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. Pradeep Kumar aka Prady, CEO, NP Digital 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?
Launching a brand in today’s digital landscape involves leveraging various online platforms and tools to establish a swift and extensive global presence. The prevalence of the internet and social media enables rapid outreach, allowing brands to connect with a diverse audience in real-time. Targeted advertising, two-way communication through social media, and access to instantaneous analytics are key features that distinguish the current digital era, enabling brands to adapt quickly and engage with their audience effectively.
Current Practices:
- Wider Reach Quickly: With the internet and social media, we can reach a large audience globally very quickly. Digital platforms allow brands to establish their presence rapidly.
- Targeted Advertising: Digital tools provide precise targeting options. We can aim to target specific groups based on demographics, interests, and online behaviour.
- Two-Way Communication: social media enables direct interaction with customers. Brands can engage in conversations, receive feedback, and build relationships with their audience.
- Real-Time Analytics: Access to real-time data and analytics allows brands to measure the performance of their campaigns instantly. This helps in making quick adjustments for better results.
- Leveraging the internet and social media to swiftly introduce a brand to a large audience is like announcing, “Hey, we’re here” to the entire world
Earlier Practices:
- Limited Platforms: Earlier digital efforts were restricted to a few online platforms. Social media was not as prevalent, and options for digital advertising were more limited.
- Broader Targeting: Targeting in the earlier digital age was not as precise. Advertisers had fewer tools to specifically tailor their messages to particular demographics or interests.
- One-Way Communication: Communication was primarily one-way. Brands conveyed messages through websites or digital ads, but direct interaction with customers was limited compared to today.
- Slower Data Analysis: Analytics and data processing were not as advanced. It took more time to collect and analyze data, making it challenging to respond quickly to changing trends.
- Higher Costs: Digital advertising, especially on certain platforms, was relatively more expensive. Small businesses often faced barriers to entry due to higher costs associated with online promotion.
Earlier It took a long time to tell people about a brand. Brands mostly relied on TV, radio, and newspapers.
What are the recent best marketing or advertising campaigns you have seen and why?
Dove is a popular brand that makes different personal care stuff like shampoos, body washes, and more. Since 2014, Dove has been talking a lot about real beauty and how everyone is beautiful, challenging the ideas about beauty that we often see on social media.
They made something called the Dove Self Esteem Project Toolkit. It’s like a set of tools with articles and things to help people, especially young ones, feel better about themselves.
To make sure this message reached the right people, Dove and its media agency, Mindshare, made a Body Toxicity Index. This tool helped them figure out which TV shows might make people feel bad about their bodies. They then put their ads on these shows.
It worked really well! The toolkit got downloaded over 4,000 times, way more than they expected. People who saw the ads felt more connected to the brand, especially those aged 18-34. Dove even got awards for their cool campaigns .
The big lesson here is that Dove’s success comes from sticking to their values. They really believe in real beauty and boosting self-esteem, and that’s what makes people love their campaigns.
Which brand in the last year has made the best use of digital and how?
Airbnb has demonstrated exceptional utilization of digital platforms, fundamentally transforming the way we approach travel and accommodation.
On social media, like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, Airbnb shares pictures and videos from real people who use their service. They show off cool places to stay and different cities. This helps them connect with people in a friendly and real way.
They share all kinds of content – not just about places to stay but also helpful videos for hosts and guides about cities. This way, they can talk to all the different interests of the people who use Airbnb.
When faced with the challenges of the pandemic and travel restrictions, Airbnb demonstrated adaptability and innovation. They introduced “Online Experiences,” a clever initiative that allowed hosts to earn income by providing virtual tours of their local culture. This not only served as a source of revenue during challenging times but also highlighted Airbnb’s ability to evolve and meet the changing needs of its users.
In a post-Covid world, what are the dos and don’ts of digital marketing?
In navigating the dynamic landscape of digital marketing, it is crucial for brands to adopt a strategic approach that balances proactive initiatives with avoidance of potential pitfalls. As consumers increasingly turn to the online sphere, a brand’s visibility on the internet becomes paramount. Building a robust online presence is not just advantageous but a prerequisite for success in today’s digital era. This foundation sets the stage for the Do’s and Don’ts that can shape a brand’s trajectory in the digital realm.
Do’s:
- Be Online:Make sure brand is visible online. People are spending more time on the internet, so it’s crucial to have a strong online presence
- Adapt Your Content:Change messages and content to fit the current situation. Consider how people are feeling and adjust your marketing accordingly.
- Show Empathy: Be understanding in communication. Acknowledge the challenges people might still be facing and show that you care.
- Use Data for Ads:Use information about the audience to create targeted ads. This helps reach the right people with the right messages.
- Be Transparent:Be open and honest in communication. Building trust is important, and transparent communication helps achieve that.
- Think Mobile:Make sure your website and ads work well on phones. Many people use their phones to access the internet.
- Stay Updated:Keep learning about how people are behaving. Stay informed to adjust your strategies accordingly.
Don’ts
- Ignoring Mobile Users:Make sure your website and ads aren’t difficult to use on mobile devices.
- Stick to Old Ways: Only use old methods. Digital marketing offers new and better ways to reach people.
- Forget Empathy:Don’t Ignore people’s feelings. Be kind and understanding in your messages.
- Ignore Changes in Behavior: Don’t Overlook how people are changing. Be flexible and adjust your strategies based on what people are doing.
- Avoid Innovation:Don’t Stick to old ideas. Try new things to keep up with what people like.
- Assume Everyone is the Same: Don’t think that one approach works for everyone. Tailor your strategies to different groups of people.
- Lose Trust:Don’t forget how important trust is. Avoid actions that could make people doubt your brand.
One recent bad case of advertising you have seen, and why?
McDonald’s Plagiarizing marketing campaigns
Plagiarism stands as one of the unethical advertising practices, and it is never acceptable to steal someone’s ideas and present them as your own in the realm of advertising. Creativity serves as the backbone of advertising, making it crucial to respect the originality of others’ work.
While it’s permissible to find inspiration in another brand’s marketing ad, directly copying it to promote your own products or services is highly discouraged. Engaging in such behaviour will only tarnish your company’s reputation.
One notable instance of plagiarism involved McDonald’s, where the brand replicated a series of images from the widely shared engagement photos of a writer and photographer couple. Following social media backlash and public criticism, the company promptly removed the ads and issued a formal apology to the couple and their customers.