The Integration of Marketing

How do each brands marketing strategies differ across each platform? Is this an imperative for a successful campaign?

This weeks lecture, highlighted the importance of creating a sound Integrated Marketing Campaign by incorporating not just digital but off-line marketing subsequently.

The key theme was consistency in your messaging but tackling the appropriate platforms desirable to your audience, because really….

It is all about your audience!

Oat-ly have successfully created an IMC which consists of powerful but humerus out-of-home murals placed in different cities.

Oat-ly have encapsulated the humour associated with all things vegan, instagram and influencers which appeals to many consumers. Due to the uniqueness of these advertisements, the message is therefore ingrained in a consumers mind.

Source: Instagram

They have remained consistent and used different platforms to spread their marketing message direct to consumers.

Oat-ly have created a successful IMC by having a clear understanding of their consumers, their target market and the channels that they use in alignment with their communication methods. The consistency developed throughout their campaign has been maintained across each marketing avenue the brand has implemented. Lastly, Oat-ly have created clear, consistent content used to suit the channels of advertising. For example, their out-of-home signage would not have been as effective, if at all, if the message was shown on a social media page such as Instagram or Facebook. The messages used in this type of advertising were compelling and attention grabbing which appeals to the audience.

IMC is about consolidating different marketing platforms and tailoring a marketing message that will both enhance that message and is consistent throughout. In our digital world, consumers are being exposed to thousands of pieces of information and therefore it is crucial for brands to portray a sense uniqueness, while maintaining a message that appeals to their brands values and their audience.

Is technology making us safer?

In this weeks lecture, wearable technology and big data are main topics. These two breakthroughs in technology have made our world more accessible and ‘easier’ for everyday activities but….

Are we safe?

The Internet of Things has enabled us to create sensors and has increased the connections we have daily, it has improved access and therefore increased data sharing.

Our connections are ever growing

This has me thinking about our data.

Right now, people are paying through their phones and their smartwatches, where most of our personal information is stored.

It seems as though all of our information is being shared, our data is being bought by other data companies for statistics and analytics and then being sold further. The more we use technology, the more complex it is becoming and it has me thinking if our personal information is really safe at all.

This form of Big Data can be used for micro-marketing and also for correlations with purchases. How many times have you been speaking to a friend about a certain item or topic only to be scrolling through social media later to find an advertisement based on what you were just talking about…

This has happened to me countless times and companies use this to entice you with their products based on a small analytical association.

Recently, Facebook has been under scrutiny for sharing 6.8 million users data (including never posted photos) to technology companies. They have also been reported to be harvesting personal data of 50 million people for targeted political advertisements.

This makes me very worried for our future, if Facebook has access to millions of individuals personal data and are sharing this information with powerful companies, what is stopping other global tech giants doing the same?

The era of choice

Is mobile marketing to blame for too much choice?

How many times as consumers have you been overwhelmed with the amount of information out there? and how many times have you clicked on a website, a video or even an online store and become dissatisfied in the first 30 seconds and clicked to the next one?

In this digital age we are currently living, we are inundated with thousands of pieces of information EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Most of that information comes from our mobile devices and from brands who mobile market. The idea behind mobile marketing in the ease and convenience of being on your phone and using one device to perform a multitude of tasks. Including, apps, social media, search engines and eCommerce retailing.

Our world is becoming increasingly busy and our lives are becoming overwhelming and the simplicity of only having one mobile device, instead of a laptop, iPad and desktop computer is something that mobile marketers have capitalised on.

“UBIQUITOUS NETWORK”

– Mark D Weiser (1991)

Mark Weiser, a scientist of Xerox PARC invented the ubiquitous network, which describes a network of not one single device but a combination.

Therefore, a mobile device is any tool that allows access to a ubiquitous network beyond one access line. The main idea of this is the transition from one device to another and the fact being that we are always connected despite the change over from device to device.

As an example, I rarely watch TV but I do enjoy watching Netflix or Stan shows a few times per week. Personally, if I am watching something with advertisements it will switch back and forth between my phone and the screen I am intended to be watching. I know many people can relate to this as I feel like we are always connected through a device and switching between two or more at one time.

When I am doing an assignment, every now and again I will take a ‘break’ and check my phone for a couple of minutes.. or half an hour.. The fact is, I am still connected no matter the device but switching my focus between two and in theory it sounds like ridiculous concept.

Knowing your consumers

How mobile marketing is assisting brand purchasing

The figure above demonstrates how marketers can utilise mobile devices to engage and create awareness about purchase decisions.

Research demonstrates that 1 in 3 mobile users make purchase decisions from brands that were not their first choice, and the reasoning is because:

“They provided information when it was needed“

– Helen Veyna, 2018

KNOWING your consumer base is one of the most important aspects to marketing, and through mobile marketing it can be achieved by repeated exposure to a brand through ads, cookies and sponsored posts daily. The information will always be there for the consumer and will be used in their purchase decision.

While many in the society long for simplicity in their lives, it appears that many consumers are becoming increasingly exposed by a tyranny of information which ultimately sways their purchase decision. Mobile marketing is a powerful technique that has ultimately changed the way in which consumers interact with brands and with others in society.

The idea of ‘too much choice’ can be discussed as a way that the digitisation as we know it has changed and maybe we will always be connected.

The power of a brand

A brand can be defined by The Business Dictionary as:

“Unique design, sign, symbol, words, or a combination of these, employed in creating an image that identifies a product and differentiates it from its competitors”

– Business Dictionary (2019)

Consuming the Journal of Management article written by Hodis (et al., 2015) prompted me to think about the power of brand in today’s society. The concept of a ‘brand’ engulfs itself into every facet of the modern era, from business to sport or from influencers to marketers. The truth is, a brand is not just what consumers perceive a company to be but a wholesome picture of every aspect of a company including brand perception, positioning and differentiation. In a digital age that is already saturated by brand information, it is imperative for brands and company’s alike to create differentiation.

The article also highlights the influence of global digital brands such as Facebook has on consumers. By implementing a four-segment framework below, companies can establish a brand marketing strategy purely based on these segments for their target market.

By utilising these strategies, not only Facebook, but each social media platform can create value and approval from their consumers engagement. Thus, for a brand to create a continued growth they must adhere to their own target demographic and tailor a marketing strategy around this idea. Each demographic of consumers will respond differently and this concept is imperative to a successful digital marketing campaign.

Which segment do you fit in?

Personally, I am a connection seeker. I complain about influencers and their lavish lifestyles constantly, but find myself intently following their every move and seeking that connection to their lives. I believe that most people in this category unwittingly wish they lived an influencer lifestyle but either a) are too lazy to try, b) afraid of what people may think or c) have totally given up on the idea due to saturation of the influencer market.

Consequently, influencers portray their own type of ‘brand’ that is publicised daily. Quite frankly, the problem with this form of marketing is that over time genuineness can fade or build along with the brand. Once consumers are exposed to an allotment of information about an individual it is then up to that person to continue with that belief and find company’s that align with the same values.

Once consumers are faced with conflicting values of an influencer, ingenuity arises and cracks will appear. Social media itself can be such a damaging place to be for that very reason and it is very difficult for the public to recognise a fake brand from a genuine one.

Here are some interesting articles about ‘fake’ influencers:

• Here
• Here
• And Here

References:

• BusinessDictionary.com. (2019). Which of your friends needs to learn this term?. [online] Available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/brand.html [Accessed 6 Aug. 2019].
• Hodis, M., Sriramachandramurthy, R. and Sashittal, H. (2015). Interact with me on my terms: a four segment Facebook engagement framework for marketers. Journal of Marketing Management, 31(11-12), pp.1255-1284.

Welcome to my Digital Marketing blog!

Hello, my name is Georgia and I am a third year Entrepreneurship student at RMIT University. I am undertaking Digital Marketing to incorporate my passion for communication and marketing in the modern era.

I am sharing with you what I have learnt in my course which will include business analytics, communication techniques and viral content.

Please feel free to comment and share your insights! I hope I can provide a different perspective and some key insights into digital marketing.

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I hope you enjoy!