Last week, chat app Kik launched a new feature that The Wall Street Journal noted “could be the future of advertising."
The app, which is popular among teens, has launched a new feature in which brand "bots” can directly communicate with users.
While consumers’ increased demand for real-time engagement is without a doubt the new reality for businesses, will the advertising tactic be a success? Would brands want or need to engage with Kik’s target user base? The RTP editors share their thoughts:
Debbie Hauss, Editor-in-Chief: Sounds cool, but I just spotted an article on Forbes.com noting that “porn bots” have appeared on the scene, causing problems for the Kik brand. With teens as the primary audience, this problem could shut down the app quickly if they don’t resolve it. Personally, I like knowing I’m interacting with a real person, but as the chat app capabilities advance I can see that consumers will appreciate the highly personalized conversation they could have with the bot – similar to the experience Joaquin Phoenix’s character had in the movie “Her.”
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Alicia Fiorletta, Senior Editor: I think this is a great example of how digital engagement has evolved and how new technology can facilitate meaningful relationships between brands and consumers. Think of how much success retailers have seen using live chat! However, my one reservation is regarding whether the bots can have conversations that are relevant and meaningful to both the brands and the consumers. Given Kik’s target user base, I can’t help imagining that a few users will be asking silly questions to pass the time and see a response (much like some do with Siri). That definitely won’t drive ROI.
Kim Zimmermann, Managing Editor: This could be an interesting twist on customer engagement, but brands have to be aware of the potential pitfalls. It depends on the brand, target audience and the goal as to whether it would work. If the goal is to just have another fun way for people to interact with the brand, why not. Anyone who has ever used a “chat now” feature to figure out a technical problem knows that there is a person at the keyboard simply selecting from a few options for a response. This is not that much different.
Glenn Taylor, Associate Editor: If the Kik bots are going to succeed, I think they have to be leveraged by the proper brands first, i.e. ones with a large youth following. People under 22 comprise an astonishing 80% of the Kik user base, meaning that most of the base doesn’t have a large source of personal income. The automated nature of the bots might be interesting to the younger crowd, but I can’t see it catching on with most people that have the resources to make purchases on their own.
Brian Anderson, Associate Editor: The way technology is evolving, I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ll be able to offer a highly personalized, one-to-one conversation with a robot in the imminent future. As always, this type of engagement brings in valuable data that retailers can leverage to enhance any part of their business. However, this kind of intimate connection with consumers comes with high risks. Too many nudges for engagement could come off as spamming, and no one wants that reputation.
What do you think about Kik’s bots? Will they be a great advertising tactic for retailers and brands moving forward?
