Farewell Industrial Brand Management.
Welcome To The Era Of Behavior Economics.
Mikko Kaijansinkko is W.Steinmann’s Strategy Director
At the W.Steinmann School of Optimization we learn how the contemporary internet marketing can be made more efficient using the methods of progressive marketing. The first part delves into what optimization is and why it should be a part of every marketers toolbox.
“The content production for our website was really expensive. We’re not gonna touch that.”
One of the most underexploited opportunities of internet marketing lies in optimization. Too often the content that ends up on the pages, stays there carved in stone and unaltered until the the entire website is demolished to give way to a brand spanking new website after two or three years.
Websites are being redesigned mainly because “they don’t work”. Even though they were planned to achieve certain goals, they won’t serve the current need. At this point, most marketers don’t stop to wonder “how should I improve my current website to match the changed situation.” Instead, they go ahead and place an order for a new website.
It goes without saying that the most cost-effective option would be to develop the current website. This is where optimization steps in.
“So what is this optimization then?”
By optimization, I mean a systematic process, where certain element on the website is being changed on the internet page and the effects on the user’s behavior is measured and analyzed. After that the necessary actions are taken to find the best alternative. This process is used for example in search engine advertising and it should be deployed in display advertising as well.*
A simple example: the advertiser wants more subscribers to their newsletter. They change the front page’s link from “newsletter” to “subscribe a newsletter” and follows the web analytics if the users use the link more than before. If not, the advertiser tries some other wording, until the best combination is found.
A more advanced advertiser uses tools which automate showing the options and choosing for this process. For example the Google’s free Website Optimizer service enables finding the best solution for the combination of multiple pictures and text.
“But wait a minute, our website works well already. There’s no need to change it.”
That’s surely the case. But take a moment to think what it would entail if the website would work even better? If the conversion rates would incread by 10%, if the time spent on your website would be minute longer or – heavens forbid – if you would sell three products instead of two to every customer through your website.
By the way, did I mention that I’m talking about your current website and actions, which actualize on the bottom line already during this fiscal year?
In the second part of the School of Optimization we learn from the bank robbers.
Timo Paloheimo works as a Digital Planner at W.Steinmann
*) Optimization is about the same thing the traditional direct marketers have done for years, it’s called testing. Internet just makes it more faster, even real time.
Interesting news, Mozilla is planning to expand the web typography universe by introducing a new type format – cutely called WOFF.
Digital design has needed these kind of tools for a long time now, the browser compatible fonts work from legibility standpoint but limit the brand (or individual) expression palette. We can now design from ground up and make sure that the aesthetics are totally in line with the desired message.
sIFR has been useful and much used in the past, but rendering large masses of type is extremely arduous and needs lots of processing power.
Possible apologies for a nerdish topic, however I feel that tools like these expand the toolset that we as designers have and elevate the web typography standards to new levels.
More here.
Petri Lattu
Sometimes it’s good to be ancient. You get to know a lot of people and sometimes have access to them.
I have been talking now to around 10 major decision makers in the marketing/communications field about their vision on the shape of the agency of the future. Thanks to everyone I’ve already met. More discussions to follow.
Here is small recap on what has been discussed, please note that these topics are nothing new – not re-inventing the wheel here:
Agencies cannot rely on the traditional copy/ad model of working too much longer.
Since the fragmentation means that we have millions of possible channels to choose from and if communications design changes from creating “small miracles” (Markku Rönkkö) to longer term narratives the core creative output has to allow that. Opinions vary from planners coming to the forefront that fun a network of specialist creatives to strategist/conceptualist hybrids forming the team of the future.
Lot has been said about our industry where the – basically handcraft based – know-how of our creatives is losing relevance. There is always a better illustrator/layout artist one connection away, and sometimes the words needed have to be stylistically very different from ad speak. Sometimes, dramaturgy is more important than scriptwriting.
This seems to be one of the issues that almost all people are thinking about, how to make the agency’s product more versatile and relevant in the myriad situations it might be needed in.
The next wave of talent isn’t interested in working at agencies anymore.
There are a large amount of young talented people that see alternatives to the traditional agency career path. They either possess specialist skills that they want to develop, or they just like to work at a more leisurely pace – reasons vary but the conclusion remains that agencies have been losing pull to attract the best talent.
If the agencies wish to remain relevant this conundrum needs to be solved in some fashion, either by creating workable virtual teams or by fixing something that is wrong within the agency structure. There also are a lot of people that still wish to work at the agencies, but the trend is clear that their appeal has diminished in recent years.
Change management should be an offering.
Everything changes all the time at a rapid pace, and so if the client’s wish to become reactive instead of pre-planned they need help in doing so. Ideas are the core offering but allowing idea delivery is as important if the client’s organization is built on buying traditional advertising. This is different from the traditional project management side of things, it usually needs deep insight on the client’s reality and even possible staffing/body leasing solutions.
Here is just a few topics covered, more to follow and I am looking to publish the results of the interviews in some narrative form when they are all concluded.
Petri Lattu
I am currently writing a proposal for an energy drink, and this brought out an idea I have been toying with in the past as well.
Brands attach, or used to attach themselves to certain lifestyle connotations – be it sports, culture or some other field of interest. Since some of these cultures appeal to a larger mass than the people actually doing these things – brands wish to add cache to themselves by lending “cool” from these tribes.
All good and well, except not.
Borrowing cool is just that, borrowing. Things like skateboarding or other “edgy” sports for instance are the most branded environments around, just compare the number of brands these people display to lets say – athletics.
Some of these brands come from the culture and are proudly worn as signs of association to a certain subtype or philosophy but not all by a mile.
I wonder, if a snowboard movie starts playing on the customers mind when he/she drinks a can of Red Bull.
I also wonder if these associations have the desired effect – cool/cachet by association always loses to being cool.
Brands aren’t communicative entities anymore, they are cultures. Maybe we should dig a bit deeper than we often do now, and find some real foundations on which to build on – and create communicative vehicles from these assets.
If a company creates door hinges, and do a good job at it – they could build communication based on openness, but what they could also do is to create activities based on ease of use, opening new horizons, access or some other conceptual framework.
Door hinge company 1:
Openness : Advocate gay rights
Door hinge company 2:
Openness : Good business governance and transparency/CSR programs
Door hinge company 3:
Openness : Allow the audience to get ahead by creating opportunities for minorities
Door hinge company 4:
Coolness : Use Parkourists to illustrate the ease on how the hinges work
One of these creates advertising, three create cultures.
The three also are brand companions instead of being communicators. They create ideologies instead of associative references.
More ramblings to follow, as i just started at W. Steinmann – my job is to plan an idea on how this industry of ours could create aforementioned culturally relevant brands. I also work here as a creative director for now.
Petri
According the study by Webtrends, half of the Twitter users say a brand has interacted with them successfully through social media, whereas 31% of Facebook users felt the same way. Hence we can state that to be successful in social media, plain presence is not enough as an idea and timing should also be incorporated to actitivies.
Wherein Facebook is a place, Twitter is situation or occasion. Therefore Twitter offers better potential for just on time brand encounter, because the user is in mood for receiving information. Facebook platform acts as a place, where the chance of interrupting the users is more present as they focus on maintaining and developing their personal friendships.
In order to avoid the interruptive advertising and to reach people when they are willing for it, brand has to recognize and be well acquainted with places and situations of social media. Evenly important is to know how and with what content the current and future brand ambassadors should be approeached.
• 85% of people under age of 35 welcome brands to sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
• 50% would leave a social networking site if it became too commercial
• 39% of social media users complain there’s too much advertising on such sites
• brands should find the balance between brand communication and bombarding
Brands are exepected to use social media to better understand customers, deliver better service and to involve users in product or service development.
The marketing manual is being re-written. The ways which worked last year in social media are expiring at fast pace. The amount of information is growing and getting cheaper. As the foot prints in social media are permantent, brands should pay attention and have resources to make right choices when planning social media initiatives. SIME recognized W.Steinmann can help your brand in these choices.
Mikko Kaijansinkko is W.Steinmann’s Strategy Director
We begin our new series, User behavior explained, with a no-brainer to some, but nevertheless a useful explanation to many Twitter newbies. What goes on (or at least should go on) in the mind of a Twitter user when she receives a new follower email from Twitter.
Image by decoding
I went to see the final concert of Nightwish’s globe-spanning, two-year Dark Passion Play tour. Musical qualities can always be debated but no one can deny that this concert with its snow effects, rain effects, confetti, indoor fireworks, bombs and flames was truly a spectacle. A worshiping event of epic proportions, where true believers had a chance to reinforce their faith – and buy some t-shirts as well.
Talk about consumer engagement.
Rock acts have intuitively used methods of progressive marketing for years without anybody telling them to do so, or giving brand consultation. The brightest and the most successful bands have always known that to reach the audiences long term, they need to be in touch with them not repeatedly but constantly and engage in a dialogue. Numerous bands state this dialogue being also a driving force of the band artistically – and surely financially as well.
To create spectacles you need both actors and an audience. This is why brands need to take heed from rock bands about staging the spectacles (even in the true situationist sense of the word). Marketers need learn how to form relationships between audience members mediated by brands.
Wouldn’t you want your brand to be the next rock star of its category? How about having loyal worshipping on a daily basis? Why not create an ever-evolving dialogue beyond mere seasonal campaigning?
Konsta Klemetti works as a Creative at W.Steinmann
When I grow up, I want to be a drug dealer. I want to make users addicted.
The drug that I’m sellling is the internet.
Check out the presentation below for more info.
Timo Paloheimo works as a Digital Planner for W.Steinmann
You are faster, stronger and more skillful than the opponent in front of you. How come the overtaking can be so difficult? The easy way is just to take the follower’s seat, stay behind the leader and accept your placing in the race. Almost just as easy is to make a specious attempt to overtake, which at the end of the day costs you an even bigger gap to leader than before.
Leading takes courage. It requires the proper driving line at the right time, in order to pass the competition. Overtaking is usually done during two or three curves. Therefore you need to plan beforehand your next steps to be done, after getting side by side with your rival. Without this you lose the lead and the feeling of happyness which leading delivers.
How should we exit the curve the economy has brought us? First you need the plan how to exit the curve accelerating faster than competition. It’s also important to visualize the time and direction of next turn, because without it you might slip aside from the optimal line of drive.
Progressive marketing helps to overtake
Progressive marketing plans the overtaking in sequences. It doesn’t believe in one curve overtaking campaigns, during which you throw yourself into to curve eyes half closed and wish for the best, without thinking what’s up next. Progressive marketing plans the overtaking and next steps to achieve sustainable lead.
The most important is to find the right time for overtaking and to decide to execute the overtaking plan to gain momentum. Without determination and will, we don’t gain the leader position. Overtaking is done in curves. Plan your exit.
Mikko Kaijansinkko is the strategy director of W.Steinmann, and drives Formula Kart in Team Mountain Dew in Fossiili Series of Helsinki