FOCUS: 2001 PREVIEWS: Preparing to be a part of the digital future

On the assumption that lots of people will talk about new media - digital television, WAP etcetera - it might be worth recognising the lead that Asia has over the rest of the world in this area, but also the need for us all to be planning for the content that advertisers will need in this new environment. DoCoMo's level of innovation and take-up with iMode and 3G technology is truly amazing, but so too are the broadband connectivity opportunities represented in Singapore and Hong Kong. Technology development centres in Hydrabad and diverse and different levels of Internet growth in most other parts of Asia is certainly worth noting as leading edge in the world. We should all recognise that with the incorporation of these new media channels into the consumers' daily lives, it doesn't necessarily mean that we will all have to go out and get a whole new set of skills. But we will need to be mindful of consumer uptake and how they're actually using it not so much in terms of a media channel but more in terms of the benefits and the desired response the consumer wants. That is, online banking, shopping, news, entertainment, email and so on. Once we've got a handle on that aspect it's then a matter of building messages to suit. But of course it's not going to be that simple because that messaging will also need to be built around the premise of CRM principles to ensure we get interactivity happening. Some people will benefit from a deeper understanding of the drivers of interactive trigger points but it really isn't Einstein stuff. What will this all mean? The emphasis is clearly shifting away from the old thematic 30 second spot, but there's also evidence that there will be a continuing role for it, albeit in a less significant way. We'll see new and different media formats, and new opportunities to communicate and cut through will abound. This doesn't discount the potential for purpose-built programme productions, that will no doubt abound in the digital TV world that's just around the corner. Inevitably, we'll also see more campaigns with multimedia communication platforms which means a greater need for cohesiveness among key participants in the communications development chain, such as brand planners, creatives and the media strategist. It's not a brain drain to see that more integration will be needed. Under-standing the consumers 'context' of media usage, not just knowing their 'contact' points is going to be a far more crucial contributor to advertising 'content' development than most of the industry gives it credit today. Ask yourself what steps in 2001 you are planning to take to be part of the digital future. At Universal McCann, we've got it covered.

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