In the coming year, savvy CMOs will utilize digital platforms in new ways to make their brands an integral and integrated part of their customers’ everyday lives. As the digital adoption rate by consumers continues to skyrocket with new trends like Twitter, Facebook, Augmented Reality, touch walls, gesture recognition and ultra-portable devices, marketers will no longer view these platforms as standalone touch-points, but instead, as seamless engagement opportunities that keep their customers continually connected to a brand story whose plot can shift and influence purchasing decisions throughout the day.
In order to be successful with every digital initiative and to strengthen the brand-consumer relationship, CMOs must select digital platforms that deliver high engagement value, connect brands with consumers’ social networks, and provide value and relevance in context of each consumer’s location and activity.
A Day in the Life: Digital Touchpoint Opportunities
Throughout every second of every day, there are infinite ways in which brands attempt to engage customers and influence purchasing decisions. During the pioneering days of radio and billboards, advertisers utilized these “new” mediums to reach consumers on the go. However, these platforms provided little value to the consumer other than brand exposure and information dissemination. In contrast, the new digital mediums provide advertisers with custom platforms and interaction models that take into consideration where our consumers are and what they are doing at every moment and then enhance each and every one of those moments.
A perfect example is the Day in the Life Continuum, which illustrates the breadth of touch-points in which brands may interact with consumers to offer them relevant content based on the time of day, what they are doing and the devices they possess. From digital television, gaming consoles and personal computers at home, to digital billboards, in-store kiosks, mobile devices and netbooks, there are countless engagement levels that can be leveraged to keep people tuned in, seamlessly integrating brands into the everyday lives of consumers.
It is imperative that every execution extends beyond the single touchpoint along the continuum, or the consumer will find other brands to better fulfill his or her needs. This consumer cadence must be followed to determine where and how they will interact with a brand. When planning an integrated digital deployment strategy, it is important to be sensitive to the rich media capabilities, interaction models (mouse, handset device, touch, gesture, etc.), and the ability to link up multiple platforms with one another via APIs and web services. Connecting platforms and touch-points is critical in enabling the continuation of the brand story throughout the daily routine of consumers. In doing so, we are able to provide more value and relevancy to consumers’ locations and activities.
Engagement Levels Vary
Brands will compete for consumer attention at every touch-point. One way to capture mindshare is to maximize the level of engagement. We have ranked five levels of engagement, from the least to most impactful use of digital platforms. Impact is correlated directly to the cost of execution. The higher the impact, the higher the cost of execution.
Level 1 – Gag | Impact – Low | Cost – $
Usually seen on digital billboards, banners or simple iPhone applications, gags use the “big-pop” strategy— they get your attention quickly, disrupt and make you laugh. Gags are very short lived and your consumers’ attention quickly moves onto the next thing.
Level 2 – Utility | Impact – Medium | Cost – $$
These ordinarily come in the form of a calculator, recommendation engine, price finder or similar task-oriented feature. With a utility, it is important to intelligently utilize available contextual data to provide in-the-moment value. An iPhone application can be more than just a novelty that is used to kill time. Instead, for example, it could tap into a location based service (LBS), determine the proximity to a Gap store, and offer a coupon for a new shirt thereby offering utility and value to the consumer.
Level 3 – Social Connectivity | Impact - High | Cost – $$
Social networks allow consumers to effortlessly share their positive experiences and activities with your brand. Simply give them the tools to help spread the word and influence community opinions: iPhone apps, websites, online activities (such as completion of shopping experiences), Twitter and digital board SMS campaigns. Connect consumers with popular social networks, like Facebook, and watch as they fight for brand bragging rights.
Level 4 – Brand Customization | Impact – High | Cost – $$$
Build brand customization platforms that give consumers the tools to invent, create and invest their time by personalizing the product and making it their own. The ability to customize and express individuality builds stronger brand affinity and loyalty. For maximum impact, customization platforms should be linked with social media to allow users to flaunt their customized products and influence their peers.
Level 5 – Brand Lifestyle | Impact – Highest | Cost - $$$$
The highest engagement level is achieved when brands provide everyday services, utilities, customization and social ecosystems that enable consumers to truly live the brand. As demonstrated by Nike +, Nike leveraged product usage data and integrated it within a social network, creating a community of cultish belonging. Clever utility encourages competition and Nike utilized this strategy to make the campaign a tremendous success.
First generation digital platforms focused on deliverables living on a single channel: an iPhone application, an interactive Web site or a kiosk-like attraction. These individual deployments were designed to establish presence in areas where consumers were previously unreachable. CMOs will invest in Brand Lifestyle Platforms that create synergies across multiple channels, connect activities and unify all touch-points into one holistic brand experience that increases consumer mindshare and passion for the brand.
