His focus was on military communications through the use of new technology in conflict theatre scenarios. Well, it's a war out there for brand marketers and the statement holds true for them as much as for the military.
Personally, I'm always taken aback to hear senior marketing executives talk about new media as stuff that their kids use. I hear a lot about kids who are constantly texting, or who can't be without their Xbox. They are the "new generation" that rarely watches TV as we knew it and now use DVRs and ad skipping PVRs.
Talking to an auditorium of mostly 30 to 50 something's, Sir Martin Sorrel of WPP fame put it out there, when he said at the MIPTV Show in Cannes that, “...don't look at your media habits and think that they apply to the next generation.”
Media habits are changing very rapidly and may often be linked to age and convenience. Trying to stay informed by relying on your own instinct is misguided at best and can be a disaster at worst.
Brand marketing is no longer a spectator sport, it's now a contact sport.
The level of mobile and online activity is increasing in importance with people today spending more than 20% of their time consuming ‘new media' but advertising in this area represents less than 12%. Which clearly demonstrates that many marketing people are not in tune with the real to ‘virtual' to real world consumer preferences.
If you are a media owner or brand marketer, you are in the “perfect storm”, according to Sir Martin Sorrel, caught between the worst recession since the 1930's and the fastest growing technical revolution in history, focusing exclusively on traditional media is something that should make media agencies and marketers very nervous.
It is becoming more and more important for brands and agencies to understand their customers in a much deeper and more personal way and learn how to effectively use new media channels to target personalized, individually addressable communications which is clearly one of the biggest potential strengths of the mobile media channel.
Despite the enormous growth in consumer mobile usage in South Africa and across the world, it is senior executives who make decisions about channels and budget allocations. Many of whom are often not familiar with or for that matter curious about how they work which is a key reason for the slow progress of spending and tactical deployment of channels such as mobile proximity marketing. This does not apply to everyone, just the ones who think it's just for young people or too complicated to use.
Nobody would expect senior executives to buy into programs that don't provide all the recognised media metrics including consumer reach, interactions, and brand ROI. Mobile communications provide one of the best analytic reporting platforms currently available and that if properly mined can give in-depth knowledge on contextual future use and behavioural targeting.
The late, great, David Ogilvy famously penned that, "The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife. You insult her intelligence if you assume that a mere slogan and a few vapid adjectives will persuade her to buy anything. She wants all the information you can give her."
This is why senior marketing executives should be reminded that the mobile consumer is their wife, their kids and even themselves! There are millions of South Africans accessing mobile information, messages, and promotions and constantly making brand purchase decisions. What mobile allows the marketer to do is target the communication closer to the point of purchase in a richer, deeper more relevant way than can be achieved with traditional media channels.
Mobile communications provide push and pull mechanics using SMS short codes, WAP, mobi sites, Bluetooth media and mobile GPRS enabled barcode redemption scanners. Targeted SMS and proximity Bluetooth communication are compelling calls-to-action, delivered to individuals on a very personal level direct to their mobile phone presenting the brand with the opportunity to continue the engagement through to fulfilment. Properly used and strategically developed, mobile marketing does not just create an interaction that begins and ends with the communication. The response is measured and tracked allowing the brand the opportunity to engage with the individual consumer elsewhere and more often. Mobile marketing is not restricted like traditional media such as billboards, television, store media and home computers, or any combination of these. Mobile media communication reaches more people more often because the mobile phone is the one item we have with us all the time and it's always on.
As a consumer, you may notice an Ad in a magazine or an offer on a billboard or TV, but how do you accurately measure the response? Will the brand know that you, personally, have looked at it? However, using mobile communication it becomes measurable, accountable and directly linked to ROI and if the consumer gives permission, the brand can establish an ongoing, measurable relationship.
In conclusion, I do not advocate that mobile media be a stand-alone strategy. Traditional media channels are as vital today as they have ever been, what mobile adds to the mix is the ability to make it personal, relevant and rewarding more than ever before.