Carelessness will be spotted instantly

I find a distinguished truth in the quote below. 

This is the reality in which communicators of all kinds work in today - whether one accepts it or not. To me this defines the important shift in preconditions that has happened in the last couple of years to (business) communication, marketing and branding. 

This may be a longer explanation of why Content Is King. But it also hold an explanation of why. 

In my opinion, everyone working with (business oriented) communication should reflect upon its message; 

Communication is a handicraft and its quality is valued.  

  

Making an effort has become worth the effort

The attention industry has come to an end. We all have had lessons of advertising analysis in school. Hence, we understand only too well the means of branding and we are not to be manipulated with. This may be one reason why we are described as being critical, conscious, and reflective consumers.

But the modern consumer has another characteristic, which is worth noticing when one is working with communication: They do it too!

A part of the modern Dane’s day of life is communication: We “publish” us selves all the time in various media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube – or simply by mail and text messages. We use media to brand our selves (this much we have learned). It gives us a certain experience and expertise – and most importantly – the ability to make critical assessments, which we use when we are exposed to other’s communicative approaches.

It means that when we look at advertising on TV or see an advert in the newspaper we not only critically evaluate what is being communicated; but more and more how. And it is ascribed a value of its own to be competent in dealings with ones own marketing. This is mega meta.

The goal is no longer only to find or invent the unique thing that can tie the consumers closer to a brand, product, company or organization. The goal is also to deliver a sublime piece of crafted communication. The effort has seriously become worth the effort. 

Carelessness will be spotted instantly.

Written by Peter Boye, Partner in Mensch

Published in Market Magazine, Forførelsens Glemte Kunst, 14.02.2012.  

--- 

This blog post is not my own text – I have only taken the effort to translate to English and share it with you. I hope my translation is as close to the intended meaning as (meaningfully) possible. 

The original text can be read here.

The dynamic brand

Recently CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide announced Marketing to be dead.

I have conducted a couple of interviews with communication and advertising agencies and I find a consensus that supports this rather radical statement. Marketing is certainly not as it used to be. 

Marketing as I was taught 2 years ago is based on a control with the brand.

To control the brand image I was taught that communication must be aligned throughout the various touch points. Manuals and guidelines for visual identities, internal and external communication, brand guidelines etc. keep the communication consistent. Marketing and communication strategies keep focus on goals and help explain the golden plan to win the market internally as well as externally. 

My marketing books were out-dated before I even got my graduation certificate. 

As consumers we are wired with iPads, smartphones, laptops, mobile internet and endless broadband and consumers twit, like, pin, share, criticize and complain non stop. Consumers expect constant connectivity - and constant access – to your company.

Not only does it mean that companies must gear up for an 24-7 on-demand reality, it also means that consumers' activity related to the company is a massive part of the brand image. 

Brand manuals, long term marketing strategies, and aligned communication in touch points is impossible to uphold. Control is an illusion. 

My teenage years were defined by the (at that time) upcoming Internet. 

In 1998 at the age of 15, I was chatting and surfing away. I found it perfectly normal to join parties, which were planned in a chat room by people who haven't meet IRL yet. I called up "friends" I had never met when I had a computer problem. My parents were amazed, my surroundings scared and my classmates turned their back on me calling me an anti-social geek.    

My adult identity was defined through digital networks and now, even I find it difficult to navigate through the endless list of social media platforms. If this is what I am feeling, the older generations must be terrified. 

I also find social media frightening, as I have no control of how my communication is spread. But the scariest thought is that it is not spread at all.

Marketing managers must become emotional thinkers  

Consumers expect news to automatically float by in the stream of free information. They do not actively go look for news (and will certainly not pay for it). This means that content that is not shared almost instantly will float by unnoticed. 

To maximize the shares, likes, tweets etc. the company must learn their customer's online behaviour and peak time activity. And more importantly think content as engaging emotional stories and not information. The company’s goal is to build empathy. 

Marketing may not be completely dead

To navigate in this volatile, uncertain, ambiguous and complex world companies must allow the brand to be dynamic and flexible. This requires a strong brand core that is present in all brand activity. This core relates the communication to the brand and makes it "brand relevant". 

The brand core can be many things; it is up to you to define it. But it is not a website or Facebook page, not a sound identity or a sound logo. It is a philosophy, a feeling, a way to act: The essence of the company’s very being.