Trend #1: Vortals become the new prime time
In the Converged New World, entertainment/information content is more abundant than ever, and consumers can access this content with greater ease than ever. Thus the most popular content providers will not be the ones that offer the best original content, but those that provide consumers time-saving efficiencies.
PC-based web browsers, at least in this early stage of the Converged New World, are the tool of choice for accessing media content from a broad range of formats and sources. Vertically integrated websites, or "vortals," that consolidate information and entertainment content of similarly-themed content providers in one site will generate the most user traffic. While these vortals will not offer advertisers as broad an audience as Old World prime-time television shows once did, they will nevertheless be able to charge the highest advertising rates due to a combination of a relatively large audience, high targetability and relevance, and an interactive format.
To better understand how New World ads can be highly targeted, relevant and interactive, let's look at a recent ad from Electronic Arts (EA), a producer of video games:
EA's most successful releases have been sports games, such as the mega-hit Madden Football. By placing this ad on ESPN.com, perhaps the Web's most popular sports-themed vortal, EA guaranteed itself access to its target demographic of young male sports fans.
But the real strength of this ad is that it is highly relevant. EA placed the ad on ESPN in the days upcoming the Mayweather vs. De La Hoya boxing match -- a fight which would end up being the highest-grossing event in boxing history. Despite not producing a "Mayweather vs. De La Hoya" game, EA tailor-made a microsite that featured a round-by-round simulation of the fight, produced with video-game graphics:
EA predicted a 9th round KO victory for Mayweather.