“I hear and I forget…I see and I remember…I experience and I understand.”
- Confucius
Sample this – Johaan, a regular 23-year-old, wakes up in the morning to
the sound of the radio alarm on his smartphone. On his way to work, the mobile
again updates him on the mails waiting for him while outdoor communication,
from various brands, vies for his attention. At work the PC is his gateway to
the world, assisting him on all ‘official’ and ‘unofficial’ needs. There is a
blurred line between official and unofficial anyway!
On a typical evening his attention is divided between the television
screen, the conversations on the phone (he doesn't call it his mobile or
cellphone cause he’s never used a landline!), as well as the Internet through his
laptop.
The unresolved question now is – how does a marketer activate him
effectively? (communication is passé, marketing is all about activating
consumers now), he who is pressed for time and space-of-mind and does not
devote himself completely to one medium of communication?
Against the Indian population of 1.25
billion, there are over 800 million mobile connections. It is estimated that of
these, 92 million are active mobile social users – that more than the
population of Germany!
Just like the real world provides an
opportunity for marketers to sell to consumers and activate consumers, just the
same the Internet and mobile world provides an opportunity to sell and
activate. The key to the connect on-ground
and on the mobile is the experience. In such a scenario, experiential marketing
is assuming more importance for brand to create a connect with the youth. Experiential
marketing focuses on providing touch points to a consumer that are personal and
encourage two-way dialogue. The mobile phone is unique in its ability to be
both – personal and provide engagement.
Along with the newfound self-confidence that young India has in itself, consumers
are smarter and have unprecedented access to information and data. Advertisers
have long used the approach of one-size fits all within a demographic segment,
and relied heavily on creating generic mass media messaging. But they are now
learning that they need to be more attuned to the demands and desires of specific
target audiences.
The plethora of marketing directed at young consumers has invariably
made them develop a shield towards marketing related communication and a
shorter attention span. The world and all our screens are one giant advertising
communication billboard today and not all of it is interesting and very little
of it is intelligent and targeted. If a marketer does not manage to capture the
consumer’s imagination quickly, and bring them into the inner-circle of
activation, he may never get a second chance with the same consumer.
The new iOS and Mac Yosemite OS have the ability for a user to work
seamlessly or consume media across Apple devices on a document or email or
anything one may be doing. All one has to do is flick between devices and keep
working or consuming media, marketing and activation must keep pace with this
to seek and keep loyal consumers.
Consumers are living their lives across physical and cyber worlds
seamlessly, seeking information, evaluating purchase options and then finally
making brand decisions. Consumers don't think in terms of the stores, malls,
traditional trade, modern trade, mobile, internet, PC, tablet etc etc. Its all
one huge hotch potch to them and that's what we have to jump into and talk to
them and activate them for our brand.
Brand Activation agencies are in an enviable position of owning the last
mile for our clients’ brands, few other brand custodians understand the
consumer better at the moment of truth. Now, if the agency can layer on to this
an ability to understand the mobile behaviour and world of the consumer…..
Atul S. Nath is the Founder; Managing Director of Candid Marketing, founded in 1995. You can follow atul’s musings on twitter @atuln
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