Looking at 2012

ERSU ABLAK

Brand research consultancy Millward Brown has highlighted growing trends in the digital media sector with its predictions for next year. Out of 12 predictions, four are going to impact Turkey in the near future. As we digitize in every field of lives, the social and media technology trends will play a great role in understanding the country.

Gamification unlocked
Gamification is a simple idea: engage people by applying game mechanics to non-game situations. Points, level progression, badges, achievements, virtual currency and puzzles. The principles of gamification may be simple, but effective execution is not. People’s motivations and approaches vary. Crude forms of gamification such as foursquare-style badges and points-based rewards are mere “badgification” – a one-size-fits-all solution to a far more complex problem.

Gamification is inherently social – so which brands will succeed? Energy distribution companies and gas stations such as OPET, BP, SHELL and PO will especially benefit greatly from gamification because new legislation dictates that gas stations can’t give out usual promotions.

‘Virtual Togetherness’
Social tools and technologies that enable people to interact with TV programs will explode in 2012. Innovations will emerge that allow people to engage with shows in ways we haven’t thought of before. The explosion of social media will see TV becoming an even bigger echo-chamber for interaction and engagement. Throw in Twitter, a backstage blog, a handful of hash-tags and an interactive app and TV will be on social steroids. Social media will allow users to interact with TV shows in innovative ways and TV producers will use this data for creative inspiration.

Okan Bayülgen on TV8 is doing this in a limited way; more TV shows are sure to follow.

Mobile marketing to become more social, local
The future of mobile marketing will be intertwined with social and location-based marketing (SoLoMo: Social Local Mobile). The most successful marketing messages will combine relevance and location with the right timing. Today, 28 percent of U.S. mobile phone owners (55 percent of smartphone owners) rely on their phones for directions or recommendations based on their current location.
It is safe to say that with Turkcell, Vodafone and Avea already competing in every field, the war in mobile marketing will be fierce as well.

Regulators narrowing their focus
With mobile and digital out-of-home allowing for ubiquitous media engagement and interactions, consumers will be confronted with the prospect of paying to manage the way data about their online activities is shared. Their options might include paying for applications to manage their identity information, paying to access content that would otherwise be free of charge, or they might simply have to disconnect from networks where information sharing is the cost of entry.

Turkey will see big clashes with the regulatory bodies in the coming months. It will be because of money, as stated above, or because of privacy concerns.