Are advertisers aware of the power of the Internet as an advertising medium? Has TV advertising been flogged to death? Do advertisers think it's worth their while exploring digital media? Digital communication strategies are crucial in a digital era. They can make and break companies today. After all, we are in a world of convergence.

The importance of a strategy for the digital media formed the core of a chat with Ken Mandel, VP, Digital & CEO Group Media, OgilvyOne Asia Pacific. Mandel has advised well-known MNCs like Chanel, Cisco, Compaq, Coca-cola, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Singapore Airlines and Visa on their digital communication strategies.

A new media veteran and frequent industry spokesperson, he currently serves as the Interactive Sub-committee chairman of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agensts Singapore. He took time out from his busy schedule to share his thoughts with Leslie D'Monte.

Here are excerpts.

The PC is aping the TV. The TV (traditionally synonymous with entertainment) is becoming increasingly interactive. And the mobile is becoming everything - it's already a phone, a PC, camera, PDA and TV and will soon become a Wallet too. Aren't advertisers confused? Where should they put their money to get a mindshare that pays?

It may sound cliched now to say we are in the world of convergence. Seven to eight years ago, the scene was somewhat similar. Dotcoms were flourishing. Everyone wanted a website and do business on it. This time around, it's not just websites and the Internet. It's the digisation of all media.

Many clients who did not take the dotcom era seriously are sighing with relief that the dotcom's phenomenal rise ended in a massive bust. They are thinking they've dodged the bullet (the bust) earlier and this convergence is a passing phase.

Some clients are very tech savvy. Others are savvy to varying degrees. We take a holistic point of view. We ask them about the best touchpoint to reach their target market. Digital media is living and breathing. We advise clients to think of it as a user journey.

You can go to a travel website, for instance; click on a banner advertisement, see the demo of a resort and engage with it. The user experience can be tracked and measured to give advertisers the return on investment.

How is it in India?

In emerging markets like India, we ask the advertisers to experiment with the digital media in stages since many are unwilling to pay large amounts without having seen proven results. Look at advertisements on the Net, start experimenting early with this medium, try out new things, don't always expect perfect results and put at least 10 per cent of your advertising spend in emerging technologies.

Never use technology for the sake of technology. When a client suggests a traditonal way of handling a campaign, we urge him to try something different with a digital media bias. We need to relate technology to the clients' business processes and show them results. We need to use digital marketing in byte-sized pieces.

Asia has more of a claim to the digital future - the more advanced digital societies being Korea and Japan. The scenario in India is different with fewer Internet and broaband connections. The scenario is bound to change. Clients need to push themselves beyond the comfort level. Marketing is becoming more left brain.

India seems to be better in planning than China but slow in execution which is a must. China had leapfrogged into the digital era - with homes having HDTV lines, good broadband connections - it's all there, but it (China) does not know how to proceed. The maxim, let's build and see later, is working to China's advantage so far.

What about the wireless arena? A lot's happening there? Should advertisers look at wireless trends?

Wireless is going to be huge. I call it the Perfect Storm. You will have the mobile Web that will be ubiquotuous. And why not? Fifty per cent of the world's mobile subscribers are in the Asia Pacific region, out of which a significant percentage can connect to the Net with a general packet radio service enabled phone.

Wireless Application Protocal  - which is the technology that helps you connect to the Net via your mobile � is geting better and more people are pulling information. Asia is also the largest market for pre-paid cards.

Why are you so bullish on the mobile?

Everyone leaves home with it. It's the most integrated device that a marketer has. The content, however, should not be pushed down the subscriber's mobile. Advertisers can experiment with Flash technology on the mobile. They should, in fact, experiment with everything that can pull data on a mobile. They need to give subscribers something that would compel them to come for more.

So what's the message?

Advertisers should have the ability to stay relevant to the consumer's conversation. How can I go and sell unless I know what the consumer wants? If the consumer is well cued into multiple devices and platforms, why should I as an advertiser not be aware of these trends?

Consumers will pull, rather than push, data, voice and video. Those clients who think in traditional silos will not survive. Content is bound to migrate across multiple devices - regardless of whether it's a TV, PC or cellphone.

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