Partner and Lead Digital Strategist, AsiaDigitalMojo:“Telcos do best when they offer clear pricing, flexible contracts and excellent service”

David Williams, partner and lead digital strategist for AsiaDigitalMojo is speaking in the Monetising LTE track on Day One of the LTE Asia conference, taking place on the 18^th-19^th September 2013 at the Suntec, Singapore. Ahead of the show we speak to him about how telcos can innovate in digital advertising and we find out more about what inspires him.

What exactly is personal advertising?

Advertising that is tailored to an online customer’s interests, preferences, purchasing history, friendship network or physical location.

What the most innovative use of digital advertising you’ve seen in the telco space?

My agency AsiaDigitalMojo has developed several advertising solutions which link retail space, outdoor ads and mobile ads. One solution for a fashion brand was that hugging a giant rabbit in the store caused a like on the brand’s Facebook page – the Telco offered free access to this page. Work by Vodafone in India and South Africa to over low cost home internet devices supported by their wireless modem provide a great brand statement and indirect marketing. Generally, telco’s do best when they offer clear pricing, flexible contracts and excellent service.

Will there eventually be no distinction between digital advertising and mobile advertising?

Consumers will always make choices about which digital touch points they use; so advertising must follow them across mobile, tablet, PC and all other platforms. Each touch point has its own advantages and disadvantages in how consumers interact with brands and content, e.g. mobile is convenient and is always with the consumer whereas the PC benefits from a large display and a fixed undistracted customer. Brands must pay attention to the effective integration of their messages across touch points benefiting from the powers of each one.

Telcos provide the digital highways for mobile technology but don’t necessarily ‘get’ mobile in the same way as the OTTs. Why is that, and is there a way that can effectively compete?

I’ve worked with telcos as an agency and in a handset vendor – they “get” consumers but often see competition where there is none. They should work at building an eco-system of application (OTT) providers that meet their customer’s needs rather than wanting to dominate and lock customers in.

What are you hoping to gain out of attending and speaking at the LTE Asia conference?

Networking. I want to learn about the state of the art in mobile technology and to catch up with old friends in the industry. I want to make the telco community more user and design centred and for it to be a voice for the marketing and branding industries.

What continues to motivate and inspire you on a day-to-day basis?

The view of the sea and mountains from my apartment window

What gadgets and devices could you not live without?

My smartphone, my laptop, and my air conditioner

With the benefit of hindsight, what’s the biggest tech prediction you have got wrong?

I appeared on an TV mobile special in Shanghai when the iPad was launched in 2010 – I said that the iPad would be a great gaming/music platform but not be a successful publishing platform.

What is your pet hate about the digital economy?

Too much blabla not enough DO DO.