[IAB Digital Summit 2016] Step into the digital boom!
There’s so much to look forward to from this year’s IAB Digital Summit & Bookmark Awards – such an in-depth speaker session from Phillipson, who took over as IAB UK CEO in 2005. He’ll share the story of how the IAB UK managed to overcome market challenges and make digital the largest media spend platform in the UK today – in his first year, online advertising revenues overtook radio, consumer magazines and outdoor to become what’s seen as ‘truly mainstream’.
It’s not just a UK phenomenon though – back in October of that same year, Phillipson hosted the IAB annual conference, IAB Engage, where Bill Gates famously pronounced, “the future of advertising is the internet”.
Streamlining SA’s digital ad track
But if you think we’re not quite at that ‘future point’ yet in the land of sunny skies and braaivleis some 11 years later, think again. Phillipson himself predicts that in just two years the internet will be the number one medium by ad spend in at least 12 key global markets. He’ll elaborate on this at the IAB Digital Summit & Bookmark Awards 2016, as well as the biggest related challenges we’ll need to wrap our heads around, such as digital ad verification and ad blocking.
In this exclusive pre-event interview, Phillipson lists the specific marketing practices of today you’ll need to wipe from the slate in order to get ahead in the digital future…
1. What’s at the top of the list of marketing practices employed today that belong to the last century?
Phillipson: Just doing what you did last year! No-one gets fired for repeating the 'tried and tested' TV and print plan.
2. Sad but true. What should we be doing instead?
Phillipson: Constantly gaining insight into what your customers think and feel, and how they spend their media day. This is bound to add a number of digital components to the media and creative briefs – and lead to a more progressive and effective campaign.
3. Which are the key digital trends for 2016 still to come that you’re most looking forward to?
Phillipson: In the UK – where digital already accounts for over 40% of total media – we’re looking forward to more video and better premium formats on mobile; more brand campaigns across programmatic; and even more intelligent use of public data – like weather, traffic and location – to enhance mobile targeting. Finally, I always love seeing brands venturing into the IoT space.
4. Just how measurable is digital? And how quickly is measurement becoming more precise?
Phillipson: For direct response online advertising, it’s the most efficient and measurable medium ever invented. The harder part – especially for packaged goods brands sold in-store – is how to attribute ROI from online ads to offline sales. Thankfully, we now have much more advanced techniques to do this, often through large shopping panels and loyalty card data. It’s a big challenge, but one that everyone wants to solve.
5. Indeed. How can digital be used to tie in with the traditional marketing methodology most clients still hold dear?
Phillipson: Over the years, the best traditional campaigns have been borne out of a crack team of media planning, copy writing and creative direction. The key ingredient now is the technologist. He or she is the one who can take a brand idea and bring it to life across digital channels. But you have to involve the technologist from the start of the plan, otherwise you end up just turning a poster into a banner!
6. Great advice, Guy. What are you looking forward to from this year’s Summit?
Phillipson: In South Africa, it’s clear that digital media spend lags way behind, especially when we consider device penetration. So I’d like to see a genuine desire to get digital on everyone’s strategic agenda. And let’s double its share of media spend by the end of the decade!
And while Philipson is most looking forward to having stimulating conversations at the Summit and helping to drive the market forward in South Africa, we’re looking forward to being on the other end.
If you’re eager to delve in deeper into digital, click through to this podcast interview with Josephine Buys, CEO of IAB South Africa, to find out more about the highly anticipated IAB Digital Summit and Bookmark Awards 2016, taking place at Turbine Hall in Johannesburg on 3 March 2016. You can also click here for the full list of speakers and watch for our in-depth coverage next week.
About Leigh Andrews
Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen, is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews.
