UM Labs, the innovation and technology division of UM MENA have announced that they will be releasing 3 novelty playbooks; an unmissable window into key trends and innovations aimed to helping partners stay on the know when building innovative brands in the media and marketing world in the MENA. These books will cover wearables; proximity marketing and the creation of dynamic content. Currently, Empowered by wearables is available online, while ‘Proximity Matters’ and ‘When Technology pilots content’ will be available in the months of October and November respectively.
The playbooks are the result of a collaboration between UM Labs and Trendwatching; one of the world’s leading trend firms, and Planet Retail, a strong expertise in retail research.
Highlights of each playbook:
•Empowered by Wearables: Brands must approach their inevitable ‘what to do with wearables’ discussion around how the wearables ecosystems can improve consumers’ lives. This playbook takes you through how the adoption of wearables will depend on the scope of use while demonstrating how psychology will also play an important role in empowering consumers. A plethora of opportunities are available for content within wearables and through their appetite for tech; UM Labs will showcase how creating connected content ecosystems for the wearable consumer is an unmistakable proposition.
•Proximity Matters: It’s no secret that consumer behavior has undergone seismic shifts over the past five years as technology prevails in enhancing contextual and location based experiences. Consumer decision making habits have been perpetually distorted – empowerment and technology are now firmly rooted into every media consumer interface. Today in proximity marketing’s realm, it’s truly about survival of the fittest. So the big question is: what will the next five years bring? In this playbook, UM Labs will identify 4 key trends businesses and retailers should be preparing for today by zooming into consumer connected experiences and understanding how location matters.
•When Technology pilots content: Technology is steering creativity in a cluttered pool of branded social content. Today we witness the evolution of other video and photography gadgets such as GoPro and drone, in many experiential forms such as Lily and Nexie. With that we ask, “Can technology be separated from creating content forms?” Marketers can still deem that mobile, be it as device manufacturers or applications is the ultimate driver of best content, with Facebook 360 video, and even Periscope ‘ing’ your happenings, how can we start jumping on the most agile and innovative content using technology? At UM Labs, we are unquestionably hungry to discover and test novelty ways of creating dynamic and multiple angled content. Our 3rd playbook will unleash new ways of using technology to create remarkable content.
“Today more than ever, our approach towards technology upholds UM MENA as a driven and pioneering organization; embracing innovation within our culture and work methodologies. UM Labs have crafted these innovation playbooks as conscious parameters to build larger ideas by collaborating with movements across social, mobile and mainstream media. We believe that the more intimate technology becomes, the greater responsibility we have for how we use it to our brands’ audience; accelerating and incubating media firsts exclusively for our clients”, said Rasha Rteil, Head of Innovation & Labs, UM MENA
The trend reports will be distributed to UM clients and publishing partners in the MENA region and will also be available to download through UM MENA’s website www.ummena.com. Copies can also be requested directly by calling the regional headquarters of UM in Dubai.