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Mobile: The new screen in a multiscreen world

A recent symposium in Dallas discussed ways to fit interactive and mobile technologies into the omnichannel equation.

May 16, 2013 by James Wester

For those well-versed in industry lingo, omnichannel is a household word. By now brands already understand that consumers have multiple options for browsing, shopping and paying for what they want — so they get the idea of omnichannel and describing the many conduits consumers have to interact with brands.

The issue for brands isn't figuring out that consumers can be touched through multiple devices such as in-store digital signage, kiosks, smartphones and tablets.

What's more important to merchants now is how the brands go about integrating all those channels — especially rapidly developing channels such as mobile and interactive digital signage kiosks — into one cohesive brand strategy that captures consumer awareness before the purchase and carries all the way through the actual payment.

Those were the questions that members of the Digital Screenmedia Association grappled with at a symposium hosted in Dallas, Texas, last week. The symposium brought together members of the organization to discuss how they're creating engaging customer experiences through screens of all sizes — even that tiny screen consumers carry in their pocket.

The message of presenters and attendees at the event is that regardless of where the customer touch happens, and no matter what size the screen, consumers expect a consistent interaction with brands.

Consumers are looking for a continuous experience, said Chris Huff, vice president of mobile and consumer app development at the Weather Channel. He said that customers are looking to engage in experiences no matter where that experience is, whether it's on a big screen or small.

Huff also said that personalizing an experience, and customizing an interaction based on the context of the communication, is important, and not just because it makes it more useful to the consumer. Customization and personalization also increase the consumers' cost to switch brands, making it more likely they'll stick with the one they're currently using.

The Weather Channel may know a thing or two about sticky relationships: The company's app has been downloaded more than 100 million times and has 150 million unique users.

Don't fear the beeper

That's not to say integrating every channel is a simple task, especially the quickly evolving mobile channel. Jeremy Lockhorn, vice president of emerging media for digital agency Razorfish, acknowledged that many brands are reluctant to embrace mobile fully.

"You cannot overstate the importance of the channel, but brands are a little afraid of it," Lockhorn said. That fear exists because mobile cuts across every channel, increasing its impact as a communications channel, and consumers are moving faster than brands can react.

Lockhorn advised brands to develop mobile efforts with the near term in mind, from six to 12 to 18 months, instead of looking long term, since it's impossible at this point to even know what consumers will be carrying in two years.

Sean Andersen, director of interactive services for Six Flags Entertainment, offered similar advice to brands integrating mobile into their customer engagement strategy. Brands shouldn't try to build a massive app that does everything, Andersen said. Instead, companies should break their strategy down into pieces. "Take it in chunks," he said.

Including the mobile screen

The Dallas symposium is part of a larger effort by the DSA to include mobile marketing as a larger part of its mission. The group's 700 corporate and individual members are largely from the digital signage and self-service kiosk industries, including agencies, manufacturers and brand managers who want to know how the industry is evolving to include a new screen in a multiscreen world.

"Mobile is a complementary screen to digital signage and interactive kiosks," said David Drain, executive director of the DSA. "We all live in a multiscreen world. Retailers and other venues have to develop content with that in mind. One engagement may begin with one screen and move to another. Ultimately you are trying to influence consumer behavior."

Drain said he believes the DSA is well positioned to be the go-to organization for engagement through various screens, including mobile.

Read more about interactive screens.

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