ecommerce

Effective Customer Engagement Tactics for Microblogging Platforms

Customer service problem resolution on microblogging platforms offers a way for firms to shine after interacting with customers or to leave a less than stellar impression. This study identifies key tactics for effective digital customer engagement and mitigating negative social propagation. The research identifies four frontline problem-handling tactics—resolving, reassuring, compassion and passion—and their impact on social propagation by followers. The study also highlights the importance of efficient problem resolution and communication strategies in digital marketing.

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Demystifying Data Privacy: Understanding the Cookieless Future

  • YOUNG PROS

On May 9th, the ARF Young Pros hosted an event focused on data privacy and the implications of a cookieless future. Cole Strain from Samba TV started the event with an overview of data privacy fundamentals and the impending changes due to the deprecation of cookies. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring experts from Snapchat, Comscore, and Google, moderated by one of our Young Pros Advisory Board Members, Gillian Kenah from Tracksuit.

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2023 TOP MEMBER QUESTIONS with ANSWERS

The ARF Knowledge Center provides secondary research services for ARF and ARF-MSI members on a broad range of topics. Analysis of ARF member questions posed to the Knowledge Center in 2023 shows distinct trends and interests posed by different constituent members. As always, most questions tend to be specific to the unique business needs of each member, but there were some overarching trends, which highlight the evolving landscape of the marketing and advertising industry. This FAQ discusses these trends alongside sample member questions and Knowledge Center research reports.

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How We Watch: Examining the Shifting Trends in TV Habits

Mike BrooksGlobal Head of Business Development and Partnerships, LG Ad Solutions

Mike Brooks of LG Ad Solutions described the current rebalancing among CTV users leaving subscription services to embrace ad supported streaming platforms. The trend continues at a brisk pace which spells good news for advertisers. CTV offers many opportunities and as ad supported grows, more viewers suddenly become reachable. People take a significant amount of time to select what they want to watch on CTV, LG’s survey found, and are equally driven to content from their TV’s home screen as from the home screen of their favorite streaming app. This creates an opportunity to help people find content. Most viewers are also doing something on their personal device while watching, which offers shoppable TV opportunities as well as the ability to connect one’s digital and TV brands in dynamic ways. Key takeaways:
  • LG found that 93% of respondents interact with a CTV, and 80% are using some form of ad supported TV. Of them, two-thirds (63%) prefer the ad supported to the subscription model.
  • Subscription cycling is the norm with 59% of respondents saying that they are willing to cancel a subscription-based platform after finishing the content that got them to sign up.
  • The shift from SVOD to AVOD is predicted to continue: 29% of respondents are expected to remove a subscription CTV service from their household within the next 12 months, while 29% will add a free, ad supported CTV service in that same timeframe.
  • A lot of time is being spent on selecting what to watch, five minutes 42 seconds on average, their survey found, between when the screen is turned on and when a piece of content is selected.
  • People discover content equally between the home screen (40%) and the homepage of a specific app (40%).
  • LG also found that 96% are media multi-tasking while they watch TV, usually with a mobile device or laptop. Of these, 48% are engaging with social media, 46% are gaming and 42% are shopping.
  • Shoppable TV is the future: 53% of respondents said they wished all TV ads had a quick option to buy the product, 51% said they wished they could shop using their CTV and 63% said they wished they could see their local store’s inventory on their TV. Twenty-nine percent had even purchased something through their TV before.
  • Of likely voters, 65% prefer streaming to linear TV, and 82% of those streaming with ads are open to political ads outside of political content.

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How AI Will Make Us Smarter

During a recent ARF Town Hall, Professor Russel Neuman explained why he thinks AI will have primarily positive effects. It will make us smarter and more productive. Furthermore, he does not think new regulations are needed to protect humanity from negative consequences of AI development. Read more »

Next Generation Artificial Intelligence

  • TOWN HALL

Professor Russ Newman of New York University does not believe that AI will cause humanity’s extinction. Instead, it should help enhance human intelligence and productivity and our quality of life. After putting the AI revolution into historical context, Prof. Newman discussed aligning AI with human values. At our current stage, he believes the regulatory mechanisms in place are sufficient. He explained how large language models work, what allowed them to come into existence and their future impact, describing the effect on marketing and advertising, as well as what the individual user experience will be like. A democratizing, hyper-personalized experience could take place where AI agents advocate on their owner’s behalf and negotiate each transaction with their owner’s preferences in mind. Over time, he sees a great diversification of models coming into being. Historically speaking, each groundbreaking technology that changed the world has been a net gain for humanity. What makes AI different is that if applied correctly, it could make us smarter. The question is, if AI gives us exceptional advice, will we take it?

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Gaming Growth

Strong growth is predicted for gaming – both for revenue from purchases and from advertising. Mobile (“Social/Casual”) is driving nearly all of the growth. Read more »