3d Media – The Opportunities For Brands This Year Are On Big Screens, Not Small Screens.

But in what way? In terms of media planning, there are two important questions. Firstly, will the increasing prevalence of 3D technology fundamentally change how people consume audio visual content (either at home or elsewhere)? Secondly, how could my brand best take advantage of the opportunities 3D presents? We need to understand if this is part of a consumer trend which might affect strategic choices, or simply a new advertising tactic.

So is 3D the future? A quick glance at the current planned cinema releases for 2010 shows at least 17 dedicated 3D launches. Whilst only 10% of screens at the moment are 3D capable, it is estimated that the majority will have switched over within the next two years. With the ability to charge more for tickets and the fact that it makes piracy more difficult, it’s clear that 3D represents a big part of the future for cinema. The big question is whether this will translate to home TV viewing.

2009 was a good year for broadcast TV, with record growth in viewing driven by people staying in more, as well as continued growth of digital technology. The ground seems fertile for the launch of a new viewing platform. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January this year, all of the big names unveiled their 3D TVs. Panasonic’s Chief Technology Officer, Elsuke Tsuyuzaki, notably stated that 3D would save the industry from the challenges that it faced in 2009. Reports have also emerged of multimillion pound launch budgets in the UK, planned for the “3D Summer”; Sky+ HD boxes are currently the only means of receiving a 3D signal at home. Enthused by the rapid uptake of these boxes in 2009, the broadcaster has already announced plans to launch the UK’s first 3D channel this year. However, it is important to remember that, whilst growing in number, Sky HD homes still only make up 12% of the UK (3.24m homes). All in all, manufacturers and broadcasters seem poised to push 3D technology heavily in 2010.

Some commentators have labelled 3D as big a revolution as colour TV in the Fifties, but we thought we should ask the viewing public what their perception was, using our Fabric panel. Fabric is our proprietary panel of 100 homes which provides us with instant qualitative insight into media behaviour and attitudes. Of the homes polled, the vast majority expressed great excitement about the 3D cinema experience, but described it as a one-off treat, led totally by the choice of film.
Equally, they expressed strong reservations about purchasing a 3D-ready TV for their home – the perceived high cost, confusion about how it would actually work and a lack of content being the main barriers cited. This apparent lack of enthusiasm might also explain the slightly disappointing viewing levels to Channel 4’s 3D week back in November 2009 – with most programmes delivering less audience than usual for their slot.
It won’t, of course, be impossible for powerful brands, like Sky and Panasonic, to overcome these barriers with aggressive marketing to drive uptake. It just might take them a while. The steady, paced growth of HD gives us the best indication of this.

HD TVs have been around since the 90s and currently just 36% of homes in the country have an HD-ready set, with less than 20% of all homes set up to receive an HD TV signal. HD has a potentially broader appeal than 3D, based on the fact that most content (films, sport, games) benefit from being experienced in HD – whilst not all content will be suited to 3D. Consumers will find it hard to justify the outlay on a new 3D screen when they’ve only recently upgraded to HD, and there is currently little 3D content available. On this basis, we expect the growth of 3D to potentially be even slower than HD.
It will be a long time before viewing of 3D TV at home becomes commonplace. It is therefore likely to be a while before it has any real effect on the way we consume arguably the most influential advertising medium in the market. It is likely that manufacturers’ commitment to promoting 3D this year has more to do with the long-term effect it will have on their brand perceptions, than a short-term effect on sales figures.

Whilst it might take a while for the 3D experience to become a staple part of the media diet, it’s important not to underestimate the potential it offers for brands to create truly memorable experiences. In the current media landscape, it takes significant investment across multiple channels to achieve top-of-mind awareness – these days, unique and memorable experiences mean everything.

Indeed, several brands are already using the power of 3D in their brand communications. Since the beginning of the year, as part of the promotion of its 3D services, Sky has run a series of live 3D screenings of high profile sporting events – starting with England vs.
Wales Rugby Union. This event was shown in 40 Cineworld screens to 900 lucky rugby fans. A similar event was held for Arsenal vs. Man United in early Feb. The buzz surrounding these events has proven how the 3D experience can have just the right effect for a brand – the Arsenal match alone generated over 50,000 mentions in social media. Equally, other brands – including Cadbury’s – have experimented with 3D TV spot ads to similar effect. It is important to remember, however, that brands are likely to pay a premium on both media and production for 3D TV spots and this will need to be justified by a big return in brand awareness or sales.

However, 3D cinema does create a memorable experience for audiences. This could be put to good use by brands trying to engage a distracted younger audience, or trying to cut through a busy media landscape. In addition, the content currently most suited to 3D is also suited to shared viewing occasions (family films and big sporting events) – allowing brands to be part of exciting shared viewing moments, when the current trend is towards more personalised viewing.
The key is understanding how 3D can enhance the experience of something the audience is genuinely excited about. Your ad may not always be what viewers are interested in seeing in 3D, however, they will always love a brand that gives them what they want, so start with the content – not the technology. Successful brands will identify what their audience is interested in seeing in cinemas in 3D first, then think of the genuine role it could have in delivering that experience.
It will be at least a decade before 3D media has any meaningful presence in the home, so 2009 may not be the year for 3D TV. Brands looking to do more on TV this year should explore the opportunities that are here now, or arriving soon – like product placement.

By: Media Contacts

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Media Contacts ("MC") is the global interactive media network of Havas Digital - the interactive division of Havas Media. Please go to media contacts for more information.