Calls of FutureTV and FutureGame

Shaping a New Generation of Visual Media Experiences through FutureTV Initiative
Major players of the interactive digital media industry have joined forces to form a FutureTV partner network that will see its members leverage on each other’s capabilities and resources to fuel industry innovation. The goal: To use Singapore as a test-bed for innovative services that will shape a new generation of visual media experiences, resulting in greater interactivity and personalisation in the consumption of content.

To draw participation from the broader industry to be part of FutureTV, the partner network, together with MDA, are launching the first call for proposals to Singapore technology and media companies to submit ideas for creating, aggregating, managing, distributing and monetizing visual media to anticipate and shape future patterns in the consumption of visual media.

Targeting start-ups as well as established media companies in Singapore, the Call hopes to solicit exciting ideas to enhance consumers’ experience of visual media, innovate with tools and devices to allow content to be delivered to a variety of access devices, and create a variety of value-added services such as media (rather than text-based) search, advertising engines, interactive video, customizable interfaces, and next generation advertising engines. In particular, the Call offers Singapore start-ups a headstart by enabling collaborations with established players to access bigger markets globally, marketing and promotional tie-ups, and sharing of market intelligence.

The submitted proposals will be evaluated by a joint MDA and FutureTV Partner Network Evaluation Panel based on criteria such as innovativeness and market potential. More details of the Call can be found at www.idm.sg.

Singapore, Sweden sign digital-media MOU

The Media Development Authority (MDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on interactive digital media with Sweden’s Business Region Gothenburg.

The MOU aims to link Singapore and Sweden in the joint development and commercialisation of new digital media technologies, applications and services.

Under the agreement, Swedish companies can leapfrog the competition into Asian markets by using Singapore as a test-bed. Those looking for partners to expand their base in Singapore will receive matchmaking support by MDA.

Singapore companies can also look forward to testing their technology under the Swedish environment.
Other joint explorations being discussed include a collaboration between Singapore Science Centre and its Gothenburg counterpart, Universum.

Regional chapter of IAB aims to boost ad spending on sector

The digital advertising sector in Southeast Asia is set to receive a boost.

Leading companies from the industry are forming a regional chapter of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, which will be based in Singapore.

Digital advertising has become increasingly common on the Internet, and even on mobile devices. But industry players said there is still a lot of potential for growth in the sector.

They believe the region offers significant growth opportunities, and aim to raise the interactive advertising share of total ad spending in Southeast Asia to 20 per cent by 2020. The current level is estimated to be around 2 per cent of the total.

Ken Mandel, managing director, Yahoo Southeast Asia, Founding Member of IAB, said: “Southeast Asia is a fantastic opportunity; you are talking about half a billion consumers. In terms of online users, we are probably about 100 million only, so there is a lot of growth to come.”

One of the bureau’s aims is to change the mindsets of companies in charge of media buying through education. It will also make research data available to them.

Their studies suggest that digital advertising will be particularly effective for reaching the 18 to 24 years old demographic.

Mr Mandel said: “Some of the differences are in terms of expression. I think in the West, you have a lot of people who want to have lots of friends, whereas some of our markets in Southeast Asia, they just want to express themselves, they want to write, they want blog.”

The bureau said it will be necessary for the industry to invest in the sector in order to keep up with changing media consumption habits, and to prepare their businesses for future growth.

Andrew Lanni, chairman, Programming, Adtech Expositions, said: “Marketers should at least say, if my target market is spending 20 per cent of their time online, then I at least need to be spending something similar, or at least need to increase my spending to close that gap.”

Observers said the bureau should be able to achieve its target, if the results of a similar group set up in the UK nine years ago are anything to go by.

Back then, spending on interactive advertising was at about 2 per cent, but has since been grown to 20 per cent, the highest in the world.

Source: Channel News Asia
For more information about the IAB and its plans in Singapore, visit http://www.iab.sg.