MWC 2018: Industry analysis

Each year the industry looks to MWC in Barcelona to showcase the next major trends in tech and mobile. Unsurprisingly, the role of AI and digital assistants has continued to be a hot topic, specifically in regards to how these become an extension of consumers – something we see as the evolution of AI. The Telefonica release of Aura at the show seems to be addressing some of this, with their device promising to learn customer interests, continuing to evolve over time to allow the AI to make recommendations to users.

But, the event also gives useful insight into the digital sector as a whole, and can reveal some interesting upcoming trends. One of the main aims is to make the digital economy work for everyone. It’s important to remember that digital inclusion and digital advancement don’t automatically go hand in hand. Reaping the benefits of digital advancements and the economy for society is something that has been a key theme of the week.

Showing the strength of the East, the Indian government has brought a 90 person delegate group to the event, and is set to position itself as a technology leader. As a global company, the rate at which these emerging economies like India are leading the pack in mobile technology and data means adapting our marketing strategy in line with this.

5G technology is taking centre stage at MWC, with many businesses describing the importance of securing faster connectivity in the digital world. Samsung, for example, announced its 5G solution has become the first the receive approval from the US FCC, and the Olympics 2020 tech sponsors, Intel and Toyota, announced plans to make the event 5G connected, turning it into a smart city with 4K video and facial recognition technologies.

The industry is getting closer to making 5G a reality, and if the infrastructure supports it the unprecedented network speed and efficiency of connection will provide a better digital experience for all. It also provides massive potential for marketers to reach more consumers much faster, and be more innovative with the way they engage with users.

For example, at the start of the week Oath launched several new mobile ad formats including an AR unit, and a full-screen native ad format designed to compete with Snapchat and Instagram. As new technologies are introduced we’ll see new creative formats being made available for marketers to experiment with.

But a warning for marketers is that we’ll need to be more creative and innovative than ever before if we’re to continue seeing conversions. Consumers are driven to distraction across the many internet connected devices, and exciting formats will raise customer expectations to new heights – ultimately meaning it’s harder to reach and engage with individuals.

There has been much discussion at MWC about how brands can tell better stories using creativity and data to drive personalisation. These announcements at MWC tell me that marketers will be under pressure to deliver exciting creative and be more responsible as consumers open up all elements of their lives to internet connectivity.

From the moment you set foot in Mobile World Congress, you can’t fail to be impressed by its sheer industrial scale as tech giants flex their muscle with extravagant displays of shiny, new products promising us our hopes, aspirations and dreams for a Samsung phone with its finger sensor in the right place…

More people flocked to MWC during the course of a rainy week than attend a FC Barcelona derby at the Camp Nou against arch rivals Real Madrid.

This year was no exception. But whilst you could spot IoT innovations, telecoms giants, 5G offerings and plenty of blockchain bingo, there was a marked decline in the size of the adtech and martech contingent.

More than previous years, suited-and-booted telco types comfortably outnumbered brogue-wearing media folk and beardy t-shirt-attired techies.

So does this say more about the state of the madtech industry or MWC itself? Most stalwarts of the marketing and advertising tech scene agree it’s a bit of both.

Fears that the bubble has burst, notable flops, incessant rebrands and much consolidation may have resulted in a confidence wobble as key tech players prioritise more focused shows.

On the other hand, madtech rode the crest of the MWC wave for a good few years. It’s only natural in the life cycle of a behemoth event for another sub-industry to eventually steal the march.

Interestingly, whilst it’s easy to claim that mobile is ubiquitous in marketing and advertising, a 2017 study by Forrester found 64% of marketers to agree that mobile is still siloed. Just 42% of respondents thought their teams have the necessary mobile skills.

So whilst what’s new and next will always steal the show and capture the headlines, there’s plenty of life yet in the old dog of mobile marketing and advertising technology.