Engaging your consumers through Rich Media

It is a known fact that consumers are changing fast. How to effectively communicate with the evolving consumer is the challenge that advertisers must address in order to keep the brand-consumer relationship intact. This is exactly what Ms. Arlene A. Amarante, Country Manager – Sales, Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions, pointed out during her presentation at the 5th PANA General Membership Meeting held at the Tropezz Bar and Restaurant last May 29, 2008.

At the helm of technology and innovation, the internet is the new media landscape. In fact, online’s adoption rate is faster than any other medium in history. It has reached a critical mass with an estimate of 1.2 Billion global internet users, with 436.8 million users in Asia, as of March 2007. “It is predicted that in 2010, 50 percent of the Philippine population will be internet users,” Ms. Amarante said.

Ms. Amarante shared with the audience the results of a recent study by Synovate, which revealed that Manila respondents have a high level of internet access, with more than a quarter having broadband connections at home. They frequently access web-based emails and use instant messengers. Further, she described internet users as having a university degree or above; they have disposable income and are more likely to travel than non-internet users.

After giving a profile of the Internet users, Ms. Arnejo introduced the concept of rich media. It is more than just an interactive media, which is any media delivered on any platform, allowing 2-way communication with audience. Rich media is any media that allows 2-way communication and provides a rich and robust interactive experience, while providing marketers with optimum insight. It allows marketers to push their message and pull engagement and information from consumers. This allows consumers to instantly engage and endorse the product or service before pulling them into the website or venue. According to Ms. Amarante, rich media engages people and brings the brands closer to them. It enables marketers to gain consumer insights based on the person’s behavior online.

Several executions were provided for the advertisers to see their rich media options to achieve branding and lead generation, CRM, promotion and product interaction. Ms. Arnejo also prepared a compilation of successful case studies, for better appreciation of the audience.

With rich media’s highly interactive and engaging nature, as well as the abundant opportunities it provide through consumer insight, this approach could be one of the risks worth taking for the contemporary advertisers to better connect with their consumers.