The pandemic has brought about notable shifts across industries, and the case has been no different for marketing. Today, digital marketing has become a crucial aspect in order to acquire new customers and retain existing ones. In our weekly BrandWagon Ad Talk series, industry experts highlight what has changed over the past two years and more importantly, are these changes here to stay. Mini Sood Banerjee, assistant director and head of marketing, Amorepacific Group, talks to BrandWagon Online, about the dos and don’ts of digital marketing, best marketing campaigns, and more.
What is the difference between launching a brand in today’s digital era versus earlier?
Due to the deep influence of the internet and technical breakthroughs, brand launches in the modern digital era are very different from those in the past. Here are some significant variations:
Reach and Accessibility: Digital channels today provide a worldwide audience. Brands may interact with a huge and diversified audience via social media, e-commerce, and search engines, regardless of distance.
In the past, brand launches were frequently restricted to local or regional markets. Expansion on a national or worldwide scale was a difficult and expensive undertaking.
Cost Efficiency: Today, digital marketing is frequently more economical than traditional advertising. Email campaigns, social media, and content marketing are all inexpensive ways to reach a broad audience.
Earlier, small companies found it difficult to compete since traditional advertising through TV, radio, print media, and billboards needed substantial sums.
Data and analytics: Modern firms can make data-driven decisions, fine-tune tactics, and hone their marketing campaigns thanks to advanced analytics technologies that deliver real-time data on customer behaviour.
In the past, it was difficult to comprehend customer preferences and gauge the success of marketing campaigns due to insufficient data gathering and analysis.
Engagement and Interactivity: Social media platforms today allow for one-on-one communication with clients. Brands may interact with consumers in real-time, get feedback, and create communities around their goods or services.
In the past, most client communication took place through advertising or customer care hotlines.
Online sales and e-commerce: Today, e-commerce platforms have transformed the retail industry. Online direct sales from brands to customers eliminate the need for physical shops and middlemen.
In the past, brands had little control over the shopping experience since they depended on brick-and-mortar stores and wholesalers for sales.
Content marketing: Today, organisations can create authority, inform customers, and foster trust by using blogs, videos, podcasts, and social media. In the past, content marketing was less common and printed materials were the main source of informational content.
Today, brands are more agile and adaptable than ever before because to the pace of digital communication. For businesses to remain competitive, agile marketing techniques are crucial.
Prior to this, conventional marketing strategies sometimes required longer lead times and were less flexible to rapid changes in customer behaviour.
In conclusion, establishing a brand in the current digital era provides unmatched possibilities for reach, cost-effectiveness, data-driven decision-making, and direct consumer involvement. It also necessitates flexibility, a strong internet presence, and the capacity to survive in a hostile environment. Brands that successfully use digital tools and tactics may expand and succeed quickly.
What are the recent best marketing or advertising campaigns you have seen and why?
I’ve always admired Dove’s campaigns for sparking a global dialogue about expanding the concept of beauty. Dove’s brand values revolve around self-love, empowerment, and redefining beauty, all of which they achieve through their impactful campaigns like the Self-Esteem Project and the Real Beauty campaigns. These campaigns have played a pivotal role in not only establishing Dove as a distinct brand but also setting it apart from the competition while significantly enhancing brand recognition. Dove has consistently created unique and groundbreaking campaigns that have captured the hearts of its customers time and again. The company’s success can be attributed to its commitment to thoughtful, emotion-driven, empathetic, and sophisticated marketing strategies. As a result, Dove has transitioned from creating merely activity-based campaigns to producing awe-inspiring content creations, exemplified by campaigns like “Real Beauty” and “Choose Beautiful.”
Additionally, Tira’s #ForEveryYou campaign is a powerful celebration of beauty in all its diverse forms. The brand has introduced three prominent personalities, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kiara Advani, and Suhana Khan, as the faces of this inspiring campaign. What’s particularly appealing about this recent Tira campaign is its strategic approach to inclusivity and representation. By featuring celebrities from different age groups and targeting a variety of demographics
Which brand in the last year has made the best use of digital and how?
One example that stands out to me is Cadbury’s Dairy Milk advertisement featuring Shahrukh Khan, which made excellent use of digital platforms. Cadbury created a microsite as part of their campaign, and it wasn’t just a typical Cadbury ad. In response to the pandemic’s impact on small, local businesses, Cadbury collaborated with Ogilvy India to launch a campaign called “Not Just A Cadbury Ad.” This campaign recognized the challenges faced by smaller enterprises during the pandemic and sought to support them. Using data-driven strategies and machine learning, the campaign featured advertisements that not only promoted Cadbury but also showcased thousands of local businesses. It was a clever and impactful way to utilize digital marketing to aid local businesses while featuring a Bollywood icon like Shah Rukh Khan.
In a post-Covid world, what are the dos and don’ts of digital marketing?
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, digital marketing has evolved, and it’s crucial for businesses to adapt to the changing landscape. Here are some key considerations in this post-Covid world.
Dos:
Keeping up with and enhancing your web presence is crucial. A strong online presence is essential given the growing reliance on digital platforms. This include improving your website, keeping up with social media, and maybe branching out into pertinent online marketplaces.
Another crucial action item is mobile optimisation. The use of mobile devices is on the rise, thus optimising your website and content for mobile devices is crucial if you want to successfully reach more people.
The rule for content development should be quality over quantity. Consumers are overwhelmed with information, so it is more beneficial to concentrate on creating high-quality, value content that meets the wants and problems of your audience.
Customisation is important. Utilise consumer insights and data to target your marketing campaigns. Understanding and catering to individual interests and behaviours may dramatically increase your performance with digital marketing, whether it be through personalised suggestions, email content, or product offerings.
The ability to do business online has become of utmost importance. Investing in e-commerce capability can provide clients easy online buying experiences if your organisation permits it.
The use of video in marketing is still effective. More efficiently than text or still photos, live streaming, product demos, and interesting films may attract and enlighten your audience.
Email marketing is still effective, but it must be done properly. Make sure your emails are helpful, succinct, and relevant. Improve user engagement by personalising email campaigns depending on their behaviour.
Finally, show social responsibility. Supporting appropriate charities and politely and honestly addressing current social concerns are two ways to demonstrate that your company is socially conscious.
Don’ts:
Ignoring privacy and safety issues is a crucial “don’t”. It’s critical to observe privacy regulations and maintain data security while remaining mindful of user data limits.
Keep an eye on new social media sites and trends. Don’t pass up these chances to connect with your audience since they may be useful, especially if your target market is switching to new platforms.
Analytics of data shouldn’t be disregarded. Analyse your digital marketing activities often to gauge their success and make data-driven adjustments. This is especially crucial in a digital environment that is evolving quickly.
Avoid being indifferent to or tone deaf to the current global situation. Due to the fact that customers are acutely aware of these variables, make sure your messaging is sympathetic and sensitive of current events.
Not ignoring customer input is a good idea. Instead, take the chance to enhance your goods and services in response to client feedback to demonstrate that you respect their views.
Although it might be useful, don’t automate too many client contacts. In some circumstances, genuine human interaction is still essential.
One should not disregard mobile users. As mobile traffic increases, be sure that your website and marketing materials are responsive.
Don’t forget to focus on search engine optimisation (SEO), either. It’s still essential to be visible in search results to drive organic traffic to your digital assets.
In conclusion, flexibility and empathy are necessary for digital marketing in a post-Covid era. Businesses may successfully traverse the changing digital world and establish genuine connections with their audience by adhering to these dos and don’ts.
One recent bad case of advertising you have seen, and why?
An example of a recent poor advertising campaign that caught my attention is the Vimal Pan Masala advertisement featuring three celebrities – Shahrukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Ajay Devgn. In this ad, the actors initially promote the message of avoiding harmful substances. However, they later contradict this message by endorsing the very product they discouraged.