This document discusses how technology and social media have changed consumer behavior. It notes that consumers are highly connected through various devices and use of WiFi and social media is widespread. This presents challenges for capturing consumer attention across multiple stakeholders like airports, retailers, and brands. The document advocates leveraging technology to improve the consumer experience through a single platform that engages consumers across their entire travel journey from pre-travel to post-travel. It argues this could deliver a "consumer utopia" by providing relevant information and promotions while reducing noise and confusion from multiple messages. The key target is noted as millennials who make up 50% of travelers and shoppers.

1. Technology, Social media and The
New Consumer
Nicola Wells
Global Strategy and Marketing Director
Aer Rianta International

2. Wi Fi access has replaced food and water
as the most basic of needs …
Self
-actualisation
Free Fast WiFi
Self-esteem
Belonging / Love
Safety
Psychological
Maslow Pyramid 2015

3. The world is more connected than ever and number
of devices set to double again in next five years
Source: CIR Digital Age Report 2015 and Cisco
2010 2015 2020
12.5
billion
25
billion
50
billion
Estimated number of connected devices
$14
trillion

4. Travel
Retail
In our industry our consumers are
connected and widely using technology
Source: CIR Digital Age Report 2015
Carry a wifi device
Switched on
Use airport wifi
Social media
Carry a wifi device 70%
Switched on 90%
Use airport wifi 50%
Social media 50%

5. Technology adds to the challenges of capturing an
increasingly disinterested consumer
Commoditisation
of offer
Frequency of Travel, Increased
regulations and stress
Competing
Attractions

6. Airport
Retailer
Brand
Check email
check boarding card
post to Facebook
take selfie
look at news
text friends
maybe shop
Multiple stakeholders competing for share of mind
further distracts and overloads the consumer
Phone home
Where are the toilets?

7. There are literally hundreds of social media
channels vying for our attention

8. Choosing the right channel, tone of voice
and content is critical ….
Starbucks erroneously posted to
our Irish Twitter page meaning
to post to the UK only
Twitter users blasted Gap,
calling the tweet unethical,
not cool, tasteless, and so on

9. How can we leverage the power of technology
to improve experience and drive revenue ?

10. Source:Rackspace.com
50% of travellers & shoppers
Millennials 20 to 35
Millennials are the key target, biggest
challenge and opportunity for our industry

11. How do we
convert
Millennials
from
passengers to
shoppers?
Source:Rackspace.com
Millennials are the key target, biggest
challenge and opportunity for our industry
50% of travellers & shoppers
Millennials 20 to 35

12. Getting the basics right is critical to
engage millennials
Be Mobile
One Stop Shopping
– Single entry point2
1

13. Sharing of
content,
reaching
more
consumers
Promotional
Messages
PUSH
PULL
SPIN
Competitions
& Engagement
Social media needs to add value,
be relevant, timely and personalised
PUSH
Promotional
Messages
SPIN
Sharing of
content,
reaching
more
consumers
• 1.6m reach on
Facebook
• Featured on NBC’s
Today Show
• 40 second positive
on air discussion,
audience of 4 million
Americans
PULL Competitions
& Engagement

14. Continuous fragmentation,
multiple stakeholder
messages
Confusion, overload and
consumer switch off
Delivers the brand
experience and in airport
“entertainment”
Owns the emotional
relationship and creates
desire to shop
Owns the end to end
airport journey
Airport RetailerBrand
Challenge remains how do we collaborate
to reduce the noise but dial up the impact ?
Who “owns” the consumer when and where ?

15. Consumers see their journey as a single
occasion with various steps and need states
Pre travel At airport Duty free Pre boarding Post travel

16. Consumer Utopia – A single platform and voice
that informs and engages at all points of journey
E-commerce,
Parking, fast
track,
Flight info,
security times,
Advertising,
High impact
promotions,
Online ordering
collection
in-lounge
Delivery to
gate, personal
shopping
CRM,
e-receipts,
social media
Pre travel At airport Duty free Pre boarding Post travel

17. We see this common platform work in
other hugely competitive industries
OR
Would you rather use one app per record label …
Real Challenge
how can we collaborate to leverage technology to
Deliver what the consumer wants?
Maximise impact yet minimise noise?
Maintain and grow our own brands?

18. Our real competitive challenge
is outside the industry
The Three A’s