The next generation of mobile communications, the 5G systems, will be a major disruption to all sorts of digital communications, and will usher new innovation, said Marinn Jackson, head of strategy at Verizon Media.
Verizon Media—formerly Oath, the organization combining Verizon’s acquisitions of AOL and Yahoo—is preparing for what 5G will bring, embedding with the mayors of five major cities to learn what they will need to advance the technology as it becomes available.
“Disruption is going to keep happening, and companies have to get involved and have to move fast. They have to stay smart and have to bring talent that understands the space if they want to stay competitive.”
Technology is allowing improvement in user experience that is increasingly personalized, said Jackson. Privacy is still critical, but consumers—especially younger ones—understand the tradeoff between data and personalization.
Marketers today require scale, data and content to make brand communications break through, said Jackson. This favors large platforms such as Oath—which adopted the Verizon Media name on Jan. 8—and it’s why there is a rush of consolidation in the media space at the moment.
Besides 5G, new technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality are still very popular with consumers. Any technology deployed has to take into account the voice of the customer. “The last thing we want to do is go down the rabbit hole and create a product nobody wants.”
Artificial intelligence will be another tool that will serve to bring data discipline and add more context to content, said Jackson. It will help brands choose safe environments and protect privacy.
Digital experience is not all there is, but it is a key part of the ecosystem in marketing, said Jackson. “Think of all the luxury marketers have to reach customers.”
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