Heading to Barcelona: MWC 2023

Mobile World Congress (MWC) is held in Barcelona, Spain, from 27 February to 2 March 2023. It is the world's largest exhibition for the mobile industry, bringing together the latest innovations and cutting-edge technology from more than 2,000 leading companies. This year's edition will feature a wide range of activities, including keynote presentations, panel discussions, workshops, networking events, and more.

These are the key themes of the event:

• 5G Acceleration. This technology is unlocking untapped value for all players across the entire ecosystem. With millions of 5G devices and huge waves of new data being collected, it is redefining how the world connects.
• FinTech. NFTs, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain tech are transforming fintech, with the pandemic hastening mobile banking and changing human behavior. This has opened up new opportunities, as well as risks, with tech evolving to provide a new digital economy for digital currency and global transactions. 
• OpenNet. Open networks offer value, agility, and future-proofing. Careful management is needed to ensure security and performance and to make use of 5G, IoT, Edge, Cloud, and APIs for digital service scalability.
• Reality+. Immersive tech and 5G are altering our lives, work, and information consumption. 5G will be essential for XR and metaverse advancements, transforming the customer experience in the next five years. Now is the time to explore how to make this virtual vision a reality and bring people closer. 
• Digital Everything. Digital tech offers huge potential for creating value in every sector, from entertainment to manufacturing and smart mobility. We must use these resources wisely to face the rapidly changing industry and business world and move towards Industry 4.0. 
  

As MWC reminds us each year, there is no doubt the world continues to accelerate digital transformation, and some say we have already reached singularity. The digital revolution is even more profound than we can imagine. This is because it is a product of the human mind that is constantly evolving. It is continually questioning, challenging, and exploring the boundaries of what is possible.

As a result, the challenge for brands is to keep up with this rapid pace while maintaining relevance and close, one-to-one connection with their audiences.

This is why it is important to embrace the digital revolution. In the past, brands could simply rely on traditional advertising campaigns to reach their target audiences. It is still the case for many companies even in 2023. But today, one has to connect with audiences beyond ads — find ways to interact with people regardless of where they interact with content.

The challenge is to make this interaction meaningful, relevant, and timely. And to cover as many channels as possible. Some ideas for B2B brands:

• Use social media platforms. Depending on your audience, these could be LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube to engage with audiences. Keep posting content that is relevant to your brand and encourage conversation with users to create a two-way conversation.
• Content marketing. Create content that is valuable to your target audience and share it across multiple channels and platforms. This could include blog posts, white papers, infographics, videos, and podcasts.
• Influencer marketing. Identify key influencers in your industry and partner with them to share your brand’s message with their network.
• Email marketing. Build a list of subscribers and send out regular emails to keep them informed about your brand. Stay authentic and true to your values.
• Host events such as webinars, conferences, and workshops to connect with potential customers in person.
• Networking. Attend industry events and join local networking groups to meet potential customers and partners.
• Referral programs. Motivate customers to refer your products and services to their friends and family by offering incentives such as discounts and free gifts.
• User-generated content. Encourage people to share their experiences with your company on social media.

We at Intentful are helping not just B2C, but also B2B brands to connect with customers through content. Reach out if you want to know more.

Looking Back at MWC 2021 in 2023

Mobile World Congress, or MWC, is the world's largest gathering for the mobile industry, and it brings together all of the major players. At the event, global industry leaders discuss the future and the trends, share their insights, and showcase the latest mobile technologies. 

Looking back at the Mobile World Congress we visited in 2021 in Barcelona, we can see that the developments that were discussed there and then are now a reality.

These were the major trends and key takeaways as a post-MWC summary in 2021:

• 5G networks. They are now available in many countries and are being used by millions of people. In addition, they are employed to provide increased speeds and capacity for emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality.
• Artificial Intelligence. It is now a common feature of many products and services, from virtual assistants to autonomous vehicles. AI is also being used to improve customer experience, automate processes, and improve accuracy in many industries. Our business at Intentful is AI-first: we use data and AI to create content in whole new ways.
• Hyper-connectivity. Also a reality now, due to the widespread deployment of 5G networks. It enables technologies such as the Internet of Things and smart cities, which are beginning to be implemented in many parts of the world.
• Internet of Behaviour, a concept that has gained traction since MWC 2021. It refers to the idea of using data from connected devices to understand and influence user behavior. This technology is being used in many industries, from retail to healthcare, to improve customer experiences.

Overall, the key developments discussed at MWC 2021 have become a reality since then, which is the best possible testimony to the event’s relevance.

The future of artificial intelligence looks bright, and the technology seems potentially as progressive as the steam engine. We will not be surprised if, just like the steam engine several centuries ago, AI is a part of the shift to a new socio-economic formation, among other things.    

We would like to thank our long-time friends at GMS, Global Message Services, a communications platform provider (CPaaS) for Enterprises and an international messaging service provider for Mobile Network Operators worldwide, for inviting Intentful to attend MWC in Barcelona back in 2021 and in 2023.

We look forward to exploring Mobile World Congress 2023 and its takeaways and will share them once we are back in New York City.