CReATION: Wireless tipped to be major means of 'Net access in Asia-Pacific

<p>There is no question that wireless Internet access in Asia is going </p><p>to be enormous. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>BDA China estimates that up to six million people in China alone will be </p><p>accessing the Internet via a wireless device by 2002. Currently there </p><p>are 10 million wireless Internet users in Japan alone. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Wireless Internet development across Asia will be different from other </p><p>regions given Asia's limited landline infrastructure and limited </p><p>computer-based Internet usage. Because of these limitations, mobile </p><p>phone usage is very high, and, therefore, it's likely that over time, </p><p>wireless will emerge as the dominant means of accessing the Internet in </p><p>Asia. It may also be the first exposure of a larger portion of the Asian </p><p>population has to the Internet. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As the mobile Internet access market grows, wireless advertising will </p><p>play an increasingly important role in the business plans of both mobile </p><p>carriers and content providers. For content providers, advertising and </p><p>mobile commerce will be critical to their success, as the number of paid </p><p>subscription sites will make up only a small portion of the available </p><p>inventory. In this environment, advertising and subscription will </p><p>co-exist. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A good example of this can be seen in Japan. NTT DoCoMo has over 500 </p><p>sites on their main menu and only a small portion of these are </p><p>subscription-based. Recently, DoCoMo announced that they would begin </p><p>supporting advertising on their menu sites to help generate revenue. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>We're already beginning to see advertisers and mobile carriers </p><p>experimenting with different forms of mobile advertising. Examples of </p><p>early forms of wireless Internet adverting include text based messages, </p><p>small graphics, and offers that are redeemable at stores. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The technology to deliver a wireless ad already exists. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The real challenge ahead is in identifying an ad model which works </p><p>effectively for the advertiser, while bringing value to the mobile </p><p>user's experience. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Four factors will influence the success of mobile advertising: </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- Value: The personal nature of wireless devices demands that wireless </p><p>advertising carry value for the end user. This value will take multiple </p><p>forms. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Some advertising will offer coupons and promotions. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Others will take the form of subsidies that allow users to access </p><p>content for free or help reduce their mobile phone bills. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- Standards: We've learned from the development of the Web as a </p><p>marketing medium that no new medium can develop in the absence of </p><p>standards. Standards need to be developed for both creative and </p><p>advertising measurement. Once in place, standards will allow advertisers </p><p>to buy the same creative model around the world, and receive reports on </p><p>the effectiveness of the campaign. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- Accountability: The availability of accountability tools has become </p><p>increasingly important to marketers attempting to maximise the </p><p>effectiveness of their advertising campaigns. The growth of Web </p><p>advertising is primarily fuelled by the ability of advertisers to </p><p>measure and analyse the effectiveness and ROI of their campaigns. For </p><p>wireless advertising to mature as a medium, the ability to measure </p><p>effectiveness will be extremely important. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- Targeting: Due to the personal nature of mobile devices, and the small </p><p>screen sizes, advertising must be relevant to the user. In every digital </p><p>medium, the ability to segment and target an audience is a key concern </p><p>for advertisers. This will be accomplished by targeting ads to users who </p><p>have opted in for advertising services, or that have expressed affinity </p><p>for certain types of products/services through Web registration, or </p><p>through their behaviour. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Wireless advertising, in its infancy today, will develop into a very </p><p>powerful marketing medium that allows advertisers to develop closer </p><p>relationships with their customers. Currently, however, there is a great </p><p>deal of hype about how quickly this medium will develop and which ad </p><p>models will dominate. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Setting these false expectation levels runs the risk of damaging the </p><p>credibility of the medium as a marketing vehicle. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It's important now for advertisers to focus on marketplace realities and </p><p>wireless advertising solutions that are viable today while also building </p><p>and testing models for the future. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>