(Hong Kong – October 24, 2019) Verizon Media, a division of Verizon (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) today hosted the Verizon Media Growth Summit with keynote speakers unveiling a road map on content innovation and the push to 5G revolution at the city’s signature digital conference.

Accentuates immersive consumer experiences and refreshes visual identity

With the theme of “Future Marketing for Better Life” at the summit, Rico Chan, Co-Head, Verizon Media, APAC stated that, “We are a company with a purpose. We help people live a better life by connecting them to their passions. We create super-immersive content that celebrates creativity and its power to transform the consumer experience and drive real actions for shopping and purchasing from brands. As a sought-after destination for 900 million consumers globally, we have a good idea of the type of experience that keeps people engaging in our content omni-channels. With features built for commerce, our compelling content allow for better product exploration and build up personalized shopping experience that enriches lives,” Rico Chan said.

Highlighting Yahoo Hong Kong’s new brand story, Chan said, “In an age of internet overload, Yahoo amplifies what matters the most to people, keeping the world interested and interesting. The refreshed Yahoo identity captures the brand’s exuberant personality and reimagines it for the future. The update coincides with the launch of new products and service enhancements over the coming year, reflecting a new brand strategy that helps users find a more personalized, customized experience online.”

Epitomizing content innovation for tomorrow at AR/VR frontiers

 

In the keynote session, Mason Ng, Vice President of Product Management Edge and Cloud Computing at Verizon Media, stressed that 5G is set to generate biggest impact for advertisers at the frontiers of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), XR (Extended Reality), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Mobile Video and many more. “In the world of 5G, Verizon Media has epitomized compelling content innovation for consumers.” The advantage of 5G opens up exciting opportunities ahead to build what's next in media, advertising and technology.

• Speed: Delivers faster speed, 10 times from today
• Density: Supports 10 times more devices per area, so more users per area can enjoy the faster speed
• Latency: Reduces 2 times of latency. Consumers will get faster response from applications
• Data: Supports 100 times more data volume
• Mobile Video – Higher definition mobile video content and spectacular video streaming are among the 5G benefits that  are most excited for consumers. Up to 73% of users stream video at least once a week – highest among 18-34 years old where 43% stream every day.
• Augmented Reality – Engagement with AR will drive deeper connections with consumers and up to 85% of users believe 5G will benefit AR.
• Artificial Intelligence – AI empowers advertisers to reach qualified audience whereas up to 80% of consumers think 5G will benefit AI experiences.

Experimenting with technologies that will be supercharged by 5G

 

At the summit, Mark Melling, Head of RYOT Studio EMEA at Verizon Media, highlighted that RYOT has strived to revolutionize the way content is created and lead the way on future formats, immersing audiences and allowing them to experience in a completely new way. As part of the Verizon family, RYOT is now focusing on key areas - documentary films and branded content, RYOT Studio, whereas differentiator RYOT Labs focuses on immersive experiences (VR and AR) and storytelling through cutting-edge technology. “We are not only experimenting with 5G technology, but also the technologies that will be supercharged by 5G when it comes. We look to the future to give us insight and inspiration into what is coming next and how that impacts the stories we tell,” Mark Melling said. “Essentially what we need to do is focusing more on the technology and the value it will bring to consumer’s everyday life,” said Mark Melling.

Yahwoo is synonymous as Hong Kong’s testament in content innovation

Lorraine Cheung, Head of Audience, Verizon Media Hong Kong, said in her speech that in Hong Kong, Yahoo HK has recently delivered original Virtual Character. It is not just a Yahoo KOL but also a co-host of Yahoo’s home-grown TV programs, bringing future content to users and enriching user experience with fun interactions and adding more dimensions to conversation.

The imminent launch of Yahoo Mail’s new app - Yahoo Mail 6 – has been highlighted at the summit. The new app will offer the perfect solution by organising the clutter for users, empowering them to personalise and control their inboxes and focus on what matters most to them.

Marketers are embracing future technology

 

Having collaborated with GroupM Hong Kong, Verizon Media reveals the key findings of its “Smart World Study”, where Hong Kong CMOs across different sectors such as finance, tourism, entertainment, beauty and skincare, IT, telecommunication, media publishers, broadcasters and advertising agencies, shared their views on how they expect 5G to transform businesses.

Key findings of Verizon Media “Smart World Study”

• Business Transformation in Progress – Greater demand is seen on timelier data transfer and integration with in-depth analytics to provide business insights. Personalized messages are needed to exploit customers’ consumption potential, whereas touchpoints and sales opportunities are created to enhance seamless shopping experiences.
• Essential Business Partnership – Business are looking for partnership or acquisition with various companies from marketing and advertising services, 5G network providers, E-commerce infrastructure, innovative technology solutions, data management and supply chain and inventory management. 
• Impacts on Advertising Technology - Technological advancements and opportunities with advertising will arise in a myriad of video, sophisticated data integration and analytics, Internet of Things, voice based dominant, interactive and immersive advertising. Also, AR, VR, live video, 360 video and virtual character are highlighted in interactive and immersive advertisements. 
• Marketers Take Prompt Actions – Marketers should clean dataset, build up IT infrastructure and technological capabilities and source services partners to test and learn.

Verizon Media Growth Summit was held on October 24, 2019 at the JW Marriott Hotel and is a signature digital marketing conference in Hong Kong. Verizon Media top executives shared their awe-inspiring insights to leverage the 5G technological prowess and accentuate next-generation content innovation for advertisers and consumers at the summit. With the ultimate vision in 5G, Verizon Media is truly leading through 5G technology in Hong Kong and potential disruption for 5G goes far beyond imagination and creates a paradigm shift in the way people live their lives and the way that advertisers and marketers reach out to consumers.