I don’t think we have ever seen anything like the growth predicted in the usage of tablet computers.
Only 5.8% of internet users used a tablet computer in 2010, by 2014 the percentage will grow to 35.6%. You can throw out all the old records for adoption of new technology because this will beat everything we have ever seen.
So what does this mean for brand managers responsible for helping retailers spend their local advertising dollars in the future?
Obviously it means that digital will become even more important in the future as consumers will be using tablets to shop for information about your products. Studies show that consumers will be carrying tablet computers with them when they shop to help themselves find the right product, the right price and the right store. Imagine a consumer using a retailer’s wi-fi on a tablet computer to find a nearby competitor with a better product selection, service plan and price. Retail advertising is definetly changing.
Or, even sooner, how about every retail salesperson in your independent dealer channel has a tablet computer that will allow them to demonstrate your product to consumers while they are in the store. That’s targeted advertising.
The common theme here is that you have to combine your product data with dealer data to give consumers a co-branded product presentation suitable for fixed, mobile and table internet connections.
You will want to host these pages too, so you control and track everything. The good news is that these product/dealer microsites are free of publication costs.
Things are getting better, faster.