Content strategy is a paradox. Every brand needs to figure out its content play. But there is already more existing content than anyone can ever consume. In an environment boasting millions of tips, tricks and hacks, billions of reviews, how-tos and infographics, trillions of recipes, diets or exercise routines and zillions of videos on every conceivable topic, savvy marketers want to know what content is the strongest lure, how much content is enough, which combination of content is the most potent and which content converts browsers into buyers fastest. As a result two kinds of content strategists are emerging. The definition of the practice and the deliverables often mirror the skills, perspective or experience of the practitioner. In thinking about deploying content strategists, consider two major tasks. Each requires a different kind of strategist with distinctive skills sets. Systemic. Somebody has to figure out what is the best way for a brand to present itself and its story across platforms and channels. This strategic work requires a clear and consistent understanding of business goals and brand assets, which are mapped to customer actions and intentions with the idea of creating relevant, useful and resonant conversations and interactions. A systemic Read more…
Data is the new black. Touted as a silver marketing bullet, data and scientific thinking will guide creativity in an evolving social and mobile universe. This is the rationale underlying the launch of OgilvyAmp, essentially an aggregation and rebranding of the data wonks buried among Ogilvy’s global offices. This is a great PR move, which exaggerates Ogilvy’s IBM-driven capabilities and differentiates the WPP agency from the rest of us who manage and analyze data for clients. Yet in spite of these press-worthy moves and the widespread availability of proven data collection, mining, processing and automation tools mainstream marketers aren’t walking the walk. So why would rational competitive marketers underutilize tools that could make them smarter, faster and richer? Here are 6 stumbling blocks. Math Phobia. Most of us suck at math or are still traumatized by residual math anxiety from school. Couple this with the general feeling that math constrains creativity and you have an attitudinal bias against using the data at hand. Talent Deficit. The top math guys don’t work in marketing or advertising. Agencies, marketers, e-merchants and publishers are constantly trolling for hard-to-find analysts, modelers and database marketers but come up short. For math savants, advertising is baby Read more…
At the dawn of the wearables age, the competition among brands introducing smart watches is a proxy battle for who will win at miniaturization, processing and big data integration. That’s why in spite of limited functionality or utility there’s a land rush among brands to stake out positions and develop attentive audiences for technologies that will evolve to sci-fi levels. Initially smart watches appeal to early adopters, gadget guys and geeks of both genders. From the manufacturers’ perspective, gaining early brand preference equals limitless long term potential. Several factors will govern the pace of innovation and the scale of product differentiation. All smart watches rely on the Google-owned Android Wear operating system. Unlike the Android mobile OS, which has morphed into hundreds of variations, Google intends to tightly control this technology; the second version of which is slated for a mid-October release. If all manufacturers use the same basic operating system this levels the playing field. At this moment, all smart watches are satellite devices synched and linked to smart phones. In the future miniaturization and software improvements will enable them to be independent devices. But today they are totally dependent on a smart phone for Internet access and most Read more…