The Future Of 5G: How Next-Gen Tech Will Change The Business Of Media And Marketing 

The rollout of 5G has transformed what it means to be a marketer in today’s world. From exploring new creative formats in content to cultivating immersive consumer experiences through leveraging strategic partners, industry professionals are harnessing the power of 5G to drive the world forward and build deeper engagement with key audiences. 

Verizon’s senior vice president and chief media officer Tony Wells sat down with Adweek during Mediaweek to discuss the technology company’s unique point of view as the leading 5G provider and the importance of using next-gen technologies to innovate across media, sponsorships and marketing in an increasingly digital, highly competitive world. 
Mediaweek: Verizon’s Tony Wells on How 5G Will Change Mediahttps://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.508.0_debug_en.html#goog_3196841420 seconds of 2 minutes, 38 secondsVolume 90% 

The next generation of connectivity 

Most people think of the metaverse when they think of the next technology frontier. But, without 5G, the metaverse wouldn’t be possible. On top of that, 5G promises to upend the way consumers access and immerse themselves in everything from gaming to video to VR and music to sports and news. It all rests on the emergence of this fifth-generation internet coverage technology. 

“The industry has been promising 5G for a couple of years,” Wells said. “But, I really think it’s going to come to fruition for most consumers this year. We’re excited to show Verizon customers the reasons this technology is going to dramatically enhance their lives in terms of entertainment, safety, and information.” 

To date, Wells said the Verizon 5G network is serving around 175 million U.S. consumers. 

5G’s role in advancing technology 

According to Wells, 5G will play a pivotal role in pushing multiple aspects of technology forward, including major advancements in the enablement of news gathering, content capture, live production, and distribution.  

“Being able to go out and gather news and send it out quick with volumetric photography and video is going to change the way content and news is gathered.” 

Wells said 5G would also help expand brands’ ability to use high-quality, immersive and interactive experiences to tell their stories. 

“The idea of being interactive when we start talking about the metaverse and how that’s going to play out, brands will now be able to tell stories in new and different ways. This will redefine how marketing is done.” 

The creation of new ecosystems 

Wells believes 5G will also lend to the creation of new ecosystems that support brand and business opportunities for personalized experiences, including the metaverse where content and advertising converge. 

“As consumers get headsets and tablets and other devices that carry 5G, not only will it empower their lives at home and work, but it also has the ability to transform industries,” he explained. “Especially when you look at IoT and the billions of devices that are being connected that have an opportunity to inform us of what’s happening, how to make something safer, how to prevent something bad from happening, to help manufacturing, or oil and gas or media and entertainment—there are all of these use cases of how IoT over 5G will help improve our world.” 

Credit: AW, ALEXANDRA BOWER