Ad:tech San Francisco was lively today from the keynotes and the panels to the show floor and the cocktail parties.
Database marketing company Acxiom had a two-storey booth right in the front of the exhibit hall to announce their new digital positioning. The company has expanded its business strategy to include digital strategy in order to address the fragmented marketplace. They are applying their database intelligence to social, mobile, interactive TV and other emerging media in a move to address the changes in consumer media consumption.
In the mobile space, exhibitor 2ergo has released a new version of their mobile and e-mail messaging platform called “Campaign Manager” in the North American market. Previously only available in the UK, the tool gives consumers the ability to control how and when they receive marketing messages.
Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine gave a keynote talk on how the iPad will change the way that we consume media. He credited the iPhone’s creation of the app model, the Kindle’s influence when it comes to distribution and the rise of cloud computing to this change. Anderson hopes this change will make magazine ads valuable again, after digital led to a significant drop in cost advertisers pay for ads in publications. Wired is currently working with Adobe to create more immersive content for consumers and more quality inventory for advertisers. While it is questionable that digital inventory return to the levels of the good old days of traditional print ads, it is hopeful to imagine that more interactive and multimedia content will give advertisers an incentive to spend more, especially as this media will be measurable and targeted.
The day was capped off by a lively discussion about the future of digital media with executives over cocktails on top of the Moscone Center. And after a rainy day, the sun finally came out.
