I would like to start by quoting Samuel Scott’s last paragraph from his in-depth
piece titled “How Google Analytics ruined marketing.”
“There is a whole world of marketing out there beyond attempts to answer the
flawed question: What content should I publish on my website to get the most
traffic and customers?
Here is the real question to ask: How would you market yourself if the Internet
didn’t exist? Answer that, and it’ll help your online marketing too.”
THE NEW MARS
5.16 billion; this figure by Statista is the number of internet users globally as of
January 2023. This is a stunning 64.4% of the global population. Of this total,
4.76 billion people, or 59.4 per cent of the world’s population, were social media
users.
The internet has become the ninth planet in our solar system, and its population
keeps growing.
The marketing communications industry has undergone significant changes in
recent years. With the advent of new technologies, the proliferation of social
media platforms, and the rise of the internet, the way brands communicate with
consumers has been transformed. As a result, brand management has become
increasingly complex, requiring a sophisticated understanding of consumer
behaviour, market trends, and the latest digital tools.
One of the biggest challenges facing marketers today is the fragmentation of
media. Consumers now have access to an unprecedented array of platforms,
each with its unique audience and set of communication channels. This has
made it difficult for brands to develop coherent messaging strategies that can
reach all of their target audiences. To succeed in this environment, marketers
must be able to tailor their messaging to fit the specific needs and preferences of
each platform.
THAT’S ORIGINAL
Another challenge facing the marketing communications industry is the growing
importance of authenticity. In today’s hyper-connected world, consumers have
become increasingly sceptical of traditional advertising methods. They want to
engage with brands that are transparent, genuine, and socially responsible. This
has led to the rise of influencer marketing, which involves partnering with
individuals who have a large following on social media and who can help to
promote a brand’s message in an authentic and relatable way.
But this is also not entirely foolproof; according to Meta, which owns competitor
platforms Facebook and Instagram, it estimates that fake accounts represent
about 5% of monthly active Facebook users, based on its most recent 2021
fourth-quarter data.
Since influencer marketing has grown in popularity, a new type of fakery called
FAKE FOLLOWERS has emerged. Hundreds of accounts interacting with a
product are no longer sufficient to judge its authenticity; instead, customers
require more established channels of contact with both real and fake products
and services.
At the same time, marketers must also be mindful of the need to protect their
brand’s reputation. A single error can swiftly spin out of hand and harm a brand’s
standing in the age of fast feedback and internet reviews. Brands must be aware
of their core values and be prepared to act quickly when those values are
violated to prevent this.
THE NUMBERS GAME
“Doing business without data may make a company’s life easier—but it will
definitely make it shorter.” – Brand Trust.
Looking ahead, the future of brand management will likely be shaped by several
emerging trends. For example, the growing importance of data analytics will
make it possible for brands to develop highly targeted and personalised
messaging strategies. At the same time, advances in artificial intelligence and
machine learning will enable marketers to automate many of their processes,
allowing them to focus more on developing creative and strategic messaging. In
all of these influences, the greatest hack for brand management consultants is to
stick to the basics of Brand Management, understanding the core of a brand’s
existence, the why, and how to express that why in a way that helps the brand
exist with proof.
What are the numbers saying in this regard?
All existing social media platforms gather user information, both actively through
the development of user-profiles during platform setup and passively through
user interactions and transactions. Businesses use this data to monitor user
behaviour both on and off the network, including status updates, likes and
dislikes, cookie tracking, photo publishing, etc.
According to Internet Live Stats, 2022, Google processed more than 8.5 billion
searches daily.
Total worldwide emails sent per day is 347.3 billion in 2023 – Oberlo.
The average Number of Tweets Sent Per Day is 500 million – SocialShepherd.
70% of Internet users are active on at least one Meta platform – Hootsuite.
As of June 2022, more than 500 hours of video were uploaded to YouTube every
minute – Statista.
Brand managers can now learn more quickly, act more decisively, recognize
market trends earlier, and appraise them better thanks to data-based brand
management. They can also avoid letting experience slow them down.
If you are unaware of the foundational elements of the brand, all these metrics
are meaningless to your strategy.
But how do you understand a brand if you do not question its basics, why, how,
and feel?
BALANCING EXTREMES
The increasing significance of storytelling is a further significant development.
Consumers are inundated with information in the current digital era. Brands must
be able to tell captivating tales that connect with their target audience to stand
out from the competition and grab their attention. For this, it’s important to have a
thorough understanding of consumer psychology and the capacity to create a
message that speaks directly to customers’ wants and needs.
In the words of J.K Rowling, “No story lives unless someone wants to listen.”
According to renowned cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner, the human mind is
approximately 22 times more likely to remember facts if those facts are part of a
story; this is further supported by Search Engine Watch, which states that
storytelling can increase conversions by a staggering 30%. Storytelling basically
helps prospects remember your message.
The “Share a Coke” campaign, which involves modifying the usual wrapping
around the Coca-Cola bottle to say “Share a Coke with…” and a well-known
name, is a great illustration of how narrative can lead to conversions. The
campaign’s goal was to forge closer ties with customers and elicit happy
memories that could be shared.
When Avis management was questioned by DDB, the company’s advertising
agency, about why people leased vehicles from them, “We Try Harder” was born.
The comment was that Avis will always work harder as the competitor to keep the
client happy because it was second in its market after the market leader Hertz.
Doyle Dane Bernbach was able to turn being the number two car rental brand in
the market into a true marketing advantage. Due to their creative effectiveness,
the market share for Avis grew from 29% to 36%.
In conclusion, the marketing communications industry is in a state of constant
flux, driven by new technologies, changing consumer behaviours, and evolving
market trends. To succeed in this environment, brands must be nimble,
adaptable, and willing to take risks. They must leverage the latest digital tools
while staying true to their core values and developing authentic relationships with
their customers. By doing so, they can build strong, enduring brands that stand
the test of time.
Ambassador [Dr] Charles O’Tudor is the Group Principal Consultant of Adstrat BMC, Africa’s premier brand management consulting firm
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