In the first chapter of Twitter is Not a Strategy: Rediscovering the Art of Brand Marketing, to be published by Palgrave Macmillan (November 2014), Tom Doctoroff observes, ”
For those of you now associated with an organization that is struggling to cope with the digital revolution, he offers nine specific suggestions that will, he hopes, leave no doubt as to the great importance of insight, the unfailing power of brand ideas, and the power of clear creative ideas. They are as critical online as they are offline.
1. “Let “People Power” enhance authenticity: “The litmus test of content effectiveness is whether it is interesting enough [hence credible enough] to be shared.”
2. Let content dictate value exchange: “Marketers should address fundamental motivations for behavior that spring from unresolved conflicts” such as an unmet need or unfulfilled dream.
3. For message amplification, wrap value in creative execution: Master the craftsmanship of ideas, associated with long-term brand equity — “that is, the emotional attachment to brands.”
4. Develop inherently social content: “Content that people share helps build word of mouth, and, it is hoped, brand advocacy — that is, peer-to-peer recommendations.” Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba call this “customer evangelism.”
5. Produce “snackable” content: to entice deeper engagement: “Snackable content is bite-sized chunks of information that an audience can quickly consume and that the marketer hopes will lead to extended immersion in richer content.”
6. Align content with the path to purchase: “Every piece of content should lead to the next, creating a virtual circle of ‘´excite, demonstrate, and select.'”
7. Reduce waste by targeting: “One of the most powerful aspects of online marketing is the ability to target specific demographic or behavioral segments of the market. Too often, marketers waste money with content that attracts inappropriate users.” They won’t buy what you’re selling and probably resent having their interest misdirected and time wasted
8. Ensure content is discoverable: “Content will not be effective if consumers do not know it exists or are unable to find it, and brand awareness is difficult to achieve with ‘unpaid’ online media.”
9. Use date to optimize creative executions: “The basics of producing creative material — rooted in relevant insight into consumer behavior and posted where consumers will be receptive to the ads — have not changed as a result of the popularity of digital medias…Over time, however, the look and feel of advertising can evolve significantly when based on data that view a virtuous cycle of ‘test, learn, and apply’ content optimization.”
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Tom Doctoroff is the CEO of J. Walter Thompson in Asia Pacific. He is one of Asia’s most respected advertising professionals and also a leading expert in Chinese consumer psychology. Born and bred in America’s Detroit and educated in Chicago, he took a detour to Hong Kong in 1994 and never quite made it back to the States. His unique combination of pan-Asian work, plus more than a decade based in China, has made him a leading expert in the cross-border management of brand architecture and brand building.
He has appeared regularly on CNBC, NBC’s The Today Show, Bloomberg Businessweek, and National Public Radio and is frequently featured in publications ranging from the Financial Times and Bloomberg Businessweek to the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Furthermore, he is a sought after keynote speaker for events such as the International Advertising Association’s global symposium, University of Chicago’s Global Management Conference, the China Luxury Summit and the JPMorgan Asia Pacific Equities conference.
To learn more about him, please click here.