3 minute read
The role of telco tech in the future of media by Tanja du Plessis
Moderator KENZY MOHAPI Media personality, Jacaranda FM
SARAH UTERMARK Director of commercial partnerships South Africa, Opera Software, Mobile Marketing Association
SINDY SNOW Head of marketing, Vodacom Digital Advertising
KERSTIN TRIKALITIS Co-founder and CEO, Out There Media
DENVOR DANIELS Sales head, Vodacom Digital Advertising
THE ROLE OF TELCO TECH IN THE FUTURE OF MEDIA
BY TANJA DU PLESSIS
Privacy policies, GDPR, POPI and a possible cookie-less world has been a long-standing conversation in the media and advertising space over the past three years. In an industry that is highly dependent on third party cookies, what does the future of media look like?
During a Future of Media digitised event, the topic in question was: “How do we create an authentic brand journey by taking full advantage of telecommunications and media technologies?” Hosted by Kenzy Mohapi, media personality at Jacaranda FM, the panel of experts included Benjamin Fahmueller, head of global partnerships: SSA at Google; Denvor Daniels, sales head at Vodacom Digital Advertising; Sindy Snow, head of marketing at Vodacom Digital Advertising; Kerstin Trikalitis, co-founder and CEO of Out There Media; and Sarah Utermark, director of commercial partnerships SA, Opera Software and representative on behalf of the Mobile Marketing Association. The discussion began by addressing the role of the telecommunications company in media and advertising. In Fahmueller’s opinion, the telecoms industry is well equipped to take part in the media industry because of the user data, first party data, platform availability and the reporting tools they have available.
Daniels added that from a local perspective, telecoms companies, specifically Vodacom, have the ability to address an audience that had seemed un-addressable in the past. “This has been made possible through innovative new platforms as well as innovating on existing platforms through creative communications with the customer, building our exciting new display channels, and high engagement channels through video” he said. Snow reiterated: “The lines between digital and mobile are becoming more blurred and, as marketers, it’s essential that communication happens at all levels regardless of lifestyle or position in the economy.” Trikalitis gave us some insights into Rich Communication Services (RCS), a new communication platform: “RCS is the game changer the industry has been
The big take-out:
RCS is a great add-on. It closes the loop, and makes sure brands and businesses stay connected, relevant and top of mind.
waiting for. It’s been developed by the mobile operator community and is the new standard of message. RCS provides a native, trusted environment that turns messaging into an interactive, future-rich experience.” Regardless of the platform, content is still king and the creation of good content is still key to captivating audiences. Utermark said: “The challenge with this is the speed at which the content needs to be developed, adapted and marketed.” Snow added: “It’s important to stay relevant and get creative in your customer messaging, especially with everyone being bombarded with advertising at the moment.” With a reminder that there are people behind the device, Daniels added: “You are connecting to a real person. With the feedback you get from that person, brands can adapt their messages effectively, allowing them to be relevant and react in real time.” With data and accessibility being a real challenge in SA, how has RCS worked in this regard? Snow concluded by saying that: “While awareness is created for brands via mobile when clicking on the digital banner, a big drop-off rate has been recorded if the user has no data. RCS has some sort of data component but, as a whole, brands can stay connected to their audience even if they have no data. By using a zero-rated platform this has increased the click-through rate by 70%.” With traditional media like billboards, radio, television and print still around and not going anywhere, RCS is a great add on, closing the loop, making sure brands and businesses stay connected, relevant and top of mind.
