Key challenges facing marketing and communication professionals of major brands.
Authentically communicating to customers is getting harder.
We’re living in a period of ever-increasing speed: there is an escalation of touchpoints by which a customer might encounter you. In this environment, a digital strategy that delivers a consistent, authentic voice across every touchpoint, especially visually and from a brand experience point of view, is becoming more difficult. Kat Hartmann, director of digital and communications at Woolworths, in her presentation at Digital Marketing Leaders Summit, said, “People are suffering cognitive overload.” In evaluating the effectiveness of content against their objectives, her team are constantly deciding whether an activity is creating “noise” or “narrative”.
“People are suffering cognitive overload.”
Kat Hartmann, Woolworths
Content is converging with every platform – even e-commerce platforms
Jasper Knoben, e-commerce and new business development lead at Philips ASEAN Pacific, in a panel at eTail Asia, picked up on a common theme, which is that even at the harder, more transactional end of digital marketing, storytelling is increasingly necessary. He talked about a convergence between content and e-commerce.
“Even if you’re a straight e-commerce platform, you still need to become a content creator. You need to express your brand values through either user- or own- generated content.”
Jasper Knoben, Philips
Customers experience brand holistically – both online and offline
Most people’s experiences are offline, so brands are looking for ways to use innovative brand design that enhances their online experience with their offline one. At eTail Asia, many established brands, such as Crocs or Moleskine, are focused on an integrated approach between physical and digital. Clare Chan of Her Velvet Vase, a popular Singapore-based brand, is at the vanguard of formerly ‘online only’ brands who now recognise that physical experiences deepen their customers’ loyalty.
“Being online gives you time to introduce your brand, but it’s offline, in the physical world, where an opportunity exists to truly cement the relationship with your customers.”
Clare Chan, Her Velvet Vase
This is part 2 of 4 blogs exploring multidiscipline design and its benefits. Read Part 3 here.
