Media Federation of Australia's Trainee program is complete for another year – 25 graduates completed the nine-month training program.
The Trainees' final project was to provide their point of view on the following topic - “Some of the media options available to consumers now would have been viewed as science fiction 10 years ago. What science fiction media options do you think might be introduced in the next 10 years and how will this impact the industry?”
ZenithOptimedia account coordinator Stefanie Miller:
"The 2011 media landscape can be characterised as an industry where the only true constant element is change. The implications of this are boundless when coupled with the general shift of power away from the media practitioner and into the hands of the consumer through the power of choice. Our ability to anticipate the direction of the media industry as a whole is further hindered by the exponential increase in cutting edge technology, which fuels growth and constant innovation in advertising channels and broadens consumer access to information of every kind.
The onus of consumer choice has therefore become problematic from a promotional perspective, with media fragmentation joining the constant assault of information pushed on the audience 24 hours a day. The incessant battle for attention remains central to the development of media over the next ten years – therefore innovation and a unique and personalised approach will be key when endeavouring to construct successful media options to satisfy evolving audience demand.
Consumer attention can be captured most effectively through targeting, as attention is scarce and only afforded to external influences that are specifically relevant to the individual. The days of mass marketing and conformed messaging are drawing to a close, whilst marketing optimisation through tailored communications have become vital to the success of all media solutions. This will develop to a whole new level over the next few years, with brands endeavouring to provide the audience with not only just the product, but with a new way of life. Brands that are seen to provide solutions, rather than adding to the ever increasing complications of unlimited choice, will pave the way forwards for communications over the next decade.
This has been evidenced in some product innovations such as Google Wallet which will one day render the Smartphone as the only vital accessory – rolling identification, currency, discounts and communication into one. Media promotion must follow in the same vein, coupling products with solutions, services or unforgettable experiences that differentiate the brand, not only from competitors, but from all fragments of information battling for attention in the offline and digital space. Brands such as Coca-cola have again been recognised as the most valued brand of 2011 due to their ability to respond to consumer demand and listen for insights to guide product development – such as their recent product rebranding that personalised a long standing package and made it unique to the individual.
In general, the next ten years of innovation will be lead by the digital landscape, and more specifically through social networking. These sites offer a whole new level of consumer insight, which will be harnessed more effectively in the years to come. The wealth of personal information available to marketers through these networking channels has risen exponentially in the past ten years. We have already begun to see advertisers utilising personal details made available online to tailor advertising solutions to the individual. This will continue to expand via the concept of mobile targeting, whereby communications can be automatically adapted to the individual based off a combination of location, personal information and facial recognition software.
This targeting technique has begun to appear throughout the outdoor medium in 2011 to a limited degree, however this will continue to develop to the point where the advertising message can track the audience through a range of mediums, and display promotions that have been aligned to not only the gender of the individual, but their age and even one day their current emotion. This will give advertisers the ability to position their product in different ways depending on the mood of those in proximity to the ad. If the fear of privacy invasion is overcome, advertisements can begin to personalise their message to include the name of the individual or remark on certain elements of their appearance to attract attention – the most precious commodity in marketing today.
The media industry has always been a diverse and unpredictable sector, which has become almost unrecognisable since its humble beginnings. The constant need to reinvent in order to remain relevant has rendered foresight almost impossible, however it is certain that the next ten years will result in more changes, diversification and development than we can ever anticipate.
The Media Federation of Australia’s annual Trainee program is now complete for the 25 graduates that started in the industry less than a year ago. Each of the graduates are employed by a Media Agency, and are part of a nine month Training program – organised by the MFA - which includes media tours, mentor sessions and workshops."
Stefanie Miller
Account Coordinator
ZenithOptimedia
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