Opinion
DigitalizeD environment
M Bill Fordyce Chief Operating Officer, Hypermedia 10 | Retail People
alls in the UAE are undergoing an evolution in terms of advertising, from static branding such as hanging banners and escalator branding to digital media. Mall-based digital advertising tends to be more affordable and targeted for advertisers, making it an efficient media for tactical and engagement campaigns. HyperMedia estimates that digital advertising in malls is now more than 50% of the total mall advertising market for the first time, and expects it to climb above 66% by the end of year 2017 as Nakheel Retail opens many new malls with large digital networks. But despite this growth in digital advertising, an ongoing challenge is for agencies and clients to develop creative executions that engage with the shoppers. In addition, clients are often making the mistake of duplicating existing content on mall digital platforms that they use for traditional out-of-home and print campaigns. Clients often don’t take advantage of the ability to target mall shoppers by demographics and by time of day.
The major challenge we see today is to make sure that consumers are engaging with clever advertising, whilst the mall environment provides a uniquely captive audience for which advertisers need to target with smart creative. Another opportunity with digital signage which is just starting in the UAE is integration between social media and mall media. The digital signage networks that are now installed in many malls allow shoppers to interact with social media while they are in malls. Evidence is mounting from around the world that activations and campaigns should be mixed between offline and online to achieve maximum success. And with the rollout of advance wifi-systems through du or by the malls themselves, new opportunities are opening up to boost mall media as shoppers can now make that link from digital signs to their mobile phones. UAE malls are in a unique position in the world to start leveraging “big data� and integration with digital signs. As the mall industry becomes increasingly competitive. With the launch of newer, larger and more advance malls being built by developers like Nakheel, Gulf Related (Al Maryah Central), MAF malls, Aldar (Yas Mall) and Meraas malls can build advance wifi systems, beacons and digital signage that make that jump from Out-Of-Home (OOH) to mobile. Unlike other OOH advertising mediums, mall media can be more targeted and quite scientific in its approach to crafting and monitoring campaigns. Although, advertisers, clients, malls and OOH companies must continue to drive innovation to take advantage of this.