Tag: Digital

Tribe Digital takes centre stage at 25th annual Spiders Awards

The cream of the crop of Ireland’s digital industry gathered at The Round Room in Dublin’s Mansion House this evening for the 25th annual Spiders Awards, hosted by Tracey Carney. Dubbed ‘The Oscars’ of Ireland’s digital industry, the Spiders is the longest running digital awards programme in Ireland. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of individuals and businesses that not only adapted, but excelled amidst a global pandemic. In all, 22 awards were presented on the night, with Dublin’s Tribe Digital named Large Agency of the Year, Belfast’s Part Three Digital taking the top prize in the Small Agency category, and Cork’s power couple, Dan and Linda Kiely, named Ireland’s Digital Heroes.

For the first time since 2019, the Spiders returned as an in-person ceremony this year, with the event sponsored by Dmac Media, Centre of Excellence in Universal Design, Skoda, Skillnet Ireland, DMG Media and Acast. The evening, which was hosted by Spiders Managing Director, Tracey Carney, also included a fundraising element, with the organisers partnering with UNICEF to support the work they are doing in Ukraine.

Over the past couple of years, the Spiders – like many other events, globally – had to adapt to a changing society. Tonight’s prestigious awards ceremony acknowledged the new world we are living in and the success made through the pandemic by brilliant remote teams and campaigns. The judging panel evaluated nominations across 20 categories on the theme of ‘Driving Digital, Emerging Stronger’ and they had no easy task on their hands, due to the volume and talent of this year’s nominees.

In addition to the regular line-up, two extra accolades were added this year, in the form of Best Remote Team and the Customer Continuity Award. These awards were introduced to celebrate companies or individuals who achieved great results and emerged stronger during the global pandemic. The National Council for the Blind was named the Best Remote Team, while Flipdish took home the Best Customer Continuity title.

Scooping the top prize at the ceremony, Tribe Digital was named Large Agency of the Year and was applauded for its digital strategy across a number of campaigns carried out within the last 12 months, with a major emphasis on creativity, development, delivery and client experience.

Belfast-based Part Three Digital Ltd won the Small Agency of the Year title. Spearheaded by Hannah Nelson and Jess Orr Downey, the company proved that digital businesses can not only survive, but thrive in challenging times, with the digital marketing agency experiencing exponential growth over the last couple of years.

The Digital Hero Award went to Cork’s husband and wife duo, Dan and Linda Kiely. The pair were recognised as leaders in their field, having created a path for others to follow. They were lauded for their innovation, imagination and determination to succeed – traits that have set them apart from the pack.

The way in which companies and individuals have had to digitally adapt business and work models during the COVID-19 pandemic was a focal point at the awards ceremony. The event recognised and celebrated the creativity and achievements of businesses nationally, particularly applauding those who prevailed triumphantly in spite of Covid-19.

The full list of award winners are as follows:

  • Best Remote Team – National Council for the Blind Drumcondra, Dublin

  • Best Customer Continuity –  Flipdish Sandyford, Dublin

  • Best App – Revolut London

  • Best Use of Disruptive  Technology – An Post Insurance Athlone, Westmeath

  • Best B2B Campaign – Squaredot Dublin

  • Emerging Stronger – Digital for  Good Award / Not-for-Profit – GCN (Gay Community News) Dublin

  • Best in Social Media – Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Pluto Dublin

  • Small Agency of the Year – Part Three Digital Ltd Belfast, Antrim

  • Best Community Engagement by a Brand – Westport Chamber of Commerce Bold Craft Marketing Westport, Mayo

  • Best B2C Campaign – Londis Dublin

  • Best in Storytelling, delivered by remote team – SuperValu TBWA\Dublin Dublin

  • Diversity in Digital – Diageo – Guinness Omnicom Media Group Dublin

  • Best Podcast – The Good Glow Dublin

  • Digital Hero – Dan and Linda Kiely Cork

  • Large Agency of the Year – Tribe Digital Dublin

  • Best Integrated Media Campaign/ Strategy – Woodie’s Wolfgang Digital Dublin

  • Best in Universal Design – Monaghan Institute CDG Brand Monaghan/Dublin

  • Best Website –  Fáilte Ireland – Discover Ireland All human Dublin

  • Best eCommerce website –  Likha Aesthetic Clinic WONDR – A Digital Product Practice Dublin

  • Digital Transformation In Industry and Infrastructure – Sugar Rush Belfast, Antrim

  • Digital Transformation  Enterprise –  KBC Bank Ireland National

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Tracey Carney, Managing Director, Spiders Awards said:

“It is wonderful to be standing here before you all this evening, and returning to live events, after two years. It is even more special to be here in the Mansion House as we celebrate the Spiders’ 25th anniversary. Tonight we recognise excellence and the outstanding creativity of Ireland’s digital ecosystem. We applaud all of you who are the driving force behind it, and who have ensured we are emerging stronger than ever, from what has been the biggest digital transformation any of us have ever seen. The digital industry in Ireland has not only survived but thrived over the last two years. Tonight, we celebrate the best of the best in Ireland’s digital industry.”  

MONEY JAR – The First Irish-Owned Digital Current Account Platform, Open an account in 5 mins.

Money Jar is a dynamic and revolutionary new approach to banking that allows customers to open an account when it suits and in just 5 minutes. Opening a traditional bank account in Ireland can be cumbersome, requiring a lengthy approval process and often a long wait time to get an appointment for a meeting in the branch. Money Jar is a digital current account with convenient sign up and, unlike other major fintech platforms, Money Jar customers get an Irish IBAN, can pay bills, and receive wages. Money Jar offers unlimited money jars that can be shared with friends, to help customers stay on top of personal spending and improve long term financial wellbeing through better money management.

Money Jar is an Irish-owned fintech business headquartered in Dublin. All funds are held by a Tier 1 state owned Irish bank, which is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Money Jar can set up digital current accounts quickly using its industry leading facial recognition technology. Money Jar has the best of what traditional banks have to offer, but with the convenience that all things digital can deliver, plus customers can talk to Money Jar’s Irish based customer care team if they need a helping hand.

Money Jar’s technology platform allows quick and safe identity verification to make the entire process straightforward and painless. Partnering with Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Veriff and EML, Money Jar offers a safe and secure platform. When customers open an account with Money Jar, they are given a free virtual Prepaid Mastercard with contactless payments, at no additional cost. For those that prefer a physical card, they can order a Prepaid Mastercard from the app for €5, which will be delivered to their door. Money Jar fees are transparent and competitive. There is a monthly service fee of €2.99, free for the first four months, and pay as you go transaction fees. Money Jar promotes responsible, money management.

John Harkin, the Executive Chairman of Money Jar, said: ‘Consumers in Ireland have always been early adopters of technology, and this is no different in the banking sector. We know that *78% of Irish consumers manage their  money or make payments using mobile devices, and a quarter have a digital bank account. Digital banking in Ireland is growing at an exponential rate. At Money Jar, we have seen this trend first hand with our customer growth rate at 70% month on month. Money Jar is a dynamic new approach for customers to manage their money.’

Money Jar enables consumers on the Money Jar platform to transfer money peer to peer instantly at no cost, as well as enabling users to pay bills, set up standing orders, and direct debits, and transfer money in and out using SEPA, as well as using it for contactless payments. Accounts can only be accessed by using pass codes, biometrics, and a two-step verification, making a Money Jar digital current account a safe choice – no sensitive data is stored in the app or cached on the mobile device. Today, many people use two separate accounts, a primary account for bills and wages, and a secondary account for mobile transactions. Money Jar provides a one stop solution for all of these tasks that is fast, efficient and reliable.

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15 Irish Schools First in Europe to Achieve Digital Education Award

A group of 15 schools from across Ireland have been recognised for their use of digital technology at the European Digital Schools Awards, an ambitious new educational initiative which aims to establish cross-border networks and learning.

As some of first to take part in the initiative, the group of Irish schools helped set the benchmark for others to follow. They were officially recognised for their digital education strategy at an event held at University College Dublin today (Monday 28 March), where the Minister of Education, Norma Foley, congratulated schools on their achievements via video.

The European Digital Schools Awards encourages and recognises innovation, collaboration, and skills development in the digital sphere. With support from the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme, leading technology companies such as HP and AMD, and a number of national education agencies, it is the only initiative of its kind in Europe and is aimed at providing pupils with the skills they need to flourish in the modern world.

A total of 100 secondary schools in five European countries took part in the pilot programme, with just 79 receiving the top award.

Following the success of the pilot, the initiative is now being made available to all schools in Ireland, Scotland, Lithuania, Serbia, and Slovenia, with plans also in motion to roll out the programme more widely across Europe.  As the programme expands, it will provide teachers and educational leaders with greater access to support and the opportunity to take learnings from other countries.

To achieve European Digital Schools status, schools must use the European Commission’s SELFIE self-reflection tool to assess their digital learning and teaching practices and identify areas where improvements can be made.  They can then access a range of expert support and resources to help them develop their digital curriculum in line with industry best practices.

Norma Foley, Minister of Education said: “The European Digital Schools Awards is an excellent example of industry bodies and educational organisations working together to support schools as they continue to incorporate digital technology into the curriculum.

“The success of the pilot programme across Ireland has been inspiring, and it is great to see so many of our schools involved. With the initiative now available to all Irish schools, we hope to see many more getting involved.”

Anna Doody from Digital Schools Awards said: “Technology has become embedded into our everyday lives in a way we never thought it would, and at an unimaginable speed. In schools, the transformation is especially acute following the proliferation of remote learning during the pandemic.

“As we guide our young people through their developmental years and into adulthood it is essential that we give them the skills, knowledge and confidence to be able to navigate the digital world effectively and safely.

“The European Digital Schools Award is not about urging teachers to use technology in the classroom. It is about encouraging an inclusive, and whole-school approach to digital learning, where everyone in the school feels supported and confident to adopt best practices.

“Our pilot programme exceeded our expectations, and we are thrilled to be announcing the roll out of the initiative across our five participating countries.

“One of the key benefits of the European Digital Schools Awards is it creates a network of educational professionals that can learn from one another. The more schools we have within the community, the greater the opportunities for knowledge sharing, and over the coming year we hope to grow the initiative, welcoming new member states and more schools into the fold.

Annmarie Whelan from HP, a central supporter of the European Digital Schools Award, said: “Understanding digital practices and having a familiarity with technology is an essential part of young people’s development, and can open so many opportunities for their future.

“We have been working alongside Digital Schools Awards for a number of years and have seen first-hand the positive impact it has made on hundreds of schools. We are proud to be on this journey and to be a part of the official launch of the European programme. We would encourage all schools to explore the opportunities created through this initiative and look forward to working with others in our sector and educational leaders to roll this out across the continent.” 

Donal Harford from AMD said: “The possibilities are virtually limitless for what we can achieve through advancements in science and technology over the next few decades. School pupils across Europe are the next generation of innovators and it is through programmes like Digital Schools Awards that we can educate and inspire them to explore careers in digital technology.” 

To find out more about how they can take part, schools should visit www.awards4selfie.eu.

Complete list of schools in Ireland to receive the European Digital Schools Award:

Blackrock College, Dublin

Borrisokane Community College, Tipperary

Castetroy College, Limerick

Colaiste Bhaile Chlair, Galway

Colaiste Bride Enniscorthy, Wexford

Colaiste Cois Life, Dublin

Dominican College, Dublin

Gaelcholáiste Phort Láirge, Waterford

Mercy Secondary School, Dublin

Muckross Park College, Dublin

Old Bawn Community School, Dublin

Our Lady’s Bower, Athlone, Westmeath

St. Aloysius College, Cork

Saint Kevin’s Community College, Dublin

Saint Kevin’s Community College, Wicklow

 

Top 7 Advantages of Digital Learning for Students

The world is evolving, and so is education. The outdated classroom environment is no longer followed. Now, teaching takes place remotely too. You might be wondering how such a profound change will help students since adapting is challenging. Well, here are seven benefits of digital learning for students!

Self-Paced Learning

The biggest problem students of today face is managing their time. Education systems are rushing while students have multiple tasks on their plates. They have to work part-time jobs, study, have a social life, spend some time on their own, it is a long list of tasks, and 24 hours a day isn’t enough. Many companies also write an essay for cheap prices online because people have no time to work on arduous tasks.

  • Online education helps people get rid of this speedy learning; 
  • There are online courses, and many colleges upload course material on their learning management systems; 
  • You can access everything in your own time and learn according to your convenience; 
  • The time clashes; missed classes and lengthy courses are now a thing of the past. 

It is a great way to ensure students are learning well too. How? They don’t have excuses anymore. Education has become remote. All people need is a laptop and an internet connection to start studying. It is the perfect way to introduce a self-paced learning method—no need to rush or work according to someone else’s schedule. You make your own decisions now! 

Breadth of Information

The best thing is, now, you can get information on every topic from anywhere. The essential, which is the need to stick to a classroom and course material, is now gone. Instead, you can access any detail through the internet and learn flexible learning techniques. 

Students used to feel the pressure increasing and their stress levels rising due to a lack of information in case they missed out on a single lecture. Well, now teachers can conduct classes remotely and even record lessons for the ease of students. Even if we let go of a student’s perspective and consider a teacher, teachers have more flexibility. They can impart knowledge from the comfort of their homes. 

It is one of the most significant advantages of online learning, and once you experience this comfort of the breadth of information, you will realize what you’ve been missing out on for so many years. So instead of caging yourself up in the paradox of knowledge, allow yourself to soar free and gather information from anywhere!

More Engaging Lessons

Classroom lessons often follow the same format, the same pattern, and the same type of boring routine questions after the chapter finishes. It is a great way to keep people interested in what’s happening in each course. There are several activities and surveys people can conduct on the internet as a part of their coursework and engagement. 

For example, some students struggle with confidence issues. They can’t speak up in the open environment of a classroom. Digital classes enable them to speak up because they don’t have real people next to them. They can switch off their cameras and speak. Increasing confidence in people is one of the positives of online learning that we often neglect. You notice your attention span increasing, too, because now you want to focus on what’s happening in the digital class instead of looking at the clock repeatedly and rushing out of a classroom.

Online Assessments & Mock Tests

Everyone knows how much students despise assessments and tests in classrooms. The benefits of digital learning also include flexible mock tests and examinations. How? You can choose when to give the tests if it is an online course. Do it according to your convenience. If it is a digital classroom, you don’t have to work with paper and pen and sit at a desk. You can take a small break during the assessment.

It reduces the anxiety people face before an exam. For example, many people might experience an anxiety attack if they get late for an exam and the teacher refuses to sit for the paper. Well, now it’s all online, so conveyance isn’t an issue for students, nor do they have to struggle with the stressful environment before a test. 

Moreover, teachers don’t have to check every copy. Instead, they can fix answers online through the digital platform, and it checks the answers, returning the results to students within a few minutes. 

Better Time Management

Digital education systems come with better time management and ease. Students are often seen getting late to classes, sprinting across campus to make it to classes on time, and then rushing out to meet the requirements of their jobs. 

Now, they can manage their time better and take classes anywhere, whether they’re at home, at work, or even traveling. It only requires the internet. Furthermore, people can also listen to lecture recordings in their free time to revise their course. What a great catch!

24-Hour Resources

Digitalization of education has enabled people to have 24-hour resources now. Gone are the days when people only had access to some course material, only when they went to class. Now, you can study in the morning or late at night. 

It’s all according to your productivity. So pick a time you feel most productive and access these online resources. It is a great way to learn new things and not miss out on your grade. Why? You have it all right at your fingertips, thanks to digitalization!

Refined Critical-Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills are essential for college learners because they must soon step into practical life. Therefore, digital systems also drive them to develop more robust critical thinking. How? There are no limits to learning here. 

Education isn’t confined to four walls and a door. Students can get an education from wherever they like. Not only that, the curriculum is excellent and offers them many things to think about. The questions are simple yet enable people to use their minds instead of rote learning methods.

These are some ways you can also enhance your critical thinking skills without any trouble and have it all according to yourself. In addition, there are personalized courses that you will love!

Now that you’re aware of such excellent benefits of digital learning, why not start making it a part of your routine? Of course, there might be a few problems in adapting initially, but you will love the flexibility and convenience it offers once you do. So make sure you follow this unique method to educate yourself better without gaps!

Why to Implement Digital Signage: Key Benefits & Opportunities

You can expect the long-term benefits of using digital signage in marketing campaigns. There are various ways to use digital signage, from tiny displays to massive display walls. By inviting consumers to participate in market research, locate stock or browse product options, interactive digital signage may take engagement to a whole new level. In some instances, digital demonstrations of items or services are offered on storefront signs. You will want to collect as much information as possible such as digital signage pricing, before making a choice that might have a long-term influence on your organization. Likewise, consider the following advantages and opportunities before launching into the creative process with digital signage.

Increased exposure

Unlike print runs and email lists, digital signage in high-traffic locations allows you to reach an almost infinite number of people. It’s also possible to show more messages at a higher frequency and control when and where they appear. You can show a digital sign on any device with a screen. If you like, you may send messages to all of these devices simultaneously or any combination of them.

Self-service

It’s clear from recent research that internet users prefer self-service over calling customer support for help. One possible implementation is a self-service digital signage that enables customers to browse inventory or ask inquiries. When conventional customer service is too time-consuming or expensive, our service provides a cost-effective and rapid alternative. It is essential to have a strategy for swiftly and readily giving clients the information they need to purchase.

Customers who are left waiting and dissatisfied are the last things you need. They may go through with the transaction, but they may never return.

Attention-grabbing

Overall, digital signage is a great way to draw attention to a business and attract new customers. People are attracted to these things because of their intrinsic uniqueness. In addition, the displays are frequently rated highly for their aesthetic attractiveness. It is common for the colors to be considerably more brilliant and dazzling than on a print sign. A lot of attention has been paid to this issue.

When it comes to material and its presentation, you have a wide range of options for drawing attention. The usage of animations and movement may be quite beneficial. Our eyes easily detect moving objects and changes in the environment.

You can show off the sign better using these effects. On the other hand, you may utilize it to draw attention to certain aspects of your content. One way to draw attention to your standout product is through animated visuals.

Increased flexibility with reduced risk

Businesses need every tool they can get their hands on to keep up with the ever-increasing demands of their customers, prospects, and staff. In the digital era, “Mad Men” type marketing efforts are rare because there is too much risk to invest in a static message that may not connect with your audience as you think it would. Yet, it is here that digital signage has had a significant impact.

With the unprecedented ability to handle material remotely, the chance of a catastrophically unsuccessful marketing campaign is much reduced since any advertising may be modified or replaced totally in seconds – not days or weeks. The cloud-based system allows users to make modest changes to their website and full-scale rebranding from any location in the globe.

Interactivity

Almost everyone has a smartphone these days, and they are accustomed to using touchscreens to access information. Your digital signage may provide a more immersive experience for your audience if you include interactivity, such as a voice or touch user interface. Using self-service kiosks, customers can easily find the information they are looking for and get to the parts of the process that matter most to them. You may also provide a wide range of alternatives on a single screen using touchscreens, such as interactive wayfinding, directories and menu boards. The use of interactive displays also allows your personnel to provide a more customized level of service to customers.

Whether it is a single screen or a worldwide network, digital signage displays are the best way to communicate effectively. Regardless of your audience, they are used to seeing information presented graphically, dynamically and in real-time. Digital signage can assist any business and provide solutions for hospitals, schools,  banks, hotels or government offices to attract and retain customers.

What is a Digital Marketplace: A Short Introduction

The global pandemic helped to turn our lives into a digital world much faster. The growth of digital marketplaces escalated immediately. Digital marketplaces help drive ecommerce. The data marketplace concept is also getting more and more popular among companies as they see the huge benefits and opportunities that these types of marketplaces provide.

According to a McKinsey & Company report, before the pandemic, the top 100 online marketplaces made up half of the global sales with $2 trillion. And Statista reports that by 2024, ecommerce will account for more than $6 US billion dollars in sales. 

The definition of the digital marketplace

Digital marketplaces are online platforms that provide a safe virtual environment for both buyers and sellers, offering their services or products. Thanks to digital marketplaces, buyers are able to quickly and easily find the needed people who provide products meeting their budget and requirements.

It takes several years for digital marketplaces to build up their reputation. Key aspects in building a successful marketplace include having a clear strategy, vision, and the right buyers or sellers.

For instance, a platform that aims to sell 3D models must attract skilled 3D designers and artists to offer their creations, while also targeting a niche market of buyers who have an interest in purchasing 3D assets. By fostering a community of talented creators and enthusiastic buyers, the digital marketplace can establish itself as a go-to destination for high-quality 3D models, ensuring its long-term success and growth in the competitive market.

Types and examples of digital marketplaces 

The number of digital marketplaces will only grow, and the demand for such platforms will increase over the next few years. The marketplace business, serving customer-centric goals, is complex. However, it offers numerous opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Here are different types of marketplaces and the markets they serve:

 

  1. Business-to-consumer (B2C) marketplaces. This is considered to be one of the most saturated categories with huge competition. Great examples of B2C marketplaces include the ecommerce giant Amazon. There are also many niche B2C marketplaces, which are focused on certain categories like electronics, apparel, and home improvement.
  2. Business-to-business (B2B) marketplaces. B2B marketplaces offer sheer monetary potential and are more niche as well as vertical industry-focused. The most famous examples of B2B marketplaces include Alibaba and Amazon Business.
  3. Peer-to-peer (P2P) or consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplaces. Marketplaces like eBay, TaoBao, Etsy, and Airbnb have a unique feature — consumers here are both sellers and buyers. 
  4. Consumer-to-manufacturer (C2M) or consumer-to-business (C2B) marketplaces. The biggest example of such a marketplace is PinDuoDuo. In just a few years, the C2M model has gained a 4% share of the global ecommerce business and is projected to expand beyond China. 
  5. Service-to-consumer (Se2C) marketplaces. This is a growth category with numerous local examples like HomeAdvisor in the United States, UrbanClap in India, and hipages in Australia. 

The role of AI tools in digital marketplaces

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an essential part of many industries, including e-commerce. Digital marketplaces are no exception, as they utilize AI tools to enhance the user experience and improve marketplace operations. You can discover and compare the most popular AI tools available online at Arktan and similar trusted websites and see which AI tools work best for your business needs. Some common ways in which AI is used in digital marketplaces include customer segmentation, personalized recommendations, predictive analytics, and fraud detection.
AI tools can also help automate certain tasks for marketplace owners and sellers. For example, chatbots can handle customer inquiries and provide 24/7 support without human intervention. This helps to improve response times and overall customer satisfaction.

In addition to improving the user experience, AI tools also help digital marketplaces to gain insights and make data-driven decisions. By analyzing user behavior, marketplace owners can identify trends, understand customer preferences, and optimize their platform accordingly.

There are also data marketplaces with an online transactional architecture. These facilitate data sharing and enable data monetization. Data marketplaces leverage relevant data and offer several kinds of data to reveal new revenue opportunities and save valuable company resources.

Any organization can build this type of marketplace using various data products, including queries, reports, data services, APIs, ML models, and more. 

Opportunities that digital marketplaces provide

Many successful marketplaces offer a wide variety of advantages and opportunities for users. The main benefits of digital marketplaces include:

Access to advanced analytics. Using sophisticated analytics to analyze the competition and adjust marketing campaigns, pricing, and offers is very useful. Data allows you to drive certain product lines, optimize business processes, ramp up manufacturing, and improve operations. By doing so you can meet demand and gain more profit and better outcomes.

Personalization. Digital marketplaces offer advanced AI-based technologies and tools to personalize the customer experience and better engage with clients. Through most of the marketplaces available, sellers can build long-term one-on-one relationships with their buyers.

Post-sales support. This is an important aspect of the overall customer experience. And as marketplaces are focused on customer experience and satisfaction, they provide the needed tools for post-sales support. This helps sellers build long-term customer relationships and develop lifelong fans. And this all is managed by the marketplace operator.

Global reach. Digital marketplaces allow their users to reach international sellers, buyers, and partners. In a global economy, businesses can have a huge reach with global marketplaces, providing services and products to people that wouldn’t be able to reach through local marketplaces. This helps to boost revenue and get much more opportunities than with local marketplaces. 

Marketplaces, specifically data marketplaces, involve data monetization, allowing businesses to generate economic value from their target organizations.

Not all types of marketplaces offer all these advantages, but still knowing these may help potential sellers or buyers when they’re considering using a digital marketplace. It’s also worth mentioning that each type of marketplace has its unique challenges regarding payments, financing, logistics, and fulfillment needs. 

Conclusion

Digital marketplaces will grow even more throughout the years. And as data gets more used by various businesses, demand for data marketplaces in the data economy will increase tremendously. 

 

With all advantages and opportunities like personalization, global reach, and sophisticated analytics, digital marketplaces offer to their users, it’s safe to say that they will play a great role in the future of business.

A.I. predictions to tackle the ‘3 seconds rule’ in (digital) advertising

SAAS-tool Brainsight predicts viewing behavior and visual performance of (digital) ads and videos

New developments in artificial intelligence show that A.I. models are excellent predictors for viewing behavior. In today’s attention economy, consumers are time-poor and easily distracted, which is why the marketing industry often refers to the so-called ‘3-second rule’, indicating that advertisers need to get brand recall and their message across instantly; quite a challenge for creatives and digital marketers. With new A.I. tools entering the market it is possible to pretest ad-performance and tackle this issue.

Most digital ads are tested post-live, for instance with A/B testing. Researching performance of (digital) out-of-home is even more difficult and sophisticated. By combining neuroscience and A.I. research, visual attention and visual clarity can be predicted in advance.

Predicting viewers’ attention

In the past years, studies* have been conducted by renowned universities, like MIT, to research and map viewing behavior. It appears that instant visual attention is influenced by elements like color, size, contrast, shape, location, etc. With the help of A.I. and machine learning, predictive models have been developed, the latest with accuracy rates of 94% compared to live eye tracking research.

Now that visual attention can be made predictive, new commercial tools enter the (digital) marketing industry to help them with the 3-second rule.

Eye Tracking Heatmaps

Researching visual- and viewing behavior is generally conducted with eye tracking technology, where dozens of people (‘s eyes) are being tracked while they watch images and videos. With heatmaps, the consolidated data of their gaze-points are visualized, showing where people (do not) look, how their attention is distributed and whether they focus on only a few or many parts in the image. These are all indicators of visual attention. Did viewers see your logo? Was your ‘call-to-action’ button overlooked?

“Apart from qualitative research for large budget productions, data-analytics has become the norm for testing ad-performance. But data only comes in after a campaign has been launched. Predictive A.I. models are a cost-efficient way to pretest and optimize designs before starting a campaign,” says Roger van der Spek, Managing Director of Braingineers, an Amsterdam-based neuromarketing research/tech agency.

Predictive A.I. tools

Predictive models have found their way to the market with tools that can instantly create eye tracking heatmaps, without the need for extensive research. Pretesting viewing behavior will therefore become more common and with a fraction of the cost of live-eye tracking research, also smaller marketing agencies and independent professionals can use this method. Roger: “With online tools, pretesting or benchmarking ad content on clarity or attention can easily be done instantly, by one person and from any location.”

Brainsight

The latest tool in the market is Brainsight  by Braingineers.

Max van Kaathoven, founder and CTO, explains: “In the past years we’ve conducted hundreds of neuromarketing-studies for digital customer journeys, always including eye tracking. By combining the latest A.I. models with that expertise and data, we have been able to develop a front-running tool.”

Xtremepush earns ‘top 50’ ranking in G2’s 2022 Best Software Awards for Marketing and Digital Products

Xtremepush, the Irish based, enterprise customer data and engagement platform, earns 36th place on G2’s 2022 Best Software Awards Marketing and Digital Advertising Products list. To feature on this list is to be among the world’s best software companies and products based on authentic, timely reviews from real users.

G2 is the world’s largest and most trusted software marketplace, helping more than 60 million people every year make smarter software decisions based on authentic peer reviews. Thousands of companies’ partner with G2 to build their reputation, manage their software spend and grow their business — including Salesforce, Hubspot, Zoom, Adobe and more so to feature on this list is to be among the world’s best software companies and products

This is Xtremepush’s debut on one of G2’s Best Software lists, earning its place this year thanks to the hard work and innovative spirit of the entire XP team. Tommy Kearns, Xtremepush CEO, commented: “This is a huge achievement for everyone at Xtremepush and a testament to how hard everyone has worked to turn our CDEP [Customer Data and Engagement Platform] into a world contender.

Inclusion in G2’s best software list for Marketing and Digital Advertising Products is proof that we’ve created something special, not just from a product perspective but as an organisation too. The thing that really excites me is the best is yet to come.”

Access to Technology Has Played a Critical Part in Europe’s Digital Transformation Development

Digital transformation is one of the most important initiatives that organisations undertake in order to stay competitive in today’s digital age.

The rate at which technology is evolving is astounding. It seems like every day, there is a new piece of hardware or software that can help organisations improve their productivity and efficiency. 

According to Contino’s Europe digital transformation report, the rise of technology has allowed organisations to move from traditional methods of doing business to more efficient and effective digital transformations.

The field of digital transformation has been greatly helped by this influx of technological advancements like digital products and some of the most innovative tech leaders from across Europe have managed to integrate technology as part of their strategy to great success.

In this post, we’ll look at how business executives have used technology to help their businesses succeed as well as the current state of digital transformation in organisations.

Here are some the tech leaders from the Europe digital transformation report that managed to use technology effectively with great results.

Paul Whyte

Paul Whyte is the Managing Director of Best Food Logistics, a leading provider of food logistics, warehousing and distribution.

Paul has been in the industry for over 20 years and has worked on many different projects with some of the world’s largest retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons. 

He has also led Best Food Logistics’ digital transformation strategy which includes implementing a new warehouse management system (WMS) that allows customers to track their orders in real-time and gives them access to live inventory updates. 

Paul believes that embracing technology is key for businesses looking to grow and be more profitable than ever before and to transform a loss-making food logistics company into a market-leading data aggregator. Strong project governance is critical to digital transformation success. 

“Carefully managing the execution of a technology implementation is critical: tracking risks, logging issues, flagging barriers to change and celebrating sucesses” said Paul.

It is important to communicate your case for change to create belief across stakeholders, spend the majority of time on change management and strong project governance is essential.

Paul also stresses that technology should be used as an enabler for businesses looking to improve their operations and grow sustainably over the long term.

Best’s on-time deliveries increased from under 40% to over 95%. Customers can now see the company’s success, as well as that of its partners, through the portal and a simple mobile app.

Best’s business rates have improved and expanded. In 2020, Best’s success resulted in it being bought by Booker Group, a Tesco PLC subsidiary.

Fumbi Chima

Fumbi Chima was the Global Chief Information Officer of Adidas at the time of Contino’s report and she is now currently is the BECU’s executive vice president and chief information officer. 

Fumbi has extensive experience in the area of digital transformation, process improvement and technology enablement. She believes technology has a significant part to play in organisations that want to change their business models and operations. 

For firms wanting to future-proof their business, understanding, anticipating, and servicing the consumer with technology is critical.

She believes that successful companies focus on creating aligned incentives throughout the business and are ready to pivot when needed. They also understand that there is no such thing as “done” in the digital age – it’s an ever-changing landscape.

“Customer journeys keep evolving. Behaviours change. Transformation is a journey; you can never stick a pin in it and say that you’re done”

The strategy has resulted in faster throughput of superior products that are more personalised and more responsive to the customer. The flexibility of the new model also gave Adidas the ability to pivot, which is critical when the world is changing so rapidly

Debra Bailey

Debra Bailey leads the technology and digital agenda for O2 in the UK, including developing new propositions, platforms and customer experience to drive growth in both retail and enterprise markets.

It is important to understand the business challenges, automate business processes from end-to-end and build with the future in mind.

She was able to achieve digital transformation by unifying technology and businesses to help digitally connect customers with the things that matter most to them. 

Debra said, “The business challenges are what drives the beahvour of the supporting functions, including I.T. Understanding them is the first port of call.”

After less than a year of the new operating model, O2 has already hit their target of a 10% lift in speed-to-value, is on track to hit 2022’s target of 25% and has a huge target of 75% by 2024.

Conclusion

Technology has a critical role to play in the process of digital transformation, and businesses that don’t embrace it will struggle to keep up with the competition. 

Leveraging technology can help organisations optimize their processes, become more productive and creative, adapt to changes faster, reduce costs and increase revenues.

If you’re looking to succeed in the digital era, your organisation needs to start its journey of transformation as soon as possible.