Millward Brown releases digital predictions for 2012

Millward Brown's Futures Group identifies emerging trends in expanding digital space and has highlighted the growing trends in the digital media sector with its predictions for the next 12 months.

From an Indian stand-point, Rajith Nair, director - digital solutions, India, Millward Brown, said, “When I look back at our predictions for 2010, 2011 and now 2012, with every passing year, the Predictions have started becoming relevant for India, almost… right here, right now! In 2012, when you look at gamification, mobile wallet, apps, social graph listed in the predictions, we are already seeing these elements playing out in the Indian marketplace. Today you have fan pages, micro-sites using game design to hook the consumer, NFC (Near Field Communication) phones by Nokia, 'in-app' advertising is picking up and social media sites are now becoming a key source of data for research agencies for understanding consumer behavior. It points to the fact that India no longer trails the global community when it comes to implementing new ideas. In matter of a year or two India should be leading the pack.”

Predictions for the year:

• Gamification unlocked: Big Brands become more playful
• "Virtual Togetherness": TV and Social Media fuels an explosion in tools and technologies for interaction and research
• Wide spread adoption of the mobile wallet
• Online video invades the living room
• Mobile marketing will become more social and local than ever before
• Growth of apps across stores
• Social consumer packed goods’ e-commerce: Tiptoeing between engagement and marketing leads us back to traditional marketing vehicles
• The social graph will generate meaningful data for brand measurement
• Regulators narrow their focus as consumers pay the real price for ‘free’ access
• The arrival of seamless sharing
• China will see ‘one stop shop’ convergence of micro-blogging, social networks and information portals
• Online Advertising: real-time decision making takes center stage

When asked about one key trend that is set to emerge, Nair pointed out, “Real-time decision making takes centre stage. It is another element which I feel industry will look at more closely this year. We already have real-time behavioral metrics (clicks, leads, likes, shares, etc.). These coupled with real time brand metrics will help brands optimise their campaigns. With continued growth in digital media, both in terms of spends and audience size, RoI from digital will become even more important going forward. Marketers will look forward to better analytics, more specifically, effectiveness of the medium in terms of impact on purchase/consideration and even look at tying it back to sales. The role of digital in the larger media space will also become an area of focus, and its synergistic effect along with other media vehicles will be an area of interest.”