Aldain Reid
Contributor

It was not long after Carrie Sigurdson and Leighton Davis walked into my office, I knew that this interaction was going to be something out of the ordinary. Sigurdson, who is affectionately known as Quizz had a SONY HD Video Cam in hand, which is an integral part of her life, to record her daily video diary. Davis on the other hand had an air of optimism that instantly filled the room and commanded my attention from the word go.

WEB PIONEERS
Davis, a strategic marketing and brand development expert, and Sigurdson have teamed up to re-launch website WHADDAT.COM, a brainchild of Sigurdson which came to being in 2001.

"When Whaddat was created, the internet penetration, here in Jamaica was pretty low" Sigurdson said. "We were up against a technological landscape which was lagging behind our North American neighbours."

This was not a deterrent however and over the ensuing six years, Sigurdson created a web portal that consistently exceeded clients' expectations and in the process became the premier place to go for all things entertainment.

RELAUNCH OF WEBSITE
Fast forward to 2008 and with the ubiquity of broadband internet, the new and improved WHADDAT.COM Version 8 is unapologetically adapting the same approach it did in the beginning; "To go boldly where no one has gone before".

And both business partners are excited about the prospects for the future.

"The plan is to present a platform that combines creative and edgy video programming with cutting edge graphics and seamless interactivity with our users" Davis pointed out. "Fresh content will be uploaded daily that will captivate our audiences and that will keep them coming back". "Building and retaining our loyal client base will be our first priority" he added.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
This newly upgraded web portal is sure to be a dream for local corporate entities, which are fast beginning to accept the power that the internet brings to their brand building ambitions.

Sigurdson and Davis are convinced of the tremendous potential that New Media outlets bring to the local business environment. They shared the market nuances and the trends in this media.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR HAS SHIFTED
The Gen-Y consumer is conditioned to demand more choice, control and convenience in their information and entertainment consumption. They have embraced new technologies, and this is supported by the widespread broadband and wireless mobile penetration.

The youngsters are spending longer hours at their computers at work, they are socially congregating online, they communicate largely via wireless mobile devices and they get the majority of their news and entertainment via the web.

It therefore stands to reason that advertising and marketing strategies must be adjusted accordingly to reach this growing market segment. There is likely to be a continued shift from traditional outlets, including broadcast media, newspapers and magazines.

GOING WHERE THE CONSUMERS ARE
The attraction to advertisers lies with the fact that companies can connect with their clients, exactly where there are spending time. The fact is, consumers are increasingly congregating online, on social and other media networks. Advertisers can therefore instantaneously tailor their messages to fit with the specific market demographic, at a relatively lower cost than traditional media.

BUSINESS MODELS MUST ADAPT
We are at a watershed moment in the Media industry. The influx of technology is forcing a paradigm shift in the business models of local corporate entities. Marketers continue to be challenged with keeping track of the changing consumer habits, and are now increasing their marketing expenditure on these New Media outlets.

This has created a myriad or revenue opportunities for local Media and Technology firms. But it also presents unique challenges for content creators, distributors, and advertisers who will soon be vying for a place in the new digital landscape.

Aldain Reid is a serial entrepreneur and is currently serving as the president of the Young Entrepreneurs' Association of Jamaica. He may be contacted via his entrepreneurship blog at www.aldainreid.com