engagement with the product. They took a static image on a page and brought it to life.
Well, things have come a long way since then. The world of digital has brought engagement and interactivity to a whole new level. But here’s the kicker – as marketers and agencies become more and more savvy with technology and digital tools, the whole world is awash with interactive and engaging marketing messages. Clutter is rife. In such an environment, creativity becomes more important than ever. In fact, as my 3D glasses example shows, creativity and engagement were bedfellows long before digital technology entered the equation.
In an always-on digital landscape, brands don’t necessarily need to constantly be creating the world’s next breakthrough; of course, constantly having that mindset is the best way to achieve revolutionary ideas. But they do need to be constantly thinking creatively about how to engage their consumer and how to add value rather than simply ramming a marketing message down their throats.
An example might be the nifty ‘Makeup Genius’ mobile app from L’Oreal that shows you how you might look with different makeup styles. Or it could be an interactive tool on your website, like the RateCity ‘Election Calculator’ which helps you see which political parties will most affect your wallet. Or the Mazda ‘Build Your Own Car’ tool that let’s you (you guessed it) build your own car from scratch on their site. These are all tools which add a bit of value to the consumer’s life, and the consumer will therefore be more likely to invite the brand in.
In a world of digital-first campaigns and social media, the Holy Grail is engagement. If people are spending time positively with your brand, if they are immersed in your brand, then your brand remains top of mind. It’s obvious. But they have to be engaging positively. An engaging experience, which leaves a consumer with a sour taste, can be hugely damaging. This is where creative thinking comes to the fore. Although having some cool technology to go with it surely doesn’t hurt.
It seems like every month we’re bombarded with new tech that blows us away, until some other cool new tech comes along just a few weeks later. We are seeing 3D video on YouTube going from strength to strength (I just love Samsung’s interactive 3D surfing video), while augmented reality and virtual reality are moving out of the world of fantasy and into our living rooms. We have robots like Pepper the Robot, which can learn and interact, cars that can drive themselves, and artificial intelligence that is becoming increasingly humanlike.
Once upon a time, media was very much a one-way activity. Then, as people could increasingly interact with emerging channels, we saw two-way communication emerge. But now it has developed to a whole new level – social media is proof that consumers don’t just want to engage with brands, they want brands to engage back. New digital technologies are impressive not because people can interact with them, but because these platforms can learn and adapt and talk back. Ads are served based on preference and behaviour; cars can sense when you’re tired and make you take a break from driving; and Siri can tell you jokes.
The world is a very different place, and the 3D magazine picture may not cut it anymore. But even as technology improves and opportunities to engage with consumers increase, we need to remember that a strong, creative idea is always the starting point. Technology is merely the vessel.
Latest News
The Mars Agency Announces Latest Findings Of Retail Media Report Card
The Mars Agency has developed a scorecard that assesses the capabilities of leading platforms across key criteria required to optimally plan, execute, and measure effective retail media programs. The scorecard aims To help brands efficiently evaluate their spending options across retail media networks in Australia (and New Zealand). With spending on retail media advertising in […]
‘It’s The Lesser Of Two Evils’ – NRL Eyes US Betting Market As Aussie Regulators Circle
US betting firms will be delighted by the circa 50,000 Americans who could soon watch the NRL on their favourite app.
A-League In Deep Discussions With New Partner To Keep Games On TV After Production Company Enters Administration
The A-League's insatiable appetite for scoring own goals continues.
TV Ratings (27/03/2024): Jungle Members At War Over Concealed Lipstick
A heated argument between two jungle members did the numbers for Ten last night, with I’m A Celeb obtaining a total national reach of 1,282,000. Fans were delighted as Candice Warner and influencer Skye Wheatley got into it over a stick of lipstick, leading Warner to dub the Instagram star “selfish.” Wheatley, best known for […]
Is The Australian Music Industry In Trouble? Inquiry Launched Following Splendour Cancellation
Earlier this week, an inquiry was launched into the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Australian live music industry in the wake of multiple festival cancellations. On 25 March 2024, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Tony Burke MP, asked the Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into and report on the […]
Liana Dubois, Leandro Perez, Aimee Buchanan & More Gather For Inaugural Compadres Leadership Event
Didn't get the invite? Perhaps you're not as important as you thought.
Cathay Captures The Unforgettable Thrill Of Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Via Publicis
Nobody does rugby like Hong Kong, apparently. Certainly nobody does it as badly as Australia.
Cocogun Nabs Christine Watts, Kirsty Reynolds & Shev Tan Bolstering Management & Creative Teams
Cocogun bolsters its team with new hires. Committed to purchasing a bigger sofa, too.
The Media Store’s Jacquie Alley & Sam Cousins Take The Plunge With Pro-Bono Work For Cure Cancer
B&T chats with The Media Store bosses about their great pro-bono work and sponsored swim.
Hawke’s Brewing Co. Taps Rocket Comms For PR Agency Following Competitive Pitch
We're expecting Rocket Comms productivity to crash in spectacular fashion following this win.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Patties Serves Up A Taste Of Home For Olympians & South Sydney Rabbitohs Recommit To Gambling Reform
While the Rabbitohs commits to gambling reform, B&T reckons the team should commit to a decent auto sponsor.
Google: “Inevitable” That Bad Actors Will Abuse Ads Platform As Advertiser Account Suspensions Double
Google maintains it's simply impossible for it to entirely stop bad people placing & paying for ads using its service.
Quantcast Expands APAC Sales Team With Appointment Of News Corp Account Manager
No pressure at all when you are appointed as a client success manager.
Publicis Sapient Tests Microsoft-Powered Gen AI Search Tool With Homes & Villas By Marriott Bonvoy
Given Gen AI's record for mangling stuff, B&T cannot see the problem with letting it decide your next holiday digs.
Volkswagen & DDB Group’s “Roo Badge” To Reduce Kangaroo Related Road Collisions
Watch out for RooBadge as Cannes Lions' most debated campaign this year.
Twilio Launches Unified Profiles & Agent Copilot Features To Boost Productivity & Engagement
Agent Copilot sounds like James Bond's less interesting cousin.
Reebok & Honda Among New Clients For onetwo agency
OneTwo finally lives up to its name with this double billing.
Ogilvy Report: Throw Out The Social Strategy Rule Book, The Rules Of The Past No Longer Apply
B&T was puzzled that all 'influencers' aren't, effectively, 'virtual', but here we are.
WhiteGREY & AKQA Merge In Australia, Lee Simpson Departs
Fortunately, the combined agencies aren't opting for a trite portmanteau for the new name.
Splendour In The Grass 2024 Music Festival Cancelled!
Music fans all over the country reportedly relieved they can pack away their rain coats and gumboots for another year.
TV Ratings (26/03/2024): “Fairy Bread, F***ing Disgusting”: Gordon Ramsay Slams Aussie Food In Food Stars Launch
Ramsay not one for mincing his words, even when it comes to minced meat pies.
Paramount+ International Boss Doubles Down On Aussie Content, Says Ad-Tier will Grow Audiences And Revenue
Good news as Paramount will not be binning I’m A Celebrity for re-runs of Frasier.
Brent Smart: Telstra Pushing For 50-50 Brand-Performance Split But Warns Numbers ‘Won’t Look Great’ Initially
The old brand vs performance debate continues. But here, Brent is firmly sitting on the fence.
Crowded House, Tones And I & Dom Dolla Win Big At The Shure Rolling Stone Music Awards
B&T staffer reports back with humdinger of a hangover & feeling seriously uncool after mixing with music types.
Opinion: Dyslexia “A Hidden Gem” For Brands & Agencies
Dyslexics offer underappreciated benefits in the corporate field, according to this op-ed.
David Jones Taps Criteo To Power Online Retail Media Arm
Want to see ads for things you probably can't afford? David Jones has got you covered with new retail media play.
oOh!media Sets Up Team To Target Business Audiences Across Airports & Offices
oOh! wants brands to harass you every minute of your next business trip.
QMS Launches Australian First DOOH & TV Partnership With Samba TV
Samba TV, of course, is not a channel dedicated to dancing. Much to our dismany.
Slew Of New Hires At Amplify
Four new faces join the Amplify offices. Team say desk scarcity becoming "acute".
Adobe Announces Content Authenticity Initiative Expansions To Counter Deep Fakes
Try as they might to enlighten them, we suspect Trump supporters will continue to watch and believe Fox News.
The PR Group Appoints TechCrunch Senior Reporter Catherine Shu As Director Of Content & Media
Catherine Shu makes the bold leap from journalism to PR. Says inevitable pay bump was "unrelated".
HERO Nabs Ebony Santin From AMPR
Rumours Santin cleared out the stationery cupboard before departing are as yet unconfirmed.
Karena Noble Checks Out Of EVT Hotels & Resorts To Launch Comms Consultancy
Noble still managed to squeezed in a continental breakfast before departing.
Canva Acquires Design Platform Affinity To Bring Professional Design Tools To Every Organisation
Canva & Adobe face off continues. We're not picking sides but keenly aware that Canva's office is next door to ours.
“Lean On Our Team To Help You Find An Audience”: Why Understanding Audience Engagement Is Essential In Journalism
Engaging the audience is critical to journos, apparently. We'd thought self-loathing & alcoholism were key.
Adobe Summit: Major Gen AI Developments, Data Concessions & Partnerships
What happens in Vegas stays there. Unless it's the Adobe Summit and then you get to read about in B&T.