Live Video and Bots Usher in a New Era of Interactive Marketing

The Mobile World Congress (MWC), one of the world's largest mobile industry exhibitions, was held in Barcelona, Spain, from February 27 to March 2. In this series, I will explain five key insights I gained from this event.

Part 2 focuses on how live video and bots are ushering in a new era of interactive marketing for brands.

Jerry Deakin, Global Strategy Partner at Kala (under DAN), participated as a panelist in the much-discussed session "Live Video and Bots: New Immersive Channels for Brand Dialogue." The discussion centered on Live Video & Bots within the context of what brands should actually focus on and experiment with, given the significant shift in the social environment and the pressure brands and publishers face from consumers demanding immediate responses.

The discussion revealed that live video is generally viewed not during the live stream, but mostly after it has ended. Candice Payne, a housewife from Texas, USA, gained fame with her "Chewbacca Mom" video, where she wore a Star Wars Chewbacca mask and laughed hysterically. While the live stream only had a few thousand live viewers, the video now boasts 165 million views. According to Daykin, this is due to the appeal of live video, which offers a "behind-the-scenes" look not normally seen. If a pay-per-view system for each live video watch becomes widespread, live video will likely be utilized even more.

Regarding bots, Daykin used the example of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe bot developed by Kara, which instantly answers consumer questions and engages in conversation, to explain how bots actually create opportunities for brands to build more meaningful relationships with consumers. We live in a world where immediacy and tangible value are most highly valued, and we need to support consumers in achieving that.

Related article:MWC2017 Opens with Slogan "The Next Element"[March 9, 2017]