MAM
“Facebook Live will be the future of advertising”: Fergus O’ Hare
MUMBAI: Facebook’s recently launched live streaming service ‘Facebook Live’ is yet another tool that digital marketers can add to their kitty. There is no denying the fact that 2016 will be the year of video streaming in India, with bandwidth easing out thanks to Reliance Jio and other 4G players, as well as broadband expanding and strengthening to tier II and tier III cities.
For India that means more disruption in the video space, especially for those dealing with the news media and live events space. Because Facebook Live allows live video streaming on not just from smartphones but other devices like drones as well!
Citing the multiple uses the new service will have for brands, Facebook Creative Shop APAC Fergus O’ Hare revealed, “We just launched it a couple of weeks ago. It’s still at an infant stage now. It’s a great way to tell people what is happening at the moment, share real-time updates and emotions. From an advertiser’s standpoint, there is so much one can do. Currently we are making certain tweaks to make it easier and more convenient for the advertisers to reach consumers. This could be the future of advertising on Facebook.”
Explaining why he added, “The dying breed of salesmen will find a renewed motivation with Facebook Live as they can make calls to consumers at specific relevant times of the day when they are most likely to buy the product. Brands can call you any time of the day when it matters the most.”
When asked if that would make the service ad intrusive, O’Hare argued, “In Facebook we have to always make sure that things are not intrusive. If people ‘X’ the ads, then advertisers will have to spend more money to put up their ads again. If we become intrusive with our ads, people will stop using Facebook. So we do anything and everything to make sure we are not intrusive. Interest and relevance plays a huge role in curating ads for each person so that users don’t see the ads they don’t want to.”
Brands can also build their credibility by taking consumers to their factories and beaming the production live from there, O’ Hare shared. As per the ESP Sportzpower report 2016, most of the internet users in a stadium or at a sporting event use their devices to share content rather than getting news. This would mean a ready demand for Facebook Live among sports fanatics. For publishers, digital media and digital creators like YouTube stars, this could mean live beaming of their content from anywhere they want. The service allows one to go on short commercial breaks and put the advertisements they want to and make revenue from there.
On the revenue model of Facebook Live, O’ Hare commented, “We haven’t figured it out for sure yet, as we have just launched. We want to play it out and see how users interact with it before setting specifications. First people need to live and put content for us to monetize it. For now we know that it will be a sort of commercial break that you get on television, only it will be on demand and completely as per the choice of the user, and viewers can also filter the type of ads they want to see in their live feed.”
O’Hare concludes by asking not to confuse the Live feed and commercial breaks with TV ads, as the advertisements on Facebook Live will still be targeted and personalised. “TV follows the prime time formula where 9 ads are force fed to viewers even if they are not interested in them. On Facebook we go by relevance and then the right time,” O’ Hare added in parting.
Brands
Hyundai Venue crosses 1 lakh bookings, adds HX8 Diesel AT variant
New top-spec automatic diesel trim brings ventilated seats, OTA updates and paddle shifters.
MUMBAI: Hyundai Venue just hit the jackpot and upgraded the prize because when you cross 1 lakh bookings, you don’t just celebrate, you throw in paddle shifters and ventilated seats for the ride. Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) announced that the all-new Hyundai Venue has achieved 1 lakh bookings, cementing its strong position in the compact SUV segment. To mark the milestone and further enhance customer choice, the company introduced the new HX8 Diesel Automatic (AT) variant.
The HX8 Diesel AT is powered by the proven U2 1.5L CRDi diesel engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. It adds a host of premium comfort, safety and convenience features, including:
- Ventilated front seats
- Dual-tone leatherette seats with VENUE branding
- Electric 4-way driver seat adjust
- Controller Over-the-Air (OTA) updates
- Hyundai Bluelink connected car technology
- Electric parking brake with auto hold
- Rear disc brakes
- Ambient lighting on crash pad and central console
- Drive mode select (Eco, Normal, Sport)
- Traction control modes (Sand, Mud, Snow)
- Paddle shifters
HMIL, managing director & CEO Tarun Garg said, “We are delighted that the new Hyundai Venue has crossed 1 lakh bookings, reaffirming the strong trust Indian customers place in our brand. The introduction of the new HX8 Diesel Automatic variant further strengthens the Venue lineup, offering customers the perfect blend of diesel efficiency, torque-rich performance and effortless convenience.”
Backed by Hyundai’s extensive sales and service network, the Venue continues to appeal to buyers seeking a feature-rich, comfortable and future-ready compact SUV. The new variant reinforces HMIL’s focus on delivering advanced technology, safety, comfort and value while adapting to evolving customer preferences.
In a segment where bookings are the real horsepower, Hyundai isn’t just counting milestones, it’s handing drivers an automatic upgrade that makes every journey feel like the victory lap.
