The Next Big Change

For most of us, the Internet has changed the way we work, communicate or even shop. It has opened up a whole new world of opportunities. However, while most of us are trying to keep pace with the ever changing Internet, not many of us are aware of the next cycle of changes that are waiting to happen.

We know the Internet will soon change because the present IP protocol - version 4, usually called IPv4 - is going to hit its limit. Vint Cerf, father of the Internet, in an interview with The Times said “The Internet is running out of numbers. This is like the internet running out of telephone numbers and with no new numbers, you can’t have more subscribers”. It will be replaced by IPv6, which has addresses enough for about 3.4x1038 addresses, or 5x1028 for each of us on Earth. That is like having a sizable network for each one of us.

One does not have to wait long to see the profound effect the Internet would have on the world. The internet is all poised to touch our lives in ways we wouldn’t have imagined a few years back. Geoff Mulligan, Chairman of the IPSO Alliance (a coalition of technology companies) recently said “We could incorporate Internet protocol (IP) into nearly everything, there’s no reason why the Internet shouldn't be in every single appliance.”

For someone like me, who comes from a digital marketing background, this implies huge potential. Just imagine if everything around us – Microwaves, Washing Machines even our toasters, could be networked.

So, what does this mean to Advertisers? It means a greater reach to audiences, a greater network of smart devices to deliver their ads and a lot more data. Visualize a world of advertising where different channels are now combined to serve ads across a variety of devices; each of these devices is networked and is able to communicate with each other and the Internet.

You have a baseball match to watch and have set a reminder in your DVR. Based on your behavioural data, your smart refrigerator (which of course is networked to your DVR) knows that you’d like some beer when you watch the match. As luck would have it you have run out of beer. Smart sensors in your refrigerator detect this and relay a message to your mobile. You will then be displayed with an ad of the nearest store that supplies beer. You have an option of messaging for supply of beer (Pay per Message) or calling for supply of beer (Pay per Call).

The possibilities are immense. Yes, the debate on whether we end up treating the Internet as a system where we become enslaved to our devices or whether we treat it as a truly open framework where everything around us can be integrated smartly will go on, but as we all know – Change alone is unchanging.

Article by : Mr. Sudhish Shetty - Manager, Solutions Consulting at Theorem Inc