One of the biggest tasks a marketer is faced with is creating a seamless communication experience between their product’s message and their desired audience. One that is not jagged or disconnected between the tactics within, but instead offers consistent and often sequential conversation that conveys the brand’s value and purpose in a logical delivery. And very much in alignment with the path of the customer journey.
The great marketing efforts that we witness everyday put forth an amazing effort to create a tactical delivery of the message, but they often fall short of cohesive engagement. The fault is due to a focus on tactics instead of strategy, communication dynamics and cross-device planning. Fortunately, technology has empowered media planning teams to avoid tactical executions that are siloed and lack unity.
Multi-channel
The biggest pitfall is a knee-jerk reaction that results in a multi-channel campaign. Yes, you’re utilizing all those media channels that your customers rely on – video, social, mobile, etc. Yes, your ad is built perfectly for each of those individual platforms and looks amazing when delivered. So why isn’t this the best route? Easy, it’s not working in a seamless, cohesive fashion. It’s scattered and delivered in an independent manner that creates an almost free-for-all barrage of ads in your customer’s face.
The Approach
Imagine this… a customer browses an app and experiences the brand’s message. Then she watches videos and sees a pre-roll message from the brand. Finally, she’s catching up on email via her mobile phone and is met with a message from the company. Yes, they’re individual platforms, but in this case, there is a significant difference. Your ads are delivered in a sequential manner, with a logical order of delivery where messages build upon each other to help the customer reach a decision and action. This wasn’t a “spray and pray” approach, fingers crossed hoping enough frequency will equate to a conversion. Instead it’s a methodical delivery of timed, evolving communications which build upon each other to solidify the bond.
Cross-Channel
That methodical delivery takes the basic theory of multi-channel and elevates it to create an overriding and seamless brand experience through a cross-channel strategy. It adds thoughtfulness into the delivery. In doing so, the media strategy eliminates the one-off or fractured brand message. Grasping this concept is easily done when thinking about how people go about their day. In the home or experiential context (even outside the home), consumers watch TV, tackle email, go shopping in a grocery and connect to wi-fi. They listen to the radio, check their apps and shop online. Throughout those media interactions, technology like device IDs, IP addresses, household information and browser history build the tools that allow for sequential, linear message delivery. Only at that point can marketers successfully shepherd consumers through the sometimes arduous path from realizing a need to taking action in the form of a purchase.
Media strategy is arguably one of the most challenging aspects of marketing, and cross-channel planning and implementation has raised the bar on the work a great marketer must achieve. The intersection of media strategy and execution is where Morgan & Co. excels. If your brand needs help with these challenges, contact us to see how we can help.
