The wireless explosion means opportunities for retailers as well as brands in all sectors. As the path to purchase is being reshaped by the new behaviors and expectations created by mobile technology, retailers will need to deploy their brand experience along the right digital touchpoints. An Interbrand white paper.

1. More than
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Just Talk:
goes here
Driving demand with
wireless technology
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2. Interbrand | Pg. 2
More than Just Talk
Driving demand with wireless technology
by Kevin Perlmutter and Justin Wartell
Driving Demand with Wireless Technology percent. For AT&T, the exclusive U.S. carrier to 2013 when Cisco projects there will be
of the iPhone, that figure was 5,000 percent. 1.5 million apps worldwide. Thanks to the
3G, 4G, LTE, HSPA… While the And that’s just the beginning. onslaught of smartphones and launch of
meaning of each may not be clear, devices like the iPad, apps will not only
“Consumers have gotten a taste of what
there are two things you need to account for a significant boost in wireless
the U.S. mobile broadband ecosystem
traffic, but will drive significant behavioral
know: They’re about broadband can deliver, and now their appetite seems
changes—how we search for information,
wireless, and you will increasingly unlimited,” said Ralph de la Vega, President
shop, game and conduct our business will
and CEO, AT&T Mobility and Consumer
feel their impact. all rely increasingly on wireless.
Markets, in his keynote address as 2010
Wireless and now CTIA Chairman. Mr. de la Vega went on to 2. Emerging wireless devices
highlight industry projected growth of global
How has wireless impacted your life and your Basically anything that can be connected
mobile data traffic from Cisco that takes us
business to date? As a consumer, chances wirelessly will be. This includes navigation
from 90,000 terabytes per month in 2009 to
are that you use a smartphone, apps, and/ devices, networks, notebooks, media
3.6 million terabytes per month by 2014.
or access Wi-Fi to be online almost anywhere players, gaming devices, eBooks, medical
you go. If you are a business person, you Future growth monitoring equipment, electric/gas utility
are most likely catering to the mobile needs meters and more. According to Cisco,
While historically much of the traffic comes
of your workforce and customers, and there are 35 billion connected devices in
from voice and data, future growth will come
beginning to investigate the possibilities of 2010, nearly five per person on Earth. Cisco
from apps, emerging devices and video-based
cloud computing. For business or pleasure, projects that by 2013 there will be one
content.
wireless is changing how we live, work and trillion—that is, 140 devices per person on
play. 1. Apps earth (See figure 1). Ultimately, this will lead
to massive changes in the way people live
Regardless of how wireless has impacted By early 2010, app usage was significant.
their day-to-day lives.
your life and business so far, you have While the Apple iTunes store had a
contributed to surges in usage. In the commanding share lead with over 160,000 3. Video-based content
three years since mid-2007, the U.S. has apps available, there are many app store
Included in this category are video
seen mobile broadband traffic surge 3,000 providers emerging. Meanwhile, fast-forward
conferencing, gaming and streaming

3. More than Just Talk: Driving demand with wireless technology Interbrand | Pg. 3
“Consumers have gotten a taste of what the
U.S. mobile broadband ecosystem can deliver,
and now their appetite seems unlimited.”
– CTIA Wireless Association
media. The impact of wireless on real-time being at the center of the wireless ecosystem. to be conceived. Some businesses will see
conferencing and collaboration will be They are also partnering with many other changes so significant that they will need to
transformative. Not only will businesses be companies that need them to make products ask themselves “what business am I in?” and
able to conduct video conferencing more and services possible on their networks. adjust business practices accordingly, given
easily, but many of these interactions will the rapid changes in consumer behavior.
If that’s not enough, the telecom industry
seamlessly occur on mobile devices as well.
faces competitive incursion from all angles. In Healthcare
For starters, check out FaceTime on the
fact, many key competitors rely on telecom
4th generation iPhone, with “one tap video In healthcare we’re already beginning to
carriers’ networks to make their offerings
calling.” As people increasingly become see major changes. Wireless increasingly
possible. Therefore the industry is riddled
capable of making immediate, real-time fuels improvements in timelines and
with frenemies, in that companies partner
and cost-effective connections on their quality of care among doctors, patients
with each other in one area of business, and
mobile devices, expect to see a shift in the and pharmacists. One of many examples
compete against each other in another.
way companies and entire industries serve is remote patient monitoring, which will
customers. Lastly, telecom companies must contend let doctors monitor patients’ vital signs
with an intense regulatory agenda. They remotely. Not only can the doctor be at
continually need to impress upon local home, but the patient can be as well.
governments the need to evolve legislation
Not-for-Profit
to keep up with changing consumer behavior
and business practices. This includes The charitable giving sector has also
changing century-old regulations related to been dramatically impacted. Following
outdated wire-line networks and lobbying the tragedy in New Orleans, the wireless
for increases in the wireless spectrum so industry put a plan in place to enable text-
that network capacity and speeds can be based charitable donations. Following the
increased to meet demand surges. Without devastation of Haiti, the plan was activated.
changes in regulation or increases in the Within a few weeks over US $30 million in
wireless spectrum to open up airspace donations were received via texting alone.
for additional capacity and faster wireless Personally, I recall sitting in a meeting and
networks, many capabilities and consumer hearing that people were doing this and
The new telecom industry demands will go unmet. And it’s the telecom making my donation within minutes as the
Already the wireless explosion has carriers who will be seen as not delivering. discussion was still going on. This not only
reshaped the major players in the telecom makes impulse donations exponentially
Businesses and brands are being reshaped
industry. Their businesses have evolved so more prevalent, but it also opens up
in other industries
dramatically over the last five years, that, charitable giving to a whole new generation
as told by one industry executive, they are Wireless technology gives people new ways of people. What’s more, it has every charity
basically new companies in a new industry. to socialize, gather information, conduct reevaluating their fund-raising strategies.
Most of the players that were primarily business and shop. The impact of wireless is
focused on wire-line voice service are now beginning to change what’s possible in many
building the infrastructure and advanced industries. Those companies that recognize The most successful brands
capabilities of wireless networks. They are this will have the greatest advantages will be the ones that envision
going forward and the opportunity to
innovating every day and spending billions wireless’ full potential and apply
of dollars a year to improve their networks drive new demand. For many technology
companies, the implications are very clear it to their business.
by offering services that no one has yet
experienced. In addition to recasting their and adaptation is a constant dynamic. But for
entire business models, they’ve moved from non-technology companies, there are new
operating in a relatively insular fashion to offerings rolling out, and many that have yet

4. More than Just Talk: Driving demand with wireless technology Interbrand | Pg. 4
Insurance
Insurance companies also have new offerings completely new shopping experience is not on engagement, growth and ultimately
and risk models to think about. The influx of too far out, but it is taking time to become purchase.
new wirelessly connected devices means that reality due to the rippling impact that it
Whether it’s behavior around wireless,
our handhelds contain content that’s paid will have on multiple industries and the
digital, or social media, the four key benefits
for, as well as data that is sometimes private. complexity of implementation. But, as we’ve
of mapping are the same: ability to drive
As a result, there are many new and different seen with other convenient technologies,
loyalty, build reputation, grow knowledge,
things that people may want to insure— once the technology is in place and if
and increase revenue for your organization.
whether it’s sensitive business data or a the usage is simple, mass adoption and
personal library of downloaded content. On a significant behavior change follow. Now is the time to drive demand with
more macro scale, there’s also an entire field wireless technology
Map the customer journey to uncover
of insurance that’s evolving to deal with cyber
opportunities The emergence of wireless technology
security threats. The ability for theft or loss of
presents a particularly good time to look
content that can be accessed from wireless Customer experiences are becoming
for new opportunities. The most successful
networks or stored in the cloud is increasing increasingly complex as people research,
brands will be the ones that envision
exponentially. The need for consumers and evaluate and select from myriad options,
wireless’ full potential and apply it to their
businesses to seek protection against risk is a especially in retail. Indicators point to a
businesses.
big opportunity in this industry. strong consumer desire to engage with their
favorite brands via wireless technology, and By looking for opportunities through the
Print media
to use it to individualize and personalize lens of wireless, you are likely to unlock
And then there’s the print media. Tablet PCs their interactions. In retail, wireless is about insights that will lead to improvements in
and e-book readers are increasingly used in being there when and how the customer the following areas:
favor of traditional books, newspapers and needs you. And the competitive pressure to
1. The deployment of more effective
magazines. As a result, these industries are jump into wireless is very real. However, the
communications and touchpoints.
taking a hit. The same is extending into the answer is not as simple as pouring money
education sector with textbooks and test into wireless applications. 2. Improvements behind the scenes to make
preparation. Consumer behaviors around a brand’s workforce more efficient, informed
To leverage the full power of the customer
reading, fiction or nonfiction, will continue to and capable—all leading to an improved
experience, a company must understand
impact business practices for publishers and customer experience.
the particulars of that desire—how your
distributors, as well as invite outsiders into
customers engage with your brand, what 3. Opportunities to introduce entirely new
the competitive set.
you represent to them, and how they services or product lines that address new
Retail navigate the purchase-decision process. customer behaviors and could potentially
Of course, all your segments are deciding drive the future of your industry.
In retail industries, the impact of mobile
whether to buy - but each group has its own
commerce is yet to be fully felt, at least in the The scale and pace of change ahead of us
set of needs for information and interaction.
United States. Some smart companies have is unprecedented, and the most successful
And they won’t all have the same wireless
developed products or services to support brands will remain so by understanding how
tools nor will they want them. Today, it
consumers’ new desires to comparison to address and drive emerging consumer
is largely impossible to create one ideal
shop or conduct product research on a behaviors. The changes wireless brings are
shopping experience that fits every shopper
mobile phone, while in a store, in real-time. exponential and so are the opportunities
type. This is why mapping the “customer
Soon, however, wireless will alter the entire for brands that understand where wireless
journey” is vital to making strategic
shopping experience forever. is going. Brands that innovate around how
investments that help your brand drive
to help their customers easily benefit from
Imagine a time when you walk into a choice.
the new technologies through easy-to-use
grocery store and your standard shopping
Each segment needs to be studied to and intuitive platforms will be able to get a
list populates on your mobile device with
discover the points of convergence among leg up on their competitors. They will drive
locations of the products listed, promotions
their needs and expectations. These will improvements to customer experience,
and suggested product adjacencies. The cost
be the points where delivery of the brand attract more loyal users, and ultimately
of your items are totaled as they enter the
experience matters most. Armed with this increase their brand value.
cart, and the payment is processed by your
information you can prioritize and invest
mobile device as you leave the store. This
where it will have the greatest impact

5. Kevin Perlmutter Justin Wartell
Kevin Perlmutter is a Senior Director of As Director of Brand Strategy at
Strategy at Interbrand New York. He leads Interbrand Design Forum, Justin is
the office’s Customer Experience team responsible for the development of
and specializes in improving the quality key business questions that lead to
of the relationship between brands and opportunities for innovation. He applies
their key stakeholders. Kevin believes that his expertise in brand, strategy and
customer experience is one of the most analytics to the discovery of actionable
influential drivers of brand loyalty and shopper insights that help the creative
business performance. team design engaging customer
experiences—the kind that drive demand
and build value.
Creating and managing
interbrand.com brand value
TM