Adam Boyden, President of Conduit, explains how the potential impact of the iPad, and its effect on media consumption, could create new opportunities for the marketing industry to reach its audiences.
The much anticipated iPad launched to mixed reactions. Some derided the iPad’s substandard technical capabilities in comparison to laptops and felt it lacked the convenience of its smaller cousin, the iPod Touch; others heralded it as a piece of flawless product design.
However, neither argument acknowledges the potentially game-changing impact the device could have. The iPad is not about introducing groundbreaking hardware, it’s about providing a better way of consuming media and services online.
With the MacBook and the iPhone in its product portfolio, Apple was already one of the leaders in the laptop and smartphone markets and it wasn’t about to start cannibalising those highly successful revenue streams. Instead, Apple recognised an opportunity to further accelerate demand in the fast-growing digital content market.
Apple has a well established reputation as an innovative producer of hardware, but more recently it has been at the forefront of bringing digital content to the masses
iTunes has proven a resounding success with over 8.5 billion songs sold since its launch in 2004, whilst the App Store has already generated over 3 billion downloads in a fraction of that time. With the iBook Store sitting alongside the iPad at launch, it’s clear that, as far as Apple is concerned, content is king.
However, the company isn’t just ramping up its efforts to deliver more paid content to more people - it’s also attempting to revolutionise how we consume it. The iPad is billed as the first device to genuinely improve the way we view multimedia and browse the web.
Given Apple’s track record, it is conceivable that it may significantly increase the demand for top quality apps and other forms of online content, spawning a generation of online consumers with a higher set of standards than ever before.
This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the marketing industry. On the one hand, consumers may shun traditional marketing tactics if they are deemed to add little value, but on the other, new channels and techniques become available for marketers to reach audiences more effectively.
If the iPad succeeds and this hypothetical scenario is turned into reality, the onus will be on marketers and brands to find ways of enhancing the user experience.
For example, browsing the internet on the iPad may be such an enjoyable experience that a user’s tolerance of what is acceptable online is heightened, leading them to reject marketing vehicles that may detract from that experience.
One potential solution would be to integrate opt-in branded applications into an individual’s web browser, delivering relevant and up-to-date content on-demand.
The relationship is mutually beneficial as the user is given a more streamlined browsing experience, whilst the brand achieves extended presence on prime web real estate, as well as being positively associated with providing a valuable service.
This is exciting news for the marketing industry because it opens up the channels and extends the range of tools currently used to target consumers.
Banner advertising and search have been the staple components in online marketing since the dawn of the internet, but applications and media-rich content can be valuable additions to the portfolio – if used correctly.
Of course, developing the quality of online user experiences is not a new concept to brands, but it does stress the growing importance of reaching consumers through useful and meaningful content
If the iPad delivers on its potential, then brands will need to be prepared to develop and implement new ways of engaging with their audiences.
Whether an individual prefers browsing, streaming music, watching movies, reading e-books or playing games, marketers need to be able to adapt their approach according to each medium.
The success of the iPad is far from assured - let’s not forget that it isn’t available in stores yet - and its impact on web consumption is yet to be determined.
But in the very least, it serves as a reminder to marketers that the key to success lies in the ability to find new ways of establishing brand presence and understanding how their audiences consume media.
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