Blog
05 March

What we learned at Mobile World Congress, 2018

Mobile World Congress always makes headlines – but some of the most exciting developments go beyond just tech. After spending three days in Barcelona last week, seeing the world’s biggest tech show first hand, here’s what this year’s MWC taught us about the future of the marketing landscape:

AR is growing

AR is still a major player when it comes to mobile content – something cemented by Samsung’s decision to throw their hat into the ring this year. With their AR Emoji popping up on new flagship phones S9 and S9+, it’s clear that manufacturers are anticipating a continued demand for augmented reality – and that, in turn, marketers will need to find new and more compelling ways to utilise it.

AI is going mobile

AI has long been big news across marketing and tech – and this year’s Mobile World Congress just goes to show that it’s not going anywhere. This year, an increasing number of manufacturers are putting AI capacity at the forefront of new devices – from smartphone-driven cars to Nokia’s inclusion of facial recognition unlocking across all of their major new models.

The question for marketers is how this capacity can be leveraged in the race to reach users. Expect applications across users experience, content personalisation, and distribution, as AI gives us new tools for optimisation, data processing and scalability.

5G is getting closer

5G certainly isn’t a new concept in mobile tech, but this year’s MWC saw it take a big leap forward – thanks to Huawei’s first 5G chip. Although not quite there yet, a full roll-out of 5G connectivity will be a game changer – with faster speeds meaning better viewing experiences, more scope for interactive content and up-to-the-minute personalisation.

For marketers, that means bigger, more diverse audiences with new touchpoints, as connectivity becomes stronger around the clock. It also means increased scope for more intensive content formats such as video – and a corresponding need to meet new and higher expectations.

Storytelling is (still) key

The biggest news at MWC this year wasn’t so much the announcement of wholly new ideas – but rather important developments in how new tech is becoming a core part of how we experience mobile. The challenge for marketers – how to use it.

That means not just understanding the new features – but also using learning how to use them to build meaningful connections with audiences. What’s exciting is that these new capacities will allow brands and agencies to take new approaches to storytelling, and communicate with users in ever more personal, tailored, and valuable ways.

So how does the future of marketing look, post-MWC?

Yes, there will be 5G, yes there will be better AI, and yes there will be AR. But the most successful brands won’t just be using this new tech – they’ll be integrating it into their marketing workflows, building it into their strategic planning, and using it to create richer narratives and stronger relationships with their consumers. The new tech won’t just mean better devices – it’ll mean better storytelling, too.

Spirable is a contextual video platform that allows brands & agencies to serve highly targeted video content at scale. The resulting campaigns deliver narratives in a whole new way, communicating with audiences on a personal level, using content that’s targeted, personally relevant, and always up-to-date. Get in touch to find out more about how Spirable can help you.