The Digital Marketing Podcast – "Digital Marketing Predictions for 2018"

Hosts: Daniel Rowles & Ciaran Rogers
Episode Date: January 5, 2018

Episode Overview

In this lively New Year episode, Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers dive into their predictions for digital marketing trends in 2018. The pair combine Ciaran’s boundless optimism with Daniel’s trademark skepticism, leading to energetic debate. Topics range from practical deployments of machine learning to the future of voice search, augmented reality, and Snapcodes. The hosts balance excitement for innovation with a dose of realism about what will become mainstream this year versus future years.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Machine Learning in Digital Marketing

Timestamps: 01:26–05:59

• Definition & Misconceptions
  • Daniel clarifies the difference between "artificial intelligence" and "machine learning":

    "Artificial intelligence takes people's thinking in the wrong direction – we get this assumption we're going to have these intelligent agents that we can speak to... We're not there yet." (02:03)

  • Machine learning is already present in apps, like photo and video recognition, detecting faces, grouping images, and even searching for concepts like "dog."
• Real-World Examples
  • Google uses machine learning to optimize ad placement beyond just demographic targeting:

    "We're starting to see this machine learning coming into advertising...what it should mean is our ads are better placed based on things that we might not even be aware of..." (02:53)

  • Microsoft’s machine learning for video automatically recognizes graphics, text, and can even assemble highlight reels.
  • These are not meant to replace people, but rather give marketers “superhuman powers.” (04:36)
• Challenges & Amusing Failures
  • Daniel highlights AI’s failings, referencing Microsoft’s Tay Twitter bot and a nonsensical AI-written Harry Potter book.

    "Within 48 hours [Tay] had become a sexist, racist, homophobic, genocidal maniac." (05:25)

• Optimistic Outlook
  • Despite setbacks, consensus is that 2018 will see more practical machine learning—but not true AI—especially in automating repetitive or data-heavy tasks.

2. Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR)

Timestamps: 05:59–15:07

• Mainstreaming of AR
  • Reference to Pokémon Go as the mainstream AR breakthrough.
  • Apple’s developer toolkit is expected to spark a flood of new AR apps.
  • Multiple client brands are already investing in AR projects.
  • Tim Cook’s preference for AR over VR is noted:

    "[Virtual reality], you're too closed off from the world. Whereas augmented reality offers lots of opportunities." (06:47)

• Facebook & Oculus Go
  • Ciaran outlines Facebook’s VR ambitions with the Oculus Go, a $199 standalone headset:

    "It literally is...you pop it on your head." (08:24)

  • Daniel questions whether high-quality VR at such a low price is feasible, citing processing limitations.
• Virtual Meeting Spaces
  • Discuss Facebook Spaces: a 3D virtual conferencing platform where avatars interact.
  • Ciaran sees promise; Daniel views it as a potential gimmick, highlighting tech that ignores human behavioral patterns:

    "It's tech for the sake of tech. It doesn't think about human interaction..." (11:21)

• Future Risks
  • Concern that the rapid development of 3D environments may make traditional websites seem outdated.
  • Daniel predicts practical AR/VR will be further off and consumer demand for 3D experiences limited for certain tasks:

    "I don't want an all singing or dancing graphical experience when I'm buying stuff online. I want quick and efficient." (14:20)

3. Voice Search and Virtual Assistants

Timestamps: 15:07–18:31

• Consumer Behavior
  • Both hosts are unconvinced of the utility of home devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home, beyond novelty.

    "Why do I need to ask my device to play music...?" (15:31)

• Voice Search Uptake
  • Daniel notes that search engines are seeing significant increases in voice-driven queries on mobile and smart devices.
  • Adoption in cars is highlighted as a real opportunity: automotive manufacturers lag behind in voice tech, but rapid improvement is expected.
• AI Investment
  • More devices mean more data and investment in voice-driven AI, potentially accelerating development.

4. The Future of Shazam & Apple

Timestamps: 18:31–19:34

• Shazam Acquisition
  • Apple’s acquisition of Shazam: integrating years of music data, possible new features with AR and QR code scanning.
  • Potential to enhance Apple Music and bridge AR initiatives.

5. Beacons: Location-Based Marketing

Timestamps: 18:42–19:34

• Daniel predicts a (belated) rise of beacons—Bluetooth location devices for targeted messaging, especially in physical retail and museums:

  "The cost have come down... and the cost of developing the apps to do these has become a lot simpler as well." (18:54)

6. Snapcodes and the Reinvention of QR Codes

Timestamps: 19:34–23:25

• Ciaran’s perennial enthusiasm for scannable codes resurges with Snapcodes:

  "There's a new kid on the block and it's called a snapcode." (19:55)

• Snapcodes, unlike QR codes, integrate branding/artwork, are familiar to Snapchat’s younger user base, and don't require a special app.
• Can be used to directly link to URLs, within Snapchat or at conferences.

  "A snapcode is cool. You know, they don't have that [QR code stigma] and I don't think yet enough people realize that actually you can do all sorts of fun, funky things with them." (22:28)

• Snapcodes also provide basic analytics (scan count).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the slow timeline of tech adoption:
  "Not that I've been wrong, but actually everything seems to take longer than I would like it to." – Daniel (00:44)

• Ciaran's unflagging optimism versus Daniel's pragmatism:
  "Kieran is going to show puppy like enthusiasm... and I'm going to be miserable and cynical as normal." – Daniel (00:35)

• On machine learning’s superpowers:
  "It's sort of gives you kind of superhuman powers." – Ciaran (04:36)

• On AR/VR mainstream prospects:
  "I think where it's gonna end up is somewhere quite different to where we are now." – Daniel (14:23)

• On Snapcodes vs QR codes:
  "QR codes had this stigma around them. They got a bad name for them... A snapcode is cool." – Ciaran (22:28)

Summary Table of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Segment | Speaker(s) | Key Points/Quotes | |:------------|:-------------------------------------------------|:--------------------|:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:26–05:59 | Machine Learning | Daniel, Ciaran | Current applications, Google ads, Microsoft Office, AI limitations, enthusiasm vs. caution | | 05:59–15:07 | Augmented & Virtual Reality | Daniel, Ciaran | AR/VR toolkits, Oculus Go, Facebook Spaces, Tim Cook’s comments, user behavior, future risks | | 15:07–18:31 | Voice Search & Virtual Assistants | Daniel, Ciaran | Limited use cases, automotive opportunity, Alexa/Siri, voice search growth, Apple's Shazam deal | | 18:42–19:34 | Beacons | Daniel | Cost reduction, increased adoption, especially in retail and museums | | 19:34–23:25 | Snapcodes & Scanning Technology | Ciaran, Daniel | Snapcodes, youth appeal, analytics, contrast with QR code failures, conference use |

Conclusion: The Realistic Road Ahead for 2018

• Machine learning will see greater, practical adoption—especially in areas marketers don’t directly notice.
• AR and VR are at the threshold of mass adoption, but consumer behavior and technical hurdles will mean incremental rather than revolutionary change in 2018.
• Voice search and virtual assistants are growing, most notably where hands-free is essential (like in cars), but still searching for “killer apps.”
• Location-based beacons and new scanning tech (Snapcodes) may finally enter the mainstream, particularly with younger demographics.
• Marketers should remain curious and experiment, but temper 2018 expectations with the reality of user behavior and adoption curves.

For more predictions, visit the Target Internet blog and try their digital marketing skills benchmark test.
See more at targetinternet.com