The opportunity for marketers in the current climate to develop closer more engaging relationships with the consumers is profound.
In my view, many clients have not developed or adapted their communications in recent years to compensate for the tremendous paradigm shift in media consumption from traditional channels into digital platforms – with a clear focus on the internet. The traditional media approach longer resonates with many of our advertisers’ target audience segments. For clients’ marketing investment to drive ongoing success a step change needs to occur.
The internet has a clear advantage over other media, in that it’s the enabler of interaction and will always be, at its core, a central tool for interpersonal communication. The way our consumers are communicating and engaging with each other can often be polarising when compared to how the messaging strategy is delivered through media.
Tagging photos on social networks, posting and sharing of videos on YouTube, twitters, blogs, forums, chat rooms and wikis are now not only common, they are the central pillar to communication with many New Zealanders. We all now live in a 24-hour 7 day continual media world where our typical customers are satisfying their demands to be included. We need to become part of this conversation – not just wrap messages around it. Our everyday consumers now wield incredible control over their media consumption habits. Moreover, with the explosion of online participation, consumers exert greater influence over the products and brands that make their consideration set for purchase.
There is no “silver bullet” for how to deliver an optimum brand experience in a social or community environment. What we do know is that the placement of advertising in this environment for no other reason other then “scattergun” targeting can be considered ineffective. Trusted brands can create loyalty through communities, ongoing conversations and importantly, foster peer-to-peer advocacy. Success will be measured by how we “engage” our community and deliver a deeper brand experience; one they will tell their friends about.
Most advertisers in New Zealand still adopt a “safe” traditional linear approach to reaching a shared target audience. The work we’ve done with social networks and communities has delivered compelling results. It’s proved to us the doorway of opportunity is wide open for those with a sound strategy for targeting and ongoing “live” engagement in a community environment.
Author: Chris Riley OMD Digital
