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How do you measure the effectiveness of a community? What is engagement? What is the value of a conversation and how do you communicate the impact for your brand?
Well, next week in Toronto a group of smart folks will gather to discuss the state of Social Media Measurement. The intent is to build a better dashboard and establish common ground on how we measure the effectiveness of our efforts in the Social Media space. The diverse range of people at the roundtable have backgrounds in Marketing, Analytics, Communications, Public Relations and , of course, Social Media. It should make for an excellent day of conversation.
Full disclosure, Joseph Thornley of Thornley Fallis Communications is the driving force behind the roundtable event. I work for TFC and will be participating in the roundtable. Joseph posted on his blog, ProPR , a while back about the issue of measurement in Social Media and it got some great traction that has led to the roundtable.
My call to action to readers of The Client Side is: “What are your views on Social Media Measurement?” If you were at the table , what questions would you want answered and/or what would you have to say on the topic of measurement?
For those of you who may not know my full background, I have been steeped in database and direct marketing for my entire career. Measurement was (and still very much is) my mantra. While at Scotiabank, one of the reasons I was able to play in the Social Media sandbox was because all the campaigns and initiatives I touched were measured. Everything we did had a spreadsheet attached with numbers going in and coming out. Banks tend to like that kind of analysis.
Social Media marketing was the odd duck in my efforts. Communicating success and applying measurement did not always resonate with executive. They had a hard time relating to something they did not know about first hand and could not compare with. It is tough to say “it works, trust me” because that does not sustain and grow a marketing budget. And, many other corporate folks running Social Media programs face the same situation. There are very few examples held up for executives to use as their beacon in the new marketing.
So where does that leave us?
Well, I’m quite excited to be part of the roundtable because the discussion is happening. And, having the discussion is a big step to begin making the results of our efforts a better understood part of the marketing and communications landscape.
One of the outputs of the roundtable is to achieve a guideline for a social media measurement dashboard and an outline of the elements, components and weighting within social influence marketing, communities and engagement that can act as a common denominator for reporting/communicating success.
Going into next Tuesday’s event, I would love to hear from you and your thoughts. So, again, let me know “What are your views on Social Media Measurement?” If you were at the table, what questions would you want answered and/or what would you have to say on the topic of measurement?
But forget about it as an ad. I just saw the movie Sharkwater about Rob Stewart's effort to save sharks. Yes, save sharks. It is a must see movie about how we are destroying creatures that have been around a lot longer on earth than we have. And, the implications for the planet if we let it continue. Fascinating flick. Scary to think about the implications.
In the meantime, we have to try harder to make sure future generations don't view this commercial and wonder what it was like to have a planet like the one we know and love and then wonder how ignorant we all were for not doing more to preserve it.
Leo Burnett's London based Futures Editor, Ben Hourahine, created a nifty little video titled the "Trends Predictions Report".
Here is how the YouTube video content is described by the authors:
"The key dynamics in culture, communication, advertising and marketing:
- Mass is back (Say hello to the Swell Society).
At the turn of this year online downloads were included as part of the UK Christmas pop chart for the first time ever. This trend of online popularity being institutionalized shows that mass appeal will once again define marketing attitudes. The goal is the same; reach a mass audience, the difference is how to achieve it. Say hello to the Swell Society.
- Community Commerce.
Community connections will become more central to business practice. Retailers will seek to bring the community further inside the store, with more coffee shops, banking services and pharmacies within supermarkets. On the other side, community connections are being used to create new businesses for established brands.
- Screen Saturation.
Moving forward we will see the explosion of screen-based media, with screens on the side of buses, in petrol stations, supermarkets, the home and the pocket. While the medium may remain the same, the reach, context, audience and role of the media will be tweaked. There will be more broadcast screens than ever in 2010 and things are only going to get bigger: According to Sharp, the electronics manufacturer, the average television screen size will be 60" by 2015.
- Gender Reversal.
More women in work and the increasing role played by men within the family will see marketers change their focus. Men's interest and investment in the family will continue to rise as well, morphing the gender balance and changing the advertising context. Expect to see more and more campaigns aimed at women at work and men in the home.
- Brand Guardians.
The role of brands is evolving and will enter a new phase. With growing concerns over how to be healthy, safe and environmentally friendly, mixed with a real confusion about how to achieve this, we will see brands increasingly attempting to take on a guardian role.
- IP Idols.
Artists are grabbing control of their creative product. Intellectual Property (creative works -- ideas, songs, movies, TV shows) used to be owned and licensed by studios, record labels and other commercial institutions, but we will see artists back in the driving seat.
- The Data Awareness Era.
The public will be more aware of their data exposure than ever before and privacy concerns will be a defining issue in the future. Expect this trend to accelerate with the introduction of GPS location based information, the explosion in online information storage and social networking increasingly reflecting real life...
- Social Networks Get Real.
Social networks like Facebook -- once just virtual playgrounds - will now start to plug directly back into the real world. Increasingly we will see these networks beginning to dictate everyday life, influencing who people do business with, which parties, movies and gigs they go to, where they meet and with whom. Accelerating this shift is the advent and take up of mobile social networking: 14m people did it in 2007, and forecasts suggest it could hit 600m by the time the Olympics hits London in 2012."
Interesting stuff. Lots of things to think about. And, a nice little advert for the folks at Leo Burnett. An "A" for effort and presentation style. That said, these are themes and riffs that many of us have been kicking around for a while in other forms but, it provides a good view of things and where they might be headed.
Some of the points remind me of one of my mentors from back in my early days of marketing, Jerry Reitman who, coincidently, used to head up Leo Burnett's Direct Marketing division. He was a big influence on my career and is a hell of a nice guy. I spent a lot of time in the 1990's working with and getting to know Jerry. One of the smartest direct marketing people I've ever come across.
Back to the video. What I like is the idea of swells, but I'm not so sure "mass is back". In fact, I'm not so sure it ever went that far away. We just look at it through a different marketing lens these days. Call it an enlightenment about what mass represents in today's world and how we choose to categorize and deal with it.
Now for social networks plugging back into the offline world. That is a huge trend worth watching and figuring out how to apply it to your brand and marketing efforts. What is critical is how it can be done with a non zero-sum mentality and approach. Further, the notion that communities and commerce can coincide is the focus of many currenet conversations in my world. Although, I have a much different way of thinking about communities and commerce than outlined above - we'll leave that for another post.
And finally, the idea of Brand Guardians is interesting but fails to go far enough for my liking. I kind of agree with the angle taken, but wholeheartedly believe that the role of brand guardian is being diffused more so than ever before. Increasingly, we are seeing smart CMO's and senior level marketers who are understanding that it comes down to a balanced mix of passionate employees, empowered front-line staff and customer service people that are truly the guardians. They are the tangible part of brand delivery in the consumer's mind and cannot be undervalued. In many cases, unfriendly consumer generated content against a brand is the result of a guardianship slip in a front-line, human-to-human, moment of truth.
Following that line of thinking, the torch of guardianship can be effectively passed onto the consumer through consistent positive encounters. Bad product issues can be rescued by a great person who shows empathy and is genuine in the help and solutions they provide. Let's face it, the product is often a commodity. It's the person-to-person element forges the brand identity with the vast majority of consumers. This is the context for creating a remarkable moment-of-truth where consumers become a defender or guardian of the brand (i.e. the Nordstrom's employee who gift wraps an item that was bought at another store.)
When a customer knows you are worth defending, they become your most credible advocate. I like to call it the 360 Degree brand guardianship model. Makes one rethink where to invest marketing dollars when you ask yourself if your customer service is doing your marketing for you in that regard? Deep thoughts before the Easter long week.
I was not there, but have been witness to it before. The host (or hostess), moderator or interviewer who, for one reason or another, just didn't deliver.
In case you missed it, there was a lot of commentary and buzz around Sarah Lacy's interview of Mark Zuckerberg at SXWS last week. I'm not going to wade into who was right or if the comments were justified. Watch the video and judge for yourself. Then, see her response to the situation. When I watched it, I was looking for why and when the audience turned on her. It was interesting as I thought parts of the interview were really good while I also found myself cringing as some parts were hard to watch.
So, instead of studying this example any further, I thought I would do something constructive instead. Having been bestowed the honor of moderating/interviewing in front of a crowd a few times myself, I thought I would offer some simple tips in terms of how to effectively lead a session. They are:
- Be gracious and welcoming.
- As the moderator, remember you are not who people came to see or hear. The audience is there to hear the panelists or interviewee. At all times, keep the audience focused on the person/people being interviewed.
- Your job is to make the panelists look brilliant. You are a facilitator.
- Leave any personal or professional bias at the door.
- Don't try to be controversial or overly provocative. You are the voice of... wait for it, ... moderation.
- Manage the time of the session wisely. Change topics and direction to keep the discussion lively.
- Prepare yourself to be spontaneous.
- Get to know the participants, their backgrounds and points of view on the subject matter. Ensure participants know the flow of the session but are not over prepared to come off as rehearsed.
- Make sure all panelists have a chance to speak. Ask a particular panelist to answer a question if you sense the conversation is not evenly distributed.
- Ask a question and get out of the way.
- Don't interrupt. And, make sure everyone has a chance to chime in with an answer before you move on.
- Rapport with the audience and panelists is a good thing, but there are limits. Don't let your personality take over.
- Inside jokes fall flat. Leave them at home. No one benefits.
- Start with a statement then quickly follow with a question. Questions without context setting are just as bad as rambling statements not followed by a question.
- Leave lots of time for questions and work the room. In a 45 minute session, leave 15-20 for questions. (Hint: takes some of the pressure off the moderator.)
- Read the audience, feel the vibe of the room. If things go wrong, be humble and keep things moving forward. Don't use the stage as a platform to defend yourself or the panelists. Take the high road.
For more on this, Guy Kawasaki has a great post on moderating a panel (although I disagree with a couple of his points). And, if you have any other tips or advice, I’d love to hear. Please leave a comment.
Jeremiah Owyang of Forrester writes about the The 3 “Impossible” Conversations for Corporations. It is quick and informative read on the conversations that companies typically shy away from, but should embrace to have them become a bit more human.
His three points are:
- Ask for feedback
- Say positive things about your competition
- Admit when you are wrong
Hopefully, brands will see the upside in terms of having more opportunity to exercise conversations around the first two-items. That said, the third kind of conversation Jeremiah lists becomes much more palatable for all involved (reader/consumer, writer/brand) when you have some experience with the first two.
Last week I posted a piece titled "Social Media Is Always On". I believe, as many other do, that social media is a continuum. When explaining social media in that manner to those who are newer to the space, I have sensed an immediate acknowledgment that it follows a different stream than the campaign-based model of print, radio and TV.
Reinforcing the notion of "always on, Shel Israel of Global Neighbourhoods (via Jeremiah) has a terrific take titled Two Social Media Camps in the Enterprise which looks at what may happen inside an company. The issue he looks at is when one person in the company gets the social media space and is a "white hat" in their approach but, the guy/girl down the hall doesn't get it and merely attempts to exploit a perceived marketing opportunity using social media. How does that reflect on those who "get it" and have been champions for the same brand? I like Shel's take on the issue and it made me think about which type of "marketers" are at fault.
It boils down to understanding that those who look to game the system don't get it. Never have, never will. They bank on cheap tactics and let the other "saps" do it the right way while they act in a deceptive and self-interested manner. These are likely the same folks who asked you to borrow an essay in High School or University. Social Media is just the latest area they can try to pull a fast one and cut corners.
The thing is, it used to be a lot easier. Today it is harder to produce results without spending effort to understand what's is really going and how to succeed. Realizing true power means investing in the underlying potential. Many will try to get it right the right way and may stumble a bit on the road. We like those people. However, many enter the gates looking for the quickest path with all the wrong intentions. They will quit when it gets to the point of having to actually work at it - even a little bit. Why? That is what they always do. And, when they do, it becomes a better place for all of us.
What stopped me in my tracks recently when trying to compare and contrast Social Media with traditional marketing in my new materials was dead simple. Social Media is always on.
I have already written here on the blog and in previous presentations about how point in time campaigns are not the model, although they can be part of the mix within a social media marketing strategy if done right. Real success comes from authenticity, transparency, relevance and sustainability. In other words, you can't turn it on and then shut it off as you please. Credibility is won with consistency and the building of community. So, the paradigm of campaign-based marketing that ruled the earth for decades upon decades goes against the grain here.
As I was reading a post by Joe Marchese at Online Spin (quickly becoming one of my must read blogs), the simplicity of "always on" was articulated. Thanks Joe. To date, that is the one of the best descriptions I've heard to point out what marketers need to think about when considering social media in their marketing.
Social Media is always on. Are you prepared to flip the switch?
“Terrorists Evolve. Threats Evolve. Security Must Stay Ahead. You Play A Part.” That is the tagline greeting readers on the new Evolution of Security blog.
The Evolution of Security was launched by The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States in late January. It is a public-facing blog created to keep weary travelers in-the-know of the policy and procedures driving security checks and also allowing them an outlet to ask questions and vent.
What makes this interesting is that it is a somewhat unlikely source. You'd kind of expect the TSA to not even have a knowledge of blogs, let alone start one up for the agency. So after the "huh" factor subsided, I checked it out and believe it to be a decent go at things. There are a few bloggers who write for the site and seem to do so very well.
Topics include Shoes, Liquids,Lighters, Nail Clippers and Gripes & Grins. There are more gripes on there than grins in comments, but it seems to be quite effective in terms of starting conversations. It is a place for travelers to "get it off their chest" - which is ironic considering travelers are quite used to not having anything on their chests from the ritual of stripping down at the security check.
Kidding aside, I think the TSA does a good job with the blog. All of the right elements are in place and it appears they did their homework in terms of understanding the blogosphere and where they fit in. Putting a human face on division of government is no easy feat, especially if you are in the group that everyone loves to hate. So, all that considered, I give the TSA a decent report card so far on this project. My only question is how long the content can stay fresh within this subject. I guess we will have to keep reading to see.
That was the lead of a story reported in Ad Age that shows a downturn in employment figures in the media industry. While the media industry was on the decline, lead by a decrease in newspaper related jobs, the marketing services sector (agencies, consultants etc..) showed an increase in employment growth.
Steve Rubel points out that, the direct-to-consumer model is beginning to take hold. What we are seeing is that, as distribution channels no longer require a broker, agent or other middle-person, the change we have heard of, and expected, is being quantified.
The Ad Age article states:
"Here's the reason behind the disparity: Marketers still invest in marketing, but they have options far beyond paid media: digital initiatives, direct marketing, promotions and events, just to name a few. That creates more opportunities for consultants to help define strategies."
The landscape where brands like Smirnoff, Coke, Dove, Sunsilk and others experiment and see the power of a focus on content versus one where you spend against mass media distribution is shaping up .
Looking a little further into media and distribution trends, the direction taken buy the likes of Radiohead with the release of their latest recording, In Rainbows, (as well as artists like Jane Siberry) show an active embrace of the direct to consumer distribution strategy. The shift taking place is aligned with channels of congregation - not ownership saturation. The implications are not subtle.
However, my belief is that this is not a zero-sum proposition. As online and digital grow, bright minds from the media fold will be brought on board and add talent and ideas to the evolution taking place.
Proof of this can be found in the stats: "Internet media companies, a sector that includes search engines and web portals, is a bright spot, with a 13.4% jump in jobs last year. Still, internet-media employment remains 31% below its dot-com-bubble peak." Although that last statistic may not be such a bad thing.
Frank Palmer, chairman and CEO of DDB Canada, made a bold move to remove the distraction and irritation factor that has created bad habits and improper etiquette in meeting rooms across the world (at least the ones DDB is involved in).
"Over the past year, I've become increasingly aware of and annoyed by
staff who use their BlackBerries during meetings," says Palmer. "Whether it's
done openly or covertly under the table, using a PDA during a meeting is
completely unacceptable, disrespectful and hinders the progress of the
meeting. While these devices are considered time-savers, they're also
extremely intrusive."
Past year? It has been going on longer than that. I'm as guilty as the next person, but this has inspired me to go the extra mile. I turned my profile to "Phone Only" a long time ago, but admit that I still check the little devil too often.
Frank has guts. It is good to see someone take a stance like this to instill appropriate behavior. Bravo Frank.
"...social media marketing is not just throwing up a page on MySpace, Facebook or any other social media site for that matter. You’ve seen some of the biggest U.S. agencies do that for their clients over the past year or so. These folks have patted themselves on the back for being trailblazers.
Newsflash: That is not trailblazing, that is ignorant."
Being a foodie, I totally get what she is saying. Whole Foods has many interesting and unique products to offer accompanied by knowledgeable and enthusiastic employees. The Whole Foods retail presentation is a theater where food is on stage. It is a unique shopping experience that has all of the details covered nicely. They are aware of what will help them spread their word-of-mouth. As Jackie puts it "too many American businesses are culture-less shlubs." So true. Same up here in the Great White North. Very few exceptions.
Target does retail quite well too. Target stores feel different when you are inside. People notice and talk about how it is fun and unlike other bigger box stores (at least the Canadians I know who cross the border to shop there have noticed and talk about it). However, the last time I was in a Target store one of the employees spoiled the experience. It was enough to detract from the theater feel. All of the sudden the curtains closed and it became very much like everywhere else.
I bring Target into this post/discussion on the point of being aware of how word of mouth spreads. I saw this story by Warner Todd Huston (hat tip to C.C. Chapman) about how Target reacted to a complaint by a blogger concerned about Target's advertising.
Whether or not you agree with the issue that Target's ads are "sexualized" which was raised by Amy Jussel of Shaping Youth, the response from Target seems to lack any sort of knowledge of the digital world in 2008 (or 2007,2006, 2005). The flippant response is more than likely to overshadow the original issue. One wonders what they are thinking when they alienate the online world by stating that they "do not participate with non-traditional media outlets". The details of today's consumer conversations are clearly not very well understood at Target.
Non-traditional media outlets are today's media outlets. It is where real customers are searching, where real information is being gathered, where real reputations are being made or destroyed. And, it is where real word of mouth is taking place.
Will this hurt their bottom-line? Likely not. If they are smart they'll learn. My takeaway is that we just witnessed the uninformed and not-so-impressive man behind the curtain in the theater of retail.
I don't think it is coincidence given that the 60 Minutes piece that aired recently showed the Scrabulous application. Perhaps I am wrong on this, but is seems rather suspect.
Aside from getting into a discussion over copyright, I wonder if the folks at Hasbro and Mattel could have approached this in a different manner? The application is quite popular on Facebook. Is this not likely to do more damage to the brand than good if they get their way and it is removed? Perhaps this is a move to supply Facebook with a "legit" version of the game. Or, perhaps it was the only thing the toy execs could do having been caught off-guard to the opportunity unfolding in the digital world to extend the brand. Instead of unleashing a killer app, they are opting to become an application killer.
Two things are clear to me. First, when it comes to bringing a game to life online, it seems like a lay-up in terms of moving off the shelf from Toys "R" Us and breathing new life via the digital world. The transition of content offered up as widgets, Facebook applications or whatever are sitting right in front of people's noses. Webkinz and Club Penguin have been effective in mixing up the online and offline worlds, so is it really a stretch for established offline games to rethink the model?
Second, I am not a big Scrabble fan, but "Scrabble" has been talked about a lot lately. This is undoubtedly due to the popularity of the application on Facebook. Before this legal wrangle, I had no clue this was not the "offical" version of the game and I'll bet you didn't know either. So, the Scrabble brand has benefited. If I am Hasbro and Mattel, I'd like to find out who programmed the application and put them on staff.
Perhaps Zuckerberg and Co. should try out an angle with select brands (or their agencies) where brand managers and application developers team up to build branded content/games like "Scrabulous" that people will use and love - where the advertising is in the game itself.
It is less likely to create the furor seen with Beacon and Social Ads. I mean, if a fast-food giant like Burger King can do advergaming, why can't the game people?
A major influence in my life and one of my top five favorite business books of all-time is now a slide show. Doc Searls, co-author of The Clue Train Manifesto pointed to it on his blog today and, while I am not sure if he created it (I don't think he did), it is worth a look for a refresh or as a crash course on the principles of the best-selling book written back in 2000.
If you have not yet read The Clue Train Manifesto I highly recommend you give it a some quality time in the very near future - it will change the way you think. It is free on the Cluetrain site.
I love this. I've seen a few posts about it from other bloggers and wanted to spead the message too.
The issues Annie Leonard presents effects all of us and it is well worth watching. This planet we call home is in crisis. When my kids have kids who knows what living on planet earth will be like. One thing for certain is that it will not be like it is today.
It is a fabulous example of using digital to present a story that sticks. The message is hard-hitting, done in a compelling, entertaining and educational way.
I kicked off day two of the Social Media Conference held by Canadian Institute in Toronto last week with my presentation on "FifteenMegsof Fame". The roster of speakers covered an amazing amount of content at this event and demonstrated what was actually happening with case study after case study. Not too much philosophizing was overheard as everyone came equipped with a grab bag full of examples of what they did and how they did it.
One of the sessions I had a chance to catch later that morning was by Alec Saunders of Iotum. Iotum is in the voice and communications software space (sounds like he is in the same area as fellow CAPOWer Dan York of Disruptive Conversations blog. If they don't already know each other then this link love will likely put them in touch!) Alec is a CEO of Iotum and shared his thoughts as a "CEO Blogger".
Alec reviewed some great tips in terms of how he found his "Fifteen Megs of Fame" in the blogosphere, showing an interesting comparison in terms of how he ranks on Google against some big brands in his industry. His point is that smaller players who create a voice for themselves can indeed become more relevant and authoritative in the engines of Google on key "brand" search terms then the brands themselves. He used this chart in his presentation and also posted it on his blog. I thought it was worth sharing here.
While this is not news to those in the blogosphere who know about how Google loves blogs and can effect "brand juice" with more power than Jack Lalanne could ever imagine, I stumbled upon Alec's mention of the newly formed Blog Council on his site. I found his comments on this initiative quite interesting.
According to the news release (not sure if they used the Social Media Press Release - Shel? Joe?) the Blog Council, comprised of "members include the leading companies from a diverse range of business sectors: AccuQuote, Cisco Systems, The Coca-Cola Company, Dell, Gemstar-TV Guide, General Motors, Kaiser Permanente, Microsoft, Nokia, SAP, and Wells Fargo." who have joined forces "as a forum for executives to meet one another in a private, vendor-free environment and share tactics, offer advice based on past experience, and develop standards-based best practices as a model for other corporate blogs. The council is being led by Andy Sernovitz past CEO of WOMMA.
Alec writes in response to the forming of the council:
"It's laughable, but it's also pathetic that the stewards of American business and some of the largest brands in the world have come to this point. Good heavens, people! Get a grip! You don't need a cozy little exclusive club to figure out what to do with blogs. Just get on the net, start talking to your customers and advocates, and start interacting with people outside the strictures of twentieth century command and control marketing."
My take is that it is great to see large corporations taking a serious look at the new tools and tactics available to them. However, I tend to agree with Alec that it is a rather simple equation to start solving things for themselves by just doing it and learning. The perplexing thing here are the words chosen to describe the council as "private", "free of vendors" and that it "develops standards". This seems to miss the the open-source conversational spirit of blogging we hold so dear. And, it smacks a bit of trying to centralize the decentralized nature of the space.
Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but the ideal of sharing and transparency does not mesh well with private, facilitated or exclusive. There does not need to be a closed-door executive club mentality. Do we really need to build more walls?
My hope is social media will continue to change corporations and open new doors of communication, not that corporations will change or constrict social media and it's obvious potential. Although it is inevitable that both will be influenced by each other and will evolve in new ways, I am hopeful that it will be more of the former than the latter.
Everyone else has posted this video, so I suppose I can hop on the the Bubble Band Wagon and show it here too. Are we headed for a consolidation or collapse? I'm no fortune teller, but I seem to recall a few words of warning on this subject in the past.
I found this image that says a lot about expectation setting. Promises are often made in the business world regardless of expertise, fit or capabilities to actually deliver on the claims made to close a sale.
Some businesses understand the importance of staying true to their strategy by knowing when to say "NO". And, by setting and delivering on a unique set of attributes, they narrow the audience to those that appreciate the effort and will return (and hopefully tell others). The lesson here is to stop promising the moon and the stars to everyone in an effort to make sure no one is left out. Know when to say no.
How many services/products/promises do you offer? What if you said "no" to certain ones and focused on doing the others exceptionally well? What expectation would that set with customers or prospects?
This cute disclaimer is quite telling. There are many businesses both big and small that don’t realize that they probably could benefit from a sign like this to guide them. It may just help them say "no" more often and become something to someone rather than everything to everyone.
If you had a sign, what would it say?
(BTW - I can't recall where I found the image. I neglected to take note of the source I found, so my apologies for sharing the image without the link attribution. I will update if I am able.)
What is the future of digital technology? "We don't really care. The audience is going to tell us where technology is going to go. Whatever the audience wants to do, we'll find a way to be there." said Chuck Porter of Crispen Porter + Bogusky. He was interviewed by Jeromy Llyod of Marketing Magazine in Toronto recently when he spoke at the Canadian Marketing Association's Digital Marketing Conference.
And that is at the heart of the challenge facing marketers. Identifying where audiences are today and where they might be tomorrow. The seemingly endless migration to new places, spaces, platforms and communities can be maddening to keep up with. But chasing the online crowds is not the real issue, is it?
The real challenge is to think beyond just being "there" (wherever "there" happens to be) and develop real insights along with rapid-cycle experimentation oriented around what individuals (not audiences) actually want to do.
Phrased another way, the task at hand is think through how we move beyond the "where" in the equation. Showing up in the place where the audience has landed is but a fraction of the consideration. Consumers themselves are not looking simply for a "where" anymore, so why are marketers?
We can't pretend that we have any sort of captive audience for our messages anymore even if we are in the right place at the right time. Those days are long gone. As Chuck Porter suggests, the digital space is being defined and grown by the audience itself. Can we even call them an "audience" anymore given the traditional understanding of what audience means and how people are go about using the online world?
Online crowds gravitate and congregate to the "where" because of "what" it offers them and "how" it delivers an experience they can't get anywhere else. It is clear to them "why" they are engaged enough to spend precious time and, "who" they are in terms of the sense of identity as part of a community. The marketing opportunity is to step back and figure out what it takes to be relevant and valuable. Asking some of the following questions may help:
- "What" is the purpose for crashing the party? What is your reason for being? What to you hope to give, not just gain?
- "Why" would anyone pay attention? Why here? Why now? Just because you can does not mean you should.
- "How" can your brand participate and add layers to the experience? How are you building credibility and community? How are you differentiating yourself? How are you building a sustainable platform? How are you learning and measuring?
- "Who" is your audience? Who do you hope to influence? Who will care? Who will see your efforts as an enhancement to what they are already doing?
Looking at things in that light, "where" is perhaps the easiest question to answer. In order to redefine "where" as a pivot point for success, the question to ask is "where do we want to take an audience"?
I believe Chuck means brands should uncover the ways they can enable something to happen, perhaps even something meaningful, regardless of "where" it takes place. It means thinking in terms of educating, informing, sharing, empowering, motivating, entertaining, providing utility and functionality etc. All good things to keep in mind.
What we do know it is not about another banner ad or consumer generated content contest to generate videos on YouTube. Those are simply tactical attempts to address "where". They have been done to death over a very short window of time. The harder part to get right is credibility, which means working on a better model than simply buying your way in.
Marketers can't forget that they are part of the audience too. So, what would you really want from you? As David Ogilvy famously said "The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife." Hey, no one said it would be easy.
This is funny the same way watching Ricky Gervais play David Brent on the original BBC version of The Office is funny (BTW - original BBC version of The Office is a comedic masterpiece - much better than NBC series in my humble opinion). As Greg Verdino points out "you're probably laughing and cringing at the same time." Hat tip to Greg for pointing it out.
