Jan 11 in Digital Marketing
Written by: Heather Rast
Many [traditional advertising people] got so comfortable with the way things were that they didn’t see what was coming, or chose to ignore it.
They ducked and dodged the fists that were pointed client questions, online advertising bundled with TV buys, and mandates of inter-agency collaboration. Then the slope hit its apex; some people slid down into obsolescence while others clung to a tenuous strand – a favor owed, a small agency in Boise with a staff opening, or acceptance. Those brave enough to admit vulnerability and accept the uncertain, newfangled world of marketing communications stand a chance. But only if they stop clinging to their Telly awards and learn how to use the video camera in their phones.
We’ve seen enough Mad Men to know that the advertising world has always been one about relationships (who you know), negotiation (what you’re willing to deal), the ebb and flow of markets (your worst nightmare) and the thinly veiled threats of a review (manipulation disguised as incentive). Today’s reality is also one of reduced budgets, performance expectations and nimble responses. How quickly can we get out there with our own app? We want to measure downloads, benchmark traffic patterns, gather contact info and get people signed up for the paid version.
Digital Marketing: A Stage Set For Many
In digital marketing, perfection isn’t on the table. No one expects a flawless effort, because flawless doesn’t happen with so many moving pieces, participants, and midshifts. Consumers don’t want flawless because we’re tired of the polished, projected images from before. We want to see brands sweat because, well, we sweat.
What is important, however, is the type of consistent approachability and sincerity that bridge the former gaps between buyers and sellers, consumers and brands. We don’t expect (hope for, but don’t expect) flawless products or services. Or even experiences – although when it happens, we take notice. We just want help when we need it; we want to be trued up when there’s a snag. Hearts and wallets are won or lost when a brand goes beyond being present to being proactive; sales-y to intuitive; aspirational to realistic.
The transaction isn’t a simple thing that happens down the line at the point of sale or even in the shopping cart. It’s part of a customer decision journey. It happens at the point of closure, when I decide to share a part of myself (my money and often an emotional stake) with a brand. And this exchange we just had? It wasn’t just about me. It included my BFF, my sister, the guy who sits across from me during lunch. Don’t let us down, we’re all a connected.
When Mass Means More. And Less
TV, consumer print and radio used to be the way marketers rolled when they wanted to reach the masses with a message. While those channels still exist, they’ve been challenged by technology and culture to evolve. The result is more of a multi-channel mash which more closely suits media consumption habits of today’s consumers – on the train, in the waiting room, at the desk and in the meeting. The device is the new television, and television, well that’s the new multimedia portal.
Mass marketing is becoming a two-way dialogue where sharing and reacting is real time, public, and built in to news/information outlets previously only interested in distribution (back when they owned access to the consumer). The potential for global reach and permanence exists like no other time before, and yet channel micro-fragmentation means it may be harder to connect with consumers.
Building enduring influence is even more of a conundrum for brands. The brass may not appreciate the time investment. The new marketplace we’re in means there’s an opportunity to cheaply reach many, but there’s a risk of being perceived as having self-serving or promotional interests or worse yet, laying claims that don’t hold true.
User influence, made local by peer and friend networks, have the power to trump all the purposeful efforts laid by the brand. People are voicing and distributing information about their own experiences and perceptions on sites like Quora. They’re hoping to help others in
our network find the best content through Paper.li. The race is even on to grow and amplify our influence in the field, something brands are scrambling to build systems for and tap into. Groubal is listening, waiting to report whether we’re happy with what the big brands are saying and doing.
Reaching the masses in the digital age is one challenge evolved marketers face. Figuring out how to captivate their hearts and engage their minds is another.
Say those words to a room full of creatives even ten years ago and I bet you would’ve heard crickets chirp. Today it’s the Holy Grail.
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