By Emma Shepherd, editor of Mediaweek
Elon Musk’s latest update on Starlink’s offerings, moving beyond satellite texting to include images, music, and even video, could change how advertisers reach audiences. This isn’t just about better connectivity; it’s about how people consume content and, in turn, how brands engage with them.
For years, mobile advertising has been shaped by existing infrastructure, telco networks, Wi-Fi hotspots, and regional broadband. With Starlink’s satellite-powered service now integrated with Apple and Samsung devices, those barriers could start to fade. As coverage expands, mobile experiences will become truly global, untethered from traditional networks.
That means digital content consumption is about to shift. Streaming a video ad in a remote outback town? Downloading a podcast mid-flight over the Pacific? Receiving high-resolution display ads while hiking? This could all become normal. Mobile advertising is on the brink of a major evolution.
How mobile advertising will shift
The rise of Starlink as a mobile connectivity game-changer presents both challenges and opportunities for advertisers:
• Reaching new audiences: Satellite-powered mobile coverage means brands can engage audiences previously out of reach. Rural areas, remote islands, and underserved global markets could soon be prime advertising segments.
• Rethinking ad formats: With support for music, podcasts, and eventually video, advertisers need to rethink their creative strategies. Static banners and text-based ads might take a backseat to immersive, interactive content designed for a satellite-connected audience.
• Increased competition for attention: More seamless global connectivity means more competition for consumer engagement. Advertisers will need to double down on AI-driven personalisation and real-time bidding to stay relevant.
• Privacy and data concerns: Starlink bypasses traditional telco infrastructure, raising questions about data ownership. Who controls consumer data in a satellite-powered world – Starlink, phone manufacturers, or the end user? This could spark new regulatory debates.
A new era for advertisers and platforms
For ad platforms like The Trade Desk, Google, and Meta, a satellite-powered mobile landscape means rethinking how ads are served. Advertisers will need new programmatic strategies to target users in growing locations where Starlink is expanding access.
Starlink’s role in mobile services also raises a big question: Could it eventually become an advertising player itself, cutting out traditional media networks and buyers? Given Musk’s history of industry disruption, it’s not far-fetched.
With Starlink promising medium-resolution video functions in the near future, brands need to start planning for a world where satellite-driven mobile engagement is the norm. This won’t just affect advertising, news, entertainment, and e-commerce will all have to rethink how they reach a constantly connected audience.
One thing is clear: as Starlink reshapes mobile connectivity, the brands that move early will be the ones shaping the future of digital engagement.