The future of marketing is immersive ecosystem – experts
By Felicia Nwosu
Technological disruption has no doubt given a new paradigm shift to the Nigerian marketing ecosystem. This new phase in technology has redefined the future of marketing, making it more anonymous, personalised and immersive in all ramifications.
Some marketing experts who lent their voices to the new trend, noted that the future of marketing will be centred on creating deeper experiences for consumers and, therefore, urged brands to leverage technology in unlocking consumers’ hidden touch points for memorable experiences.
Ized Uanikhehi, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Zed Africa, stated that there is technology with key elements which is the people, adding that the future of marketing revolves around full deployment of technology in meeting the need points of consumers with unforgettable experiences.
“When I hear the future of marketing the words that come to my head are anonymous, personalised and immersive. The tools we currently use in Nigeria or West Africa is centred on social media communication. We are getting into Web.2 now, where data is collected online, whether the user wanted it or not, his information is collected, enabling them to know where you are, what you do, but as we gradually go into Web.3, a lot of data is encrypted end-to-end, platforms are going into encrypted data, so it will be anonymous because you are speaking to people you can’t tell if they like the type of content that you are putting out. You have to create content for a diverse array of target audiences.
The martech expert said with the introduction of various martechs, the marketing ecosystem will definitely experience a new realm in its execution.
“It will be immersive; we are going into a lot of VR, AR marketing and intelligent thinking. Travelling and sales are not so much bringing the product to your doorstep for that experience. I was at a marketing conference in the US, and there was a company that sells clothes. They didn’t bring the clothes there for people to try on; they simply wore a headset and they saw themselves in the clothes they wanted to buy. A lot of experiences are going to be immersive and personalised because now you are talking one on one to each client and not talking broadly. In terms of monitoring your brand, being able to use technology to immediately track and change the sentiment you are getting online about your brand will drive the future of Marketing.”
Ladi Ogunseye, a fintech expert and Chief Marketing Officer at Conary Point, pointed out that today’s consumers are moving faster in the use of technology, which is now challenging brands to brace up in providing the needed experience aided digital experience.
“I believe that the future of marketing is consumer-led and it is very much driven by smart opportunities, technology, campaigns and smarter consumers. These days, the way an average consumer is wired is fast evolving, not just here in Nigeria but across the African continent. These consumers are smarter and more aware about marketing opportunities, advertising and interaction with technology is deeper unlike before,” he said.
He advised brands to reposition themselves through thorough research that will help them understand the consumers for better and deeper experiences.
Professor Uchenna Uzo, Faculty Director, Marketing, Lagos Business School in a similar vein, corroborated that marketers need to tie their messages to the aspirational levels of consumers to avoid creating a gap that leads to what he described as portfolio leakage.
“I will say that the future of marketing depends on how we tap into the insights of consumers. My message is that we are moving to that stage where stakeholders would be working together to serve the customers through a form of ecosystem thinking,” he said.
The professor believes that if brands shift focus from consumers’ purchases to consumer experiences through technology, the future of marketing will be more meaningful.
“I think technology is transforming marketing precisely because it feeds the aspiration of consumers that we see. The direction that technology will go in transforming the future of marketing will depend on what kind of use we marketers make or consumer insights coming from our own regions here in Africa.”
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
Comment
No comments found.