After having visited Japan almost two years ago, I recently had the pleasure of attending and presenting at the very first ad:tech Tokyo. Because it was the first ad:tech held in Japan, the folks who put it on obviously worked rigorously to make it relevant. The exhibit area itself was small, while the presentations and panels were packed with interested agencies, publishers, marketers, and vendors. I gained a tremendous amount of insight into the changing Japanese online advertising market.
The behavioral targeting panel I participated on featured a number of experienced BT marketers and explored some of the technologies and localized techniques of behavioral targeting. Brands are embracing the efficiencies of targeting in a market that is continuing to fragment. The dependence on portals is diminishing as networks and audience targeting become more prevalent. I had a good time bantering with the CMO of McDonald's Japan who kicked things off by expressing that he had no need for BT, as mass marketing was his emphasis. McDonald's use of mobile couponing (with something like 40 million uniques) was driving all the results he was after. I offered that couponing was, in and of itself, a form of BT as redemption of the coupon should be considered a behavioral event and the foundation for building segments that respond differently to different offers. By the end, he agreed to spend time looking at how BT could help increase his results and drive additional media efficiency. Another BT convert!
Always of note in Japan is the advanced utilization of mobile devices. At AudienceScience, we've seen firsthand how mobile targeting has taken a foothold as we have two current programs running there with Mediba and DAC-Mobile. DAC uses our BT technology to increase ad values with their partner mobile network. Issues around scale in mobile do not exist there and that will lead to rapid adoption of complimentary technology such as dynamic targeting and social targeting. I'm looking forward to the next ad:tech Tokyo, as the speed of change will certainly stimulate many innovations to the Japanese market over the next year.
