The new Star Wars film is finally here, and a lot of folks are committed to watching the trilogy in preparation – because in order to know where you’re going, it’s good to remember where you’ve been.
Similarly, marketers have to the same thing this time of year. After months of grinding out holiday prep, the budgeting and planning process keeps us looking forward. But what happened in 2015 to get us here?
For so long, the phrase “without disruption” has been used in the same breath as things like quality time, concentration, relaxation, and so on. Vacation getaways, study time, spa days, date night, etcetera are all arguably better when you’re not disrupted. But in a culture where we are constantly seeking reprieve from disruptions, many brands are committed to delivering just the opposite.
My local gym is always running some kind of crazy discount for enrollment. And I can always look at this month’s (or week’s) promotion and blow it off, knowing another deal is coming. It’s hard to know, from a price-conscious standpoint, the best time to make a long-term commitment because they’re constantly repackaging the same discount, or even out-bidding themselves for my business. In a similar instance, I bought concert tickets with a loyalty-based “early bird” discount, only to find out that a deeper discount was advertised to the general public just a month later. Really? Are we expecting consumers not to notice or react to our marketing misgivings? And are we brands really expected to keep up?
As a marketer, I am rooting for marketers of all stripes to “get it right” at every channel. When a timely and relevant offer comes in, I give quiet praise for the marketing machine that made that stroke of genius happen. And I reward the company with my dollars. It’s a graceful exchange between consumer and brand when done right and a clunky, embarrassing gesture when it misses the mark.
As published by Direct Marketing News
You have probably noticed hashtags during broadcasts, tweets streaming across the screen, second-screen applications where viewers can check in to watch a TV show together online and numerous other examples of the TV industry transforming itself into something more than a lean-back experience. The multi-billion dollar TV industry is fast undergoing a realignment from appointment television on the couch to a real-time, 24/7 entertainment anywhere business. So what can brands outside of the TV ecosystem learn from this?
