It’s day two at Ad:tech and we continue to hear examples of consumer focused campaigns run by advertising agencies (in the main) which are generating ‘engagement’ between brands and consumers. What’s surprised me about the conference is the focus on projects or campaigns as opposed to long term stakeholder engagement programs. This fact highlights a key point for me and this is that the advertising industry is culturally aligned with campaigns with a start and an end point while social media strategists and the PR industry are focused on building and managing relationships with influencers over time.
The fact that no-one seems willing (or able) to define Influence or Engagement is further evidence to me that the content of the conference is very project focused, which is reflective of an industry which is not ready or able to put the stake in the ground when it comes to qualitative measures. The Smirnoff Experience case study was interesting and compelling (original, not so?) – the team talked about the ability to turn on and turn off the community.
My second observation, which supports, the point made above is that many of the campaigns projects are focused on competitions or contests, which involve a prize (7:Eleven – free Slurpies), (Vodafone NZ – 10,000 prizes plus $10,000 cash prize for the winner); (V – $100,000 in prize money). In a sense this is a form of sponsored conversation between the brand and consumer – if it represents a conversation at all.
This is a theme that Mark Jones picks up on here.
[...] Adtech conference highlighted differences within the industry says Daniel Young on the Just Another 24 Hours blog: “The advertising industry is culturally aligned with [...]
[...] Ad:tech agenda dominated by branded competitions rather than conversations with brands (Daniel Young… [...]
“the advertising industry is culturally aligned with campaigns with a start and an end point while social media strategists and the PR industry are focused on building and managing relationships with influencers over time.”
I think you’d find it’s the advertisers who are driving the idea of campaigns … campaigns stem from tactical business goals which are more often than not short term ones.
It’s very easy to point fingers here but the reality is a touch deeper than this.
I agree with Ben.
And if every brand I interact with wanted to have a conversation with me 365 days a year, my calendar would be pretty full.
One of the biggest factors driving campaign focus periods is trade windows. For example when a brand has in store support across a 4 week period, marketers need to do everything they can to maximise sales during this time. And they are often only given the trade support in return for a ‘campaign’. Usually one that involves television advertising.
I think longer term relationship building is critical, but it’s short sighted to dismiss campaigns as having a role in marketing.
[...] Ad:tech agenda dominated by branded competitions rather than conversations with brands (Daniel Young… [...]
kate is bang on … this is where i think some of us need to think deeper about the whole chain for advertisers … particularly the retailers and the trade.
do you think coles/harvey normal/woolies give a rats about your ‘dialogue’ with the client when they order x thousand units of your product to sell in a 6 week window. Not at all – all they want is assurance that you will drive a shedload of traffic and awareness so those suckers sell and don’t take up valuable shelf space.
influence and engagement are important, sure, but it’s time to think broader … and this was my main issue with the discussion and digital blinkers at adtech.
Thanks for your comments guys and for making this the most commented/tracked post in the history of justanother24hours.com – I appreciate the feedback.
At the end of the day, I guess this comes down to how we – as an industry and community – via what is occurring in our increasingly digital world.
Does this transformation simply provide us with a channel to reach consumers in order to sell products and make money or does it represent a real opportunity to change the dynamics between consumers and businesses in a meaningful and positive way. Perhaps that ‘broader thinking’ would take a look at that dynamic – of course, the marketing industry is going to respond to the immediate needs of the commercial sector but it was disappointing that the conference didn’t address these challenging questions.
[...] Ad:tech agenda dominated by branded competitions rather than conversations with brands (Daniel Young… [...]
picking up on the comment from Ben shepard re selling x thousand of untis in a six week period I think engagement and brand awareness are vitally important to work alongside short term campaigns for with out awareness and affinity towards brands in the first place retailer wouldnt be able to shift the units .Unfortunately we live in a world of instant gratification and I cant help feeling those brands that ignore the bigger picture by ignoring the dynamic new marleting opportunities Nick O’brien talked about in his opening key note speech will be the ones that suffer in the long run.It is only by knowing and understanding thier customers be engaging in conversations with them will they truly be able to add value to their brands and ultimately shift units. its the classic advertising dilemma do you focus on selling cans of coke or focus on the image of the brand?
[...] Ad:tech agenda dominated by branded competitions rather than conversations with brands (Daniel Young… [...]