MarketingTech’s 12 top 2017 predictions from martech experts

(c)iStock/BeeBright

We’re not sure anything we write in this first paragraph is going to sum up what a cracker of a year 2016 was for marketing tech, and marketing in general. From some amazing work coming from IBM Watson, to huge events such as the US presidential elections, Brexit, the EUROs and Rio Olympics, to the mass adoption of 360 video and virtual reality and beyond, it has certainly been a year to keep marketers on their toes

The...

20 December 2016 | Big Data

Interview: Lithium CEO on how AI will change the face of marketing in 2017

(c)iStock/gradyrees

Emerging technologies are already beginning to shape how marketers perform their everyday roles; but what’s in store for the years ahead? MarketingTech gets some expert advice from CEO of Lithium Technologies Rob Tarkoff around AI, social media and replacing the CRM.

Tarkoff is certainly no stranger to the world of martech and social media, having joined Lithium in 2011 from Adobe, where he had led its $1b Digital...

7 December 2016 | Automation

Consumers prefer streaming content on connected TVs, new report says

(c)iStock/DmitriMaruta

Central to delivering the right kinds of experiences for customers is knowing what devices they use the most, and how they use them. 

There is an ever-increaseing arsenal of streaming devices becoming more affordable and available to consumers, so it can be tough for marketers to keep up-to-date with what's hot in the moment. 

However, Conviva and nScreenMedia have carried out a research study, looking at how viewers' online streaming...

30 November 2016 | Video & Audio Marketing

Oracle adds new features to Marketing Cloud product

(c)iStock/wellesenterprises

Oracle has released some new enhancements for its Oracle Marketing Cloud suite that aim to "simplify digital marketing" and enhance the delivery of personalised, cross-channel content. 

The feature additions to Oracle Eloqua and Oracle Content Marketing are as a result of customer expectations meaning many businesses need to rethink internal marketing processes to streamline customer expeirence. 

This means marketers and salespeople...

29 November 2016 | Automation

Odeon first cinema in Europe to launch consumer chatbot

(c)iStock/Amanda Lewis

We all know by now the scope of how consumers can interact with brands via chatbots is growing by the day, with more platform integration as well as smarter apps on the rise.

Consumers can have their complaints handled, find out opening times, order a pizza and book an appointment via chatbot so far - but what about booking cinema tickets?

This is the goal Odeon is trying to reach with its new Facebook Messenger chatbot, developed by social...

28 November 2016 | Personalised Marketing

Comic Relief’s new Red Nose Day partners include Pinterest, Snapchat and Unruly

(c)Comic Relief

A number of brands - including martech and social media vendors - are partnering up with Comic Relief for the first time to support Red Nose Day 2017. 

New partners such as adtech firm Unruly, Snapchat, Fitbit and Pinterest will add their names to the list of brands who support the campaign year after year. 

Oxfam has for example championed Red Nose Day since 1988, and Sainsburys has raised over £100m for the cause since its partnership...

25 November 2016 | Branding

Marketing sector needs to improve at using analytics, research says

(c)iStock.com/Tsyhun

While just last week we reported the use of analytics is going to be an increasing area for marketers, new research from Ruler Analytics last week suggests marketers aren't actually that great at measureing their own ROI. 

The research showed that on an index of 100, marketers and PR scored the lowest for 'embracing analytics' with just 28.6.

Retailers were most likely to be using analytics, followed by tarvel and tourism, leisure and...

31 August 2016 | Web Analytics

Wearable tech and the opportunities for marketers

(c)iStock.com/Piotr Adamowitz

With 250 million wearables predicted to be in use by 2018, the opportunities for marketers to look into push contextualised content via this medium has never been better.

The wearable tech market is maturing. New, more advanced devices are becoming available to consumers - including Apple’s upgraded Watch operating system - and virtual and augmented reality are already leaving their footprint on the marketing...

23 June 2016 | Personalised Marketing