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One of the biggest trends at CES was, without a doubt, virtual reality and 360 video. Nearly everywhere you turned, someone was donning a VR headset in your line of sight. Chances are, even if you weren’t at CES, you’ve tried VR via the increasingly prevalent Google Cardboard.
In a short period of time, we as consumers and users have become amateur film makers and photographers. Beyond that, one of the most buzzed about films this year was filmed entirely on something many of us carry around in our back pockets, an iPhone. The content we can create and view is better and more accessible than ever before. That’s why the cliché phrase, “content is king,” isn’t being retiredanytime soon. So here we are, on the precipice of “the next big thing” in content, and VR wants it’s time in the sun.
On a consumer level, we are ready for VR.
Let’s look at how it could change the way we share and experience content on social media. Snapchat is quickly becoming the go-to place for sharing a snapshot of your experiences. Many times at CES, I witnessed people open Snapchat, stand in the middle of the show floor and do a complete 360 degree pan of their vantage point. People want to give their friends/family/followers a peek into what they are experiencing at that moment, from every angle. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a 360 degree, immersive video is worth a million.
Additionally, we want more “insider” access to the content we consume than ever before. Take the additional content created for The Golden Globes on Sunday, for example. There were slow motion and 360 cameras on the red carpet, golden Vine nuggets and an official Snapchat Live story showcasing non-televised moments. Sure, the TV screen was the hub of content but consumers are constantly searching for ways to get more from these events. Virtual reality has the ability to drop you right in the center of the red carpet -- to feel what it’s like to stare down a line of photographers, to hear the screams of fans and to rub elbows with JLaw and Leo.
But is VR technology ready for consumers?
Tthere are some major barriers to cross. The largest being the experience. To have a solid VR experience, you need to be attached to a bulky headset. Google Cardboard works in a pinch, but it doesn’t do it justice. With the full gear on, I literally giggled with delight during a demo of Discovery’s VR content and had to stop myself from attempting to pick up the puppies that were circling at my feet in the middle of The Puppy Bowl field. However, the feeling faded when I loaded the content on my phone and viewed it through Google Cardboard at home.
Wearing the gear has a limit of 15 minutes at most. People feel disoriented, dizzy and sometimes even anxious when wearing it. Your sight and sounds senses are immersed in the content, but you’re still very much aware that your body is not there and that someone is hovering over you for their turn. Maybe some of that will lessen if it’s brought into the home, but I doubt it. Think about how many people you know with home entertainment systems that feature 3D. I’m going to guess not a lot, despite the tech being widely available for some time. It’s not because they don’t want it (movies filmed in 3D for the theaters is the norm) but bringing in the extra hardware (the glasses) is a step consumers don’t want to take on. Again, we want the content but we also want the extreme ease of use. It needs to fit in our back pocket.
So, what does this all mean for marketers today? A lot actually.
While VR everywhere may be further into the future, the idea of an immersive experience is very much now. How can you create an experience for your customers or at very least integrate your brand with an experience? This line of thinking is easy for entertainment brands. We’re already seeing it during major events and concerts. But other brands can think like that too. Are you a hardware shop? Use 360 to show a customer how they can fix that leak pipe on their own. Are you coffee distributor? Show them how the beans are crafted and cared for. Are you a hospital? Put anxious patients to rest by showing them a 360 look at their scheduled procedure.
It is the age of supplemental content. Embrace it. All 360 degrees of it.
It’s no surprise that consumers are ingesting digital content at greater speeds and on more devices than ever before. What’s challenging is that consumers are willing to skip and click out of anything that gets between them and their content. So what’s a digital marketer to do?
As Centro’s Aubry Parks-Fried (pictured prepping below) explained in our recent 3Ton30 webinar, the solution is to go native!
Aubry Parks-Fried strikes a power pose to prep for #3Ton30 with @Centro! pic.twitter.com/P7RSm6fe8S
— Raechel White (@raedudoubleb) January 20, 2016
As Aubry explained, social content is native content. Consumers value social because it’s timely and trusted. In fact, consumers would rather learn about a brand’s products through content, not traditional advertising. The stats are clear: consumers aren’t just stopping by social platforms, they are spending a lot of time there. For advertisers and brands, investing ad dollars in the social space is a no-brainer. And for good reason. Social content is the most effective kind of native advertising there is (eMarketer).
#socialmedia makes up 60% of native ad spend! Are you advertising on social? #3Ton30 — Ashley Nix (@AshleyLizNix) January 20, 2016
Facebook has the reach of the #SuperBowl, every single day. You HAVE to take advantage of this advertising strategy! #3ton30
— The Partnership (@PartnershipATL) January 20, 2016
1 out of 5 mobile minutes is spent on Facebook or Instagram! #3ton30
— JayRay (@JayRayAdsPR) January 20, 2016
#Snapchat generates 6 BILLION video views per day. That's BILLION.... with a "B". #3Ton30 #socialmedia #marketing
— Susan Ann Roper (@susanannroper) January 20, 2016
93% of Pinterest users utilize the platform for planned purchased. #3Ton30
— Candace (@PRandBLover) January 20, 2016
So what can you do today to improve your digital campaign with social placements? Aubry shared four key steps:
"Don't be afraid of native social advertising." Great tips from #3ton30 by @Centro #socialmedia
— Bailey Fuqua (@BaileyFuqua) January 20, 2016
Thanks for a great presentation, @mrsapf! Fantastic webinar packed with useful, timely #digitalmarketing information #3Ton30
— Susan Ann Roper (@susanannroper) January 20, 2016
Thanks to all those who attended! Keep your eyes peeled for a complete list of questions and answers we were unable to tackle during the webinar.
Learn more about Native Advertising with Centro.
Meh. That was the resounding response I overheard as I weaved through the 2.47 million square feet of exhibition space at the 2016 CES. ‘Meh’ was the common theme in many of the quickly posted recaps from advertising and technology bloggers.
I on the other hand had a totally different take. For me, CES2106 was all wow. Wow is my response to not just the ‘meh’ populace, but what I saw and experienced over my four days in Las Vegas.
There were over 3800 exhibitors from all over the world showcasing some truly incredible gadgets, devices, and electronics. Are all of them going to change the world? No way. Are the majority of them even going to have a significant impact in how we consume or share media? Not likely. But some will – either directly with more immediate adoption, or in the future through an iteration.
This is what CES is about. Exploring the floor, listening to the passionate voices of the product specialists, discovering the nuggets of awesomeness, and envisioning the possibilities.
But, the unfortunate reality is -- we’ve become desensitized to innovation. Maybe it is because we throw that word around so much these days it has lost its meaning. But innovation is not just a shiny object. As marketers, we know how to make an object shiny, so we’re doing ourselves a disservice when we don’t identify advancements in technology as innovation, especially in the seemingly endless halls of CES.
Over 40 years ago, Arthur C. Clarke wrote that “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” As consumers, and as marketers, we have a desire to be wowed by what we can’t see or understand quickly. The paradox today is that while (electronic) technology has become incredibly pervasive in our society, we are becoming increasingly aware of the tricks and have a growing disdain for what we perceive as obtrusive technology. We want magic!
So what was awesome and had glimmers of magic at CES?
I was impressed, not just by the massive number of connected devices fulfilling the IoT (internet of things) prophecy, but how the devices are truly starting to work together. My amazement over a Samsung refrigerator streaming T. Swift subsided after a few minutes. But when a refrigerator is connected not just to Pandora but to my other appliances and devices throughout my home, and is controlled through a hub -- pre-heating my oven and programming my microwave based upon our Taco Tuesday meal plan, reminding my wife and I that we only have 67 minutes until our daughter’s soccer game so with normal traffic expected we need to leave by 6:45, and that there is a 30% chance of rain so bring an umbrella when we’re running out the door, and we don’t have to remember to pick up some dishwasher detergent because it knows we’re low and orders for us – that is invisible magic that makes real life better.
Moving forward, I expect the conversation to evolve from connected devices to interconnected devices. We are starting to see what has been marketed as simply smart is becoming exceedingly clever. It is up to marketers to identify new ways to be involved in this environment to add value.
One brand that is doing an incredible job of this is Under Armour (and I’m not just saying that because my 7 year old son and his running buddies are decked head to toe in UA). With Under Armour’s focus on making athletes better through technology and innovation, it was not a surprise to hear their head of media & advertising, talk about “devices as we know them falling away” and how they want to make “collecting data [be] as easy as putting on a t-shirt”. At CES, they rolled out their first piece of smart apparel -- connected shoes -- which have built in sensors. With these $150 shoes, there is no need to strap on your fitness band or enable an app on your smart watch. You just go. While these sensors help in an active, physical setting, they are enabled in an incredible passive manner, too, syncing seamlessly post-physical activity.
Nonetheless, CES had quite a bit magic that was very apparent and in your face (both literally and figuratively).
An example I heard from Google was how media has evolved over the last century and how we are getting closer to it: we started with the radio which may have been as far away as the other room, to the TV that was in the same room, to a computer that can not only travel with you but is only an arm’s length away, to mobile phones which are held close to our face. What’s next is the extreme immersiveness of Virtual Reality.
Incredible content is being produced. Just look at YouTube’s #360Video, which is a hub for a wide array of 360 degree videos or Discovery’s VR app, which houses a growing library of very impressive immersive content that takes you all over the world and face to face with sharks, elephants, and puppies. I believe there is enough newness and amazement with 360 video, and particularly virtual reality, that 2016 is going to be a big year for buzz with a variety of brands having advanced experimentation. In 2017, there will be an inflection point to either gain greater momentum with advanced technology that minimizes the obtrusiveness (and let’s be real, awkwardness) of VR, or else I expect a similar fate as 3D televisions, which were absolutely non-existent on the show floor this year.
On my flight home, I realized that 20 years ago this past December, my parents bought our first Windows PC, complete with access to this new thing called the World Wide Web. When I first connected and I began to explore, it felt like magic. Since that time, there continues to be incredible innovation with technology, both completely new types and significant advancements. CES 2016 was anything but meh. In a city known for its stage shows, is it any surprise CES was filled with advanced technologies that in my opinion, were indistinguishable from magic?
If you were given the opportunity to follow a dream, would you? This Centron was able to fulfill her life's calling and teach children, both at home and abroad. Check out the latest edition of #CentronShorts below to hear this incredible story. In these brief accounts, we'll give you a new look into the lives of the Centrons, in ways never before seen. And just so we are clear: no selfie sticks. Please enjoy!
As more consumers consult content before making purchase decisions, savvy marketers search for a way to connect with their audiences in a more natural and authentic way. Native advertising is the newest tactic lauded for its ability to blend organically into the media consumption experience. Now paired with the scale of social platforms, the execution delivers a whole new brand experience.
As a part of our 3Ton30 educational webinar series, Centro unpacked the mysteries of native advertising on social media on January 20th. Did you miss it? To watch the recording, click here.
In the meantime, brush up on these native and social terms every marketer needs to know in order master native advertising on social media in 2016.
Content Stream: Real-time aggregate feed of social sharing, news, and information populating users’ social channels and platforms. Envision your Facebook or Twitter feed.
Native Placements: Ads that match the form, feel, and function of the content of the platform on which they appear.
Scalability: When used in context of social, refers to the audience reach available to marketers via social media platforms.
Social Ad Spend: Annual dollars marketers funnel towards paid promotion on social networks, social network games, and social network apps. Does not include money spent on creating and maintaining a social network presence.
And of course, you need to know these platforms:
Facebook: Online social networking service where users connect with friends, share photos, videos, send messages, and get updates.
Instagram: online mobile photo-sharing, video-sharing and social networking service that allows users to take pictures and videos and share them on a variety of social networking platforms
Pinterest: Web and mobile application that allows photo uploading, saving, sorting, and sharing. Registrants follow others who are doing the same to share inspiration.
Twitter: instant online microblogging service. Update, message and interact with others in real time while broadcasting to followers.
Snapchat: Messaging application that allows users to take, share and broadcast photos and short-form videos from their mobile devices.
If you happened to miss the webinar, you can check out the recording here!
Last year, in response to an industry-wide thirst for education, Centro launched the 3T roadshow. Our internal digital experts visited marketers around the country to deliver 3T wisdom: Tips, Trends and Techniques for dominating digital.
This year, we’re bringing back 3T in true digital style. Monthly, online 3Ton30 webinars break down the latest trends in digital media over your lunch hour. The third Wednesday of every month features a new expert unpacking a new digital topic. The 30-minute presentation and 15-minute Q&A format delivers digestible information for busy marketers with tight schedules.
January 20th at 12:30EST kicks off our first webinar of the series, where Centro’s Native + Social expert, Aubry Parks-Fried, will dive into a rapidly evolving ad opportunity: native advertising on social media channels. 2015 saw marketers searching for a method to connect with audiences in a more seamless and engaging way. As a result, native ads have been exploding in popularity. Specifically, native ads designed to appear on social media channels.
Whether you’ve dabbled in native advertising in the past or you’re a total native newbie – the webinar on January 20th is full of tips and best practices for every marketer looking for a whole new level of engagement with their audience this year.
Click here to learn more information and save your spot. Registrants will receive a handy reference sheet to guide them through the webinar. Can’t make it this month? Keep your eyes peeled for 3Ton30 webinars each month in 2016.
“Even with the shift to more digital ads in political campaigning, traditional polling data remains one of the most important KPIs for a campaign,” said Grace Briscoe, Centro’s VP of candidates and causes.
We are a few days away from the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and our plans are shaping up nicely.
This will be Centro’s fifth year attending the global consumer electronics and consumer technology tradeshow, that takes over Las Vegas at the beginning of each new year. Our goal is to not only see the latest and up-and-coming consumer technology, but to also understand the implications of these devices and innovation for marketers. This is especially relevant as consumers continuously adopt new gadgets and adapt their media habits as a result. In recent years, more and more advertisers and adtech companies have descended upon Vegas to learn, network, and showcase their new capabilities. We’re excited to walk the exhibit hall floors and geek out on all the exciting new possibilities that lie ahead.
What types of tech are we looking forward to seeing at CES this year? Here’s what we’re predicting will be trending topics at the show as well as into the upcoming year:
Wearables
Last year we saw more fitness and health trackers than we could count. Will the front-runners continue to innovate and add more features and functionality? Or will a startup leapfrog the already-established names like Fitbit, Garmin, Jawbone, Withings, and Pebble? We’re also keeping an eye on advancements in the integration (read: app) that sits on the consumer’s smartphone for most of these devices. Could we see the door open for a rise in wearable-related advertising?
Prosumer 2.0
The next generation of professional quality, consumer friendly technology (in both price and ease of use) is on the rise. One of the biggest areas of focus is on video, from 360 degree to 4K (and beyond). How can consumers and marketers capitalize on this video content, particularly with the rise of image and video focused social platforms? We’re also interested to see what companies will do for solutions around image recognition and verification.
Advanced TV
What will the next generation of connected TVs (via OTT devices, TVs that are built smart, or even gaming consoles) look like? Where does search and discovery play a role and how will consumers evolve their video consumption habits on connected devices with the biggest screen and the most prominent placement in homes? TV is everywhere but audio has seen growth in both consumption and ad spend, as well. Could 2016 be a year of audio everywhere?
Location Based Services
Will beacons make a splash and deliver on the promise (or at least the desire) to provide on-premises messaging? Or perhaps something new will be introduced that can create a value exchange for consumers and marketers.
No matter what, CES will be filled with innovations and insights that will surely leave us fired up and ready to take 2016 by storm. If you’re there, let’s meet up! Drop us a note at [email protected] to schedule some time during the show.
If you aren’t making it to Vegas, we will be tweeting and ‘gramming our experiences, using #CESbyCentro, if you want to follow along live. Otherwise we’ll be back with a recap of what we experienced and what we think is important for marketers to set their sights on as 2016 gets into full swing.