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. Shashank Srivastava, senior executive officer, marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki India 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?
In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, the dynamics of brand launches have been redefined and poised at the confluence of digital and physical realms. The pandemic catalysed profound changes across industries, propelling digital marketing to the forefront as a pivotal tool for acquiring new customers and retaining existing ones. The digital ecosystem has enabled brands to navigate launches without needing a physical or traditional media presence. Furthermore, social media and digital commerce platforms have levelled the playing field, offering a launch pad for innovative and smaller brands to enter the market. This evolution has fostered the rise of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands.
Utilising digital media for targeted marketing has notably reduced the time needed to create awareness among specific audiences. While influencers and digital opinion leaders play a key role in rapidly reaching and establishing trust with audiences. Nevertheless, amidst this digital evolution, compelling storytelling remains essential. Without a captivating narrative strategy, brands risk struggling to gain relevant mindshare, potentially leading to unsuccessful launches. Thus, navigating a successful brand launch in the contemporary era requires a delicate balance between the power of digital channels and the art of engaging storytelling to make a lasting impact and form true connection with its audience.
What is the recent best marketing or advertising campaigns you have seen and why?
Brand advertisements that truly resonate with their intended audience possess a certain powerful impact. They succeed in forging an immediate, authentic connection between the brand and its target demographic. This connection speaks to the deepest desires and inclinations of the audience, creating a lasting impression that is difficult to shake. As advertising students learn, a great ad must adeptly answer four critical questions to be truly effective.
‘Who am I?’ – Reflecting the brand’s lineage, the organisation’s rich history, and the heritage behind the brand.
‘What am I?’ – Articulating the brand’s capabilities, both functional and emotional, showcasing its features and overall functionality.
‘For whom am I?’ – Clearly defining the target audience that the advertisement intends to address.
‘Why me?’ – Articulating how the brand stands out among its competitors and why it’s a superior choice.
The recent landscape has been adorned with several exceptional campaigns, two of which have left an indelible mark:
Apple’s campaign centred around the accessibility features for differently abled users:
Apple’s campaign showcases useful technical features improve the lives of differently abled individuals while re-affirming the company’s leadership in accessibility.
Cadbury’s Ad using ML Technology:
The ad used AI technology to recreate Shah Rukh Khan’s voice and face, promoting local stores and Cadbury products. It helped connect local vendors with nearby customers. Different versions were shown based on the viewer’s location, making it an excellent idea to help small businesses post-COVID-19.
Which brand in the last year has made the best use of digital and how?
When it comes to digital marketing, there are two levels to consider: the use of single ideas and the development and maintenance of a comprehensive, always-on digital strategy.
In terms of single ideas, I believe Amazon consistently runs effective digital campaigns throughout the year, highlighting relevant features and benefits of their various products and services. They successfully integrate multiple propositions in a single campaign to provide consumers with value and help the business grow.
Talking about a comprehensive full-funnel digital approach, I would like to take an Auto Sector example which used to be a highly physical process intensive industry. As the industry moves away from physical processes to digital ones, Maruti Suzuki quickly adapted to changing consumer trends. The company developed a comprehensive full-funnel approach with arguably the world’s largest hyperlocal program, which is centrally managed. Our Customer Data Platform, for example, does data warehousing and stitching of data from cookie level to PII data of consumers, enabling lookalike campaigns and predictions like Next Best Actions. Maruti Suzuki’s comprehensive Market Analytics program generates automated campaigns to nudge consumers in near-real-time at various journey stages. Despite being market leaders and receiving a significant number of organic enquiries, we remain most aggressive in staying in touch with every intending consumer. This would not be possible without the company’s robust digital ecosystem, which has undoubtedly contributed to the brand’s success and growth.
In a post-Covid world, what are the dos and don’ts of digital marketing?
To succeed in the post-COVID world, businesses had to adapt and evolve with regard to their digital marketing strategies. With more people interacting online, it became more important to have a strong online presence, engage with customers and use data wisely.
This means having an optimised website, an active social media presence and a solid SEO strategy. Neglecting these platforms could mean missing out on potential customers. Marketers also need to be agile and ready to adapt to changes in consumer behaviour and preferences. Failure to do so could render marketing efforts useless in a constantly changing landscape. Building and nurturing customer relationships is key to success. Personalised content, responsive support, and feedback mechanisms help to foster loyalty and create a strong brand-consumer relationship.
It is also important to use data and analytics to refine marketing strategies and improve targeting precision. Ignoring or underestimating the insights gained from these tools could lead to ineffective campaigns and missed opportunities. Empathetic communication is vital in the current global situation. Brands must understand the current climate, as insensitivity risks alienating audiences and harming brand reputation. To be successful in the post-COVID world, businesses need to adapt to changing norms, prioritise customer engagement, leverage data insights and maintain a considerate brand image in all communications.
One recent bad case of advertising you have seen, and why?
Effective advertising requires dedicated effort from creative teams, aiming for impactful communication and no team intends to create subpar advertising. Every advertisement signifies a brand promise. Honesty and realism in delivering on these promises are crucial, as today’s discerning consumers swiftly detect over-promises, voicing dissatisfaction through social media. Honesty, transparency and engaging campaigns are vital to build brand loyalty and trust with the audience, as the modern consumer demands authentic and resonant brand interactions.