DIGITAL advertising is expected to grow by 19 percent to 20 percent this year as more advertisers pursue the digital route to harness the tools of the Internet. However, Eduardo Mapa Jr. told reporters that many advertisers are still grappling on how to use digital technology in advertising.
“We will see digital transformation focusing now on the economic side of it. E-commerce will be the fastest mover going to the digital route,” said Mapa, president and Digital Convention director in charge of the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (Immap).
Mapa also pointed out that the advertising industry will be focusing more on the economic side of it. He also stressed advertisers will possibly pursue the e-commerce route because it is the fastest path to enter the digital route.
Later, Mapa said, advertisers will explore other digital tools while they learn to harness the other tools of digital technology.
“We will see more and more advertisers go beyond social and start discovering other facets,” Mapa said in an interview on the sidelines of the recent launching of the first Immap Digital Congress.
With digital advertising still in its infancy stage in the country, Mapa said television and broadcast will still be the dominant platforms for advertising.
“Brands will play an important role, but not at the speed of e-commerce players, like Google primarily, because it is the nature of their business to explore since digital media does not cost too much.
In its recent survey, Mapa said Immap noticed that budget for digital advertising has increased, bordering 15 percent last year from a single digit in the previous years. “Advertisers are moving into digital in a calibrated pace, indicating they are initially using social media as entry point going to digital,” he explained. Mapa pointed out that digital transformation, also known as DX, does not only involve digital technology, noting that changes will occur when a big player, such as SM, enters the picture.
“DX uses digital technology as an enhanced process because it allows speeding up the process. Pure players will have an advantage because they understand the way digital works,” he said. “Take note that TV is also evolving, such as Netflix. At the end of the day, traditional media needs to change.”
For Immap, Mapa said the leadership wants to make sure members are prepared to do the transformation and prepare for digital transformation. “The way we see it is not how to jump into digital, but how to start if the organization is not yet ready.”
To celebrate its 10th anniversary this year, Immap will hold the first “Immap Digital Congress” to encourage practitioners to “ramp up their skills in the rapidly evolving digital industry”.
According to Mapa, “the array of speakers gathers the best of the best, the brightest of minds when it comes to digital marketing.”
“We are glad that they are willing to speak during this event to help spread the word on the importance of digital marketing and, eventually, help transform the marketing landscape to make it even more vibrant and dynamic in the 21st century.” Mapa said they expect to draw around 3,000 delegates from various industries across the country.