Digital advertising in smart cities – methods for raising consumer engagement

Abstract

The paper discusses the opportunities that lie before digital advertising in smart cities and how its effectiveness could be raised through engaging consumers. The theoretical framework of visual attention and banner blindness is analyzed, so as to outline the challenges but also opportunities before digital advertising. The main objective is to propose methods for raising the efficiency of mobile ads with regard to their surrounding area. Previous studies are also analyzed regarding digital advertising and smart cities. Through content analysis the main aspects of digital advertising and  smart cities are analyzed, so that a proposition could be made regarding their integration aiming at raising ads visibility and thus their effectiveness. Key component of user engagement regarding mobile advertising is interactivity. It is found to play a vital role in negating the effects of banner blindness. It also enables users to turn the ads into viral ones and thus raise brands’ awareness. The paper could be of interest to practitioners, academicians and students in the field of marketing, advertising, sales promotion and brand communication.