Mobile experience and seamless connectivity
Though foldable electronics are now in high demand due to the requirement for device downsizing and interoperability in a variety of applications, predicting the future of smartphones and the connectivity landscape is exceedingly difficult. However, the Covid-19 outbreak highlighted critical growth drivers and trends that will have a significant impact.
As 2021 progressed and consumers became more reliant on digital channels for business and social activities, the need to emphasise consumer experience cemented its position at the forefront.
Moreover, there has been a surge in demand for connected living solutions, given their role in enabling homes, businesses and devices, transforming them into on-demand workspaces. This has prompted us to further advance upon elements that define customer necessity, including productivity and multitasking tools, watches, tablets, earphones and even televisions, among others.
The next generation of networking advancement
Even though 5G receives most of the attention within the networking realm, Wi-Fi 6 devices are quietly outselling 5G devices by a considerable margin and will most likely continue to do so in the immediate future – and for good reason. Like 5G, Wi-Fi 6 will play an important role in the future of wireless connectivity, not only for consumers but also for businesses. Smartphones, tablets and PCs are among the most common Wi-Fi 6-enabled devices, but Wi-Fi 6 is widely used across wireless cameras, smart home devices, and gaming consoles.
Advertising mix
Live e-commerce has proven to be an essential instrument that will contribute to developing a strong relationship with tech customers while also assisting brands, retailers and marketplaces across in-store and online sales. Live e-commerce is intriguing and compelling in how it motivates users to stay on-screen for longer periods, increasing the pace of conversions. In 2021 we launched the ‘Live-Commerce’ platform to provide an entertaining and safe digital shopping experience. It was important for us to find a way to address our customers’ online shopping challenges towards providing real, authentic retail experience. The key to successful live commerce is to capitalise on impulse buyers and engage with young consumers directly on the platforms they already use, zooming in on customer choice journeys, from awareness to purchase. The feeling of urgency by employing time-limited techniques improves conversion rates, with some companies claiming more than 30 per cent upticks, 10 times higher than with standard e-commerce scenarios.
Gen Z: rewriting the rules
As a dominant market category, Gen Z are quickly overtaking millennials, being first-generation digital natives. They embrace visual culture for self-expression and have a voracious appetite for creative online videos, effectively putting an end to passive TV watching. According to the most recent Gen Z trends, this generation is fast becoming an important part of today’s economy.
In 2021, we sought to take advantage of their massive spending power by bridging the gap between their interests, changing habits and our products. We launched a 360-degree campaign called ‘Create #withGalaxy,’ giving young audiences a platform to create and show off their talents. As a result, Gen Z engaged with us across multiple touchpoints, sharing with us more than 4,000 videos and resulting in the creation of a music video by the fans for the fans. It was no surprise to us when this campaign was recognised with the 2021 Youth Marketing award by MENA Effie. This campaign also resulted in a three-fold increase in Gen Z website visits and even beat our all-time record on our Samsung Gulf YouTube Channel, with 6.6 million views for the Create #withGalaxy music video. This, once again, reiterates the power of Gen Z and our drive to continue rewriting the rules together.
