Cars As a Media Channel

Cars As a Media Channel
April 9, 2014

The car of the future is coming.
Image courtesy of Collider/NBC

© 2013 IPG Media Lab. Proprietary & Confidential
Okay, maybe that’s wishful thinking…
The real evolution is the “connected car”—mobile-
enabled cars— which will offer marketers new ways
to reach consumers on the go.
3

Three keys to the connected car
1. Cars mirroring mobile phones
2. Apps created specifically for the car
3. Streaming data to and from the car
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Mirroring Mobiles:
MirrorLink instantly connects
phones
What it is
MirrorLink is a technology developed by RealVNC to provide a simple
solution to car connectivity. Via a common USB cable, MirrorLink mirrors
your mobile phone’s screen to a touchscreen in the car’s head unit.
!
Why it matters
MirrorLink is an immediate answer to the consumer’s desire to use their
phone while in the car.
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Image courtesy of Valeo

Mirroring Mobiles:
CarPlay integrates iOS
What it is
Apple’s CarPlay puts iOS in the dashboard. The system is fully hands-free,
and Apple claims it is predictive as well. By requiring less interaction from
the driver, it adds up to safer driving.
!
Why it matters
Apple products draw a core user base to new technologies by making
them mainstream and easy to use. With Apple involved with over a dozen
car companies, it’s safe to say that the era of the connected car is
officially here.
6
Image courtesy of Apple

Car Apps: Ford SYNC adds utility
What it is
Ford’s SYNC platform has been available in new Fords for a few years now,
and it represents the beginnings of car-specific app development. Early
leaders include Domino’s, with their release of a SYNC app that orders
pizza; and Hotels.com, with an app that can book lodging.
!
Why it matters
Car-specific apps represent the next step in integrating cars into the
mobile ecosystem. App developers will be able to create travel-oriented
apps, redefining utility and giving marketers more opportunities to create
brand experiences.
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Image courtesy of Crutchfield

Car Apps: Citibrain
coordinates parking
What it is
Citibrain creates forward-thinking solutions to problems with urban life.
They have developed a real-time “smart parking” management system that
uses networked sensors to manage parking facilities.
!
Why it matters
The smart car experience shouldn’t stop when the car does. By providing
drivers with the information they need to park in crowded areas more easily,
everyone can benefit. Retail shops can incentivize shopping in-store by
subsidizing parking or offering premium spaces for loyal customers.
8
Image courtesy of Delaware Business Daily

Streaming: Radio pushes
offers to cars
What it is
Apps like Pioneer AppRadio, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and TuneIn offer
customizable, radio-style stations via dash apps. The included advertising
can be tailored to data from the car including location and the driver’s
personal tastes.
!
Why it matters
Radio has been a mainstay in cars for generations, but connected cars open
a world of new possibilities for advertisers to reach drivers. It’s very possible
that rather than directing listeners to call, advertisers will be able to send
information and offers directly to the car if the listener pushes a button or
says “okay.”
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Image courtesy Pioneer/iHeartRadio

Streaming: Devices report
data back
10
What it is
Mojio and similar products use wireless transmitters
connected to the diagnostics port in cars to collect data and
turn it into useful insights.
!
Why it matters
In addition to giving consumers more access to their car’s
information, they lay the groundwork for more sophisticated
exchanges of information between drivers, manufacturers, and
marketers. They’re also open source, so developers can extend
their capabilities constantly.
Image courtesy of Mojio

So how does this affect brands?
1. Consider what aspects of your service or
product are useful to someone on-the-go
2. Update measurement
3. Be action-oriented
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1. Consider what aspects of your service or product
are useful to someone on-the-go
It doesn’t make much sense to put Vine in the dashboard, but certain services lend themselves to in-car experiences. By being
sensitive to a user’s existing interests and behaviors while driving, brands can provide a positive user experience, updating
information access and entertainment while on-the-go. The hotels.com app, for instance, is ideal for road trippers or business
people who making last-minute client visits.
!
For your consideration:
• How does this value differ from your existing mobile (phone app) offerings?
• What would you need to do to convert it into a car-friendly experience?
• Are you open to consumer tinkering/adaptation?
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2. Update measurement
When it comes down to it, cars are about places: points A, B and everywhere in between. Brands stand to win big with connected
cars by gleaning previously impossible insight on where their consumers are at any given time. Brands that react in a timely
manner to those insights can create new opportunities to interact with their consumers in a more seamless way.
!
• What kinds of locations can benefit from accessing nearby audiences in their cars while in transit?
• How does location-targeting change if the user listens to a home station while traveling across the country through a service
like TuneIn?
• What information can you return to your customers as a value-add?
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3. Be action-oriented
Triggering consumer action has always been the goal, and with consumer cars, marketers have a direct path to a captive audience.
By meeting their needs and providing direct paths (roads) to satisfying desires, brands can use the connected car to maximize
engagement and boost their bottom lines. Remember that it doesn’t have to be limited to an event that occurs within the car—as
with Citibrain, it could involve interaction with city infrastructure or brick-and-mortar retail.
!
• The days of the “call now” push are over:—how can you make your ads immediately actionable?
• How does the brand experience extend from the car to the retail location?
• What other partners or services are needed to succeed?
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Thanks!
We hope you’ve found this POV
interesting and provocative. If you
have questions or want to talk more
about the future of media, please
contact us:
!
ipglab.com
info@ipglab.com
212.883.4751
@ipglab
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Cars As a Media Channel

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