Positioning, paid media and pizzas
The New Year starts with predictions about how the world will once again be very different to the last 12 months and we need a new strategy to compete with the next wave of digital start-ups or disruptive brands. Digital has changed the way we communicate but that does not mean more conventional thinking is destined for the trash can. Here are three thoughts to get you up and running:
- Brand positioning is still important in the digital age.
Whether we are marketing a 113-year-old tennis tournament like the Australian Open or the latest ASICS GEL RESOLUTION tennis shoes worn by Novak Djokovic, clear and consistent brand positioning is an essential ingredient.
As Motoi Oyama, Chairman, President and CEO of ASICS reminds us “Tennis has evolved drastically over the years with many players now requiring products that allow them to move faster around the court and hit with greater power. We’re thrilled to be working with Djokovic as part of our ongoing commitment to inspire people to move more on and off the court. He’s an inspiration to the industry and fans across the globe, known for his stamina and strength, both physically and mentally. It’s fantastic to be partnering with someone that embodies the same values and beliefs that ASICS stands for every day.” It is a simple and clear brand message for tennis players; ASICS want to make better tennis shoes so that you can perform more on and off the tennis court. Something which resonates with their longstanding corporate philosophy – ‘Anima Sana In Corpore Sano’ – a sound mind in a sound body.
- The power of combining earned, owned and paid media.
For some, simply sharing digital content is seen as the holy grail to all marketing challenges. Create your own ‘sticky’ content, release it via owned media and it will be consumed by the masses without investing in paid media. A research study published in 2017 from IPA showed that only 7% of campaigns generating significant online coverage used owned and earned media alone. In contrast, 78% of effective campaigns combined all three: earned, owned and paid. And, whilst UGC might be cost-effective, investing in high quality production will also make a difference, especially when you are trying to engage key target groups to sell more products or experiences. In sport, sponsors benefit from media coverage of the event and they can invest in fan activation around the event. Due to the wide reach of digital, some marketers have become passive believing it will not only hit key audiences but also generate more sales without investing in paid media or activation.
- Embrace small; move quicker and achieve bigger results.
With bigger plans and ambitions, there is a tendency to believe bigger teams deliver bigger results. The ‘pizza principle’ has been attributed to the success at Amazon where teams are no larger than the number of people who can be fed by two pizzas, which is about eight. Small, diverse and aligned teams with a common goal can deliver significant results at a speed bigger teams cannot. The same applies to listening to your customers or fans. You can undertake a 5.000 or 10.000 customer survey but personally speaking to a group of 10 loyal customers or 50 season ticketholders will deliver qualitative insights to develop your next proposition or fan experience. Return on fan engagement is not only about making money, it is also letting people know you care and are capable of making quick changes.
The next time you consider changing strategy; stay on brand, invest more in meaningful engagement and buy a few pizzas for inspiration and feedback. Old conventions still work well in a digital world!