Occupying major share of the marketing budget pie, digital marketing is not only crucial but the need of the hour. With newer technologies sprouting every second day, it has become essential for marketers to be ahead of times and cater to their TG. Digital marketing is important in not only acquiring new customers but also retain existing ones. In our weekly BrandWagon Ad Talk series, industry experts highlight what has changed over the years and more importantly, are these changes here to stay. Varun Ganjoo, co-founder and CMO, Baazi Games, an online gaming company, talks to BrandWagon Online, about the dos and don’ts of digital marketing, best marketing campaigns, and more. (Edited Excerpts)
What is the difference between launching a brand in today’s digital era versus earlier?
When Baazi Games started in 2014, digital media as a means of communication was still nascent and brands heavily relied on investing in traditional means of advertising channels namely TV, radio, print, and out-of-home advertising. This is something that was not viable for brands like us that were just starting out; between balancing operations and product cost, opting for advertising on traditional channels on a regular basis was a hefty affair.
It is interesting to see how the idea of digital marketing has shifted from being a cluttered concept to a sophisticated practice extending an edge to brands just starting out. It is giving an opportunity and better platform for brands to create recall and increase audience connection.
What are the recent best marketing or advertising campaigns you have seen and why?
The recent Lenskart campaign featuring Karan Johar and Peyush Bansal engaging in banter definitely tops the list for me. They have intricately captured Karan Johar’s humorous and flamboyant style along with Peyush Bansal’s understated and practical demeanor helped position something as basic as eyewear in a fresh and entertaining perspective.
Another one that stuck with me was a campaign by Smallcase. This one featured kids in professional settings such as a boardroom or a newsroom, while adults are depicted as playful kids in a park or at a birthday party. The spot helped break away from the mundane ways financial institutions advertise themselves and dwelled into storytelling that was fun, informative, and encouraging at the same time.
Which brand in the last year has made the best use of digital and how?
I recently came across this budding brand, Bhavya Ramesh Jewellery that incorporated a peculiar content creation strategy on Instagram that is in line with their audience. The visuals are stunning and the videos are quirky that is helping to showcase their products but also build recall with their audience.
And not just limiting to a brand, the Real Money Gaming (RMG) platforms have been creatively leveraging the digital platforms.These brands are also engaging through emerging social media platforms like Moj and ShareChat to connect with their audiences across different geographies.
In a post-Covid world, what are the dos and don’ts of digital marketing?
For me, a competent marketer and thought-through digital strategy is reflective of consumer behavior. Trying random ideas without reflecting on your consumer’s behavior has no meaning. The key premise of successful digital strategies is built on understanding and quickly adapting to the ever-changing consumer behavior and by consistently experimenting and understanding what works with the audience best.
One recent bad case of advertising you have seen, and why?
Content is the king but brands at times became ignorant about aligning it with the brand ethos and values which ends up with the strategy not resonating with the target audience.
I am an ardent believer in the fact that advertising is nothing but good storytelling. While there may not be any inherently bad cases of advertising that come to my mind right now, it has become easier to distinguish the best cases from the multitude of vacuous ones being put into practice.
Creating quality content and understanding ever-changing and evolving consumer behavior are integral in the digital-first world. Many brands these days are using the same advertising style, similar campaigns which is a waste of time, energy, and resources on campaigns that are devoid of actual goals and the inability to connect with the audience.