Presentation I gave at the end of February 2011 at The Olin School of Business @ Washington University in St Louis. Part of a new marketing seminar series they've started with the goal of bringing different types of industry folks into their classrooms to give lessons of both success and failure to future brand managers and CMOs. My session specifically was around what role digital platforms can play for brands, and to discuss some broad ideas about how it works and doesn't work.

1. Brands And Digital Culture:
It Doesn’t Have To Suck
Washington University Olin School Of Business
‘Brands And Social Networks’ Marketing Seminar
February 24th, 2011
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2. Hello, I’m Avin.
I’m an Account Planner.
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3. Simply said,
I try to serve
as a guide for brand
and agency teams,
navigating an always
changing landscape.
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4. I help make
connections that
enable people and
brands to create
stories together.
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5. Spanning causes,
retail, automotive,
CPG, and financial.
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6. A few things I’ve learned:
It’s not easy. Or free. Or turnkey.
Or an intern’s job. Or a reason to freak out.
Or a task to push to a silo-d ‘digital’ team.
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7. Source: David Armano, Logic And Emotion Dec 2010
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8. My hope for todays discussion:
Provide some actionable lessons + ideas
that you can implement for your brands.
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9. 5 things to consider for your approach.
Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile lifestyles, not just mobile devices.
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10. 5 things to consider for your approach.
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Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile lifestyles, not just mobile devices.
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11. 5 things to consider for your approach.
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Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile lifestyles, not just mobile devices.
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12. We’ve been obsessing over platforms, rather
than focusing on the underlying behaviors.
Pre 2005 2006 - 2007 2008 - Present 2011 - ?
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13. It’s a natural reaction
to technological disruption.
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14. Technology changes, but it’s still about people
connecting and sharing with other people.
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15. “Communications
tools don’t become
socially interesting
until they become
technologically
boring.”
- Clay Shirky, Author And Futurist
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16. A key difference: being a social brand,
vs using social media.
VS
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18. Reinventing a dusty
brand in a low-interest
category.
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19. What most people don’t realize is they spent
years testing out different ideas, and refining.
2007 2008 2008 2009
Strange yet intriguing main characters, perfect comedic timing, odd situational humor
Source: Bud Caddell “The Art Of Repetition And Recombinance” Aug 6th 2010
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20. Then they found the perfect person.
The man your man...well, you know the rest.
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21. An inherently social idea easily
lent itself to transmedia storytelling.
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24. After that much media attention, and months
passed, the idea still draws people in.
Over 3.5 million views in the first week, and that doesn’t
even include millions more on broadcast tv
Source: AdAge February 2011
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25. “It’s one of the reasons
anyone buys anything;
not just to own a
product, but to become
a part of the story.”
- Jay-Z, Decoded
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26. Implications.
Technology comes and goes- don’t get caught in the technolust trap.
Just because a platform exists, doesn’t mean it’s right for your brand/product/goals.
Never underestimate how much you can learn by listening to what people expect from you.
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27. 5 things to consider for your approach.
3
Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile lifestyles, not just mobile devices.
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28. Marketing, as marketers envision it.
Advertising Retail
Direct
Social Web
Marketing
The Brand
Promotions/
Events
POS
Digital
Experience
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29. Marketing, as people experience it.
My Needs My Desires
Role For Brands That Bridge Intersecting Realities
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30. Things Real People
Don’t Say
About Advertising
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31. Truth is, people don’t really care
whether your ideas are digital or traditional.
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32. Just make it useful, stupid!
By the Summer of 2010, over 35% of all USAA customer
checks were processed via the banks mobile app.
Source: Netbanker and Banking.com July 2010
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33. Digital culture is
no longer just
geek culture.
Source: FastCompany Jan 2011 Feature
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36. Strategy: force reappraisal of savings culture
among young Americans.
Challenges:
• Facing the worst economic recession in a generation.
• A culture already inclined to spend over save.
• Intense distrust and even hatred for the financial world (justifiably so).
• Despite knowing a change was needed in their finances, most were paralyzed with fear.
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37. Put savings into a familiar context.
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38. Rather than run ads talking about savings,
it showed people the tangible rewards.
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39. “From saying things at
people, to doing things
with and for people.”
- Gareth Kay, Director Of Brand Strategy
Goodby, Silverstein and Partners
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40. Implications.
Great ideas don’t have clear distinctions between ‘online’ and ‘offline’ elements.
Aside from the geek contingent, simpler is almost always better.
Focus on platforms that allow for fast iteration, refinement, and relaunch.
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42. 5 things to consider for your approach.
3
Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile lifestyles, not just mobile devices.
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44. 6 out of 10 people now
own a DVR (or other
time-shifting device).
- Comcast Corporation Research August 2010
Source: MSNBC Today Show 8/17/2010
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46. And yet...
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47. Source: MediaPost Dec 2010
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51. Film itself isn’t in question, but when, where,
and how it can be experienced has changed.
Source: Morgan Stanley State Of The Internet Nov 2010
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54. Strategy: get teens to take action by highlighting
the disrespectful behavior of Big Tobacco.
Challenges:
• Limited paid media budget + timeframe.
• Highly sensitive legal issues.
• Toxic cultural and political environment dominated mass media.
• Perception among teens that tobacco is a ‘lesser evil’.
Source: Arnold + American Legacy Foundation Strategy Development Summer 2010
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55. Film was a crucial way to start a dialogue.
Product Innovation
Shards Of Glass Announcement Company Recall
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56. Deeper meaning came through robust activity
across all Truth social platforms.
Let people discuss the
Provoke and incite action Content + entertainment resource
issue together
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57. Implications.
Technology has liberated film- identify the ideal role for your initiatives.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, shorter is not always better.
People don’t care about production value and perfect editing- just get it made, and get it out.
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58. Let’s take a breather. In summary:
Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile is more than just ‘mobile’.
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59. Overtime session.
Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile lifestyles, not just mobile devices.
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60. Problem: brands haven’t let go of an outdated
model for how people make decisions.
Source: Forrester Technographics 2008
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62. Constant technological shifts have enabled
a more complex and non-linear process.
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63. Our digital world is full of depth and nuance.
From everyday distractions... ...to enabling true cultural movements
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64. Shared
Language
Advertise
Habits Specials
Range And
Formation
Akeelah And Options
The Bee
Ordering
Barista Better Coffee
System
Culture Mission
Post-digital era brands Used
Starbucks
Brand
can be complex too.
Grounds Experience Sofas And
For Gardners Ambience
Social
Responsibility
Fair Trade Africa Hearmusic
PRODUCT Coffee Connection Jazz Label
(RED)
Partnership
Cause Music Hearmusic
Publicity Cultural Cafes
In-Store Connection
In-Store Burn Your
Performance Own
And Art Compilation
Album
Source: John Grant, Brand Manifesto 2008
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66. Strategy: turn a concert series
into a cultural pulse for (RED).
Challenges:
• No paid media.
• Under $250K production (start to finish).
• Small venues, limited total audience reach.
• A tanking economy squeezing even affluents disposable $.
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67. We created an in-depth, highly involved
digital roadtrip for (RED) fans.
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68. Content creation came exclusively from fans
on the ground- (RED) served as a curator.
We asked fans for their help:
If you’re tweeting, use hashtag #rednights
Tag your photos #rednights on Flickr
Use #rednights and #red on Youtube
DL the fan toolkit and spread the word
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70. Implications.
Brands are far more interesting when they are multi-dimensional. Embrace your personality.
People are not stupid. Give them credit.
No one outside of the marketing department worries about ‘multiple messages’ or ‘brand
schizophrenia’.
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71. Overtime session.
Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile lifestyles, not just mobile devices.
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72. ‘Social’ and ‘mobile’
are increasingly
inseparable.
Source: JeSS3 Strategic Consultancy August 2010
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73. Culture is rapidly adopting the mobile web.
Source: Morgan Stanley State Of The Internet Nov 2010
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74. But marketers have responded by spending
more on intrusive ads people don’t want.
Source: Nielsen “State Of Mobile Apps” Sept 2010
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75. 1.
At the core, there seem to be two key problems.
Starting with the brand, instead of mobile behavior
2. Lumping mobile into one amorphous blob
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76. 1.
How can you best facilitate mobile decisions?
Incentive Information
Providing monetary value Educating, providing
(coupons or promotions), brand, product or service
or an exchange of brand news,or answering
currency (contests, questions and
prizes) commentary.
Curating or developing Giving people a
content, ideas and platforms mechanism to make a
for entertainment &
involvement beyond brand
decision, find products, or
messaging. accomplish a task.
Entertainment Utility
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78. Integration WITHIN mobile, not just OF mobile.
Games Utility
2.
Text Social
Promos Mobile Integration
Experience
Location
Mobile Site Aware
Incentives
Mobile
Payment
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80. Implications.
Mobile behavior requires looking to new sources for inspiration. Get out of the marketing bubble.
Get granular with ideas- plan for the tactical as well as the strategic.
Fast, simple, and clean UX are paramount. Don’t underestimate their value.
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81. OK. Done for real this time. In summary:
Being a social brand is about more than media.
Complexity is a marketers best friend.
Stop worrying about ‘digital’ vs ‘traditional’.
Rethinking the role of film.
Mobile is more than just ‘mobile’.
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82. Depending on how you look at it, these are
incredibly fun or incredibly scary times.
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83. What kind of organizational cultural
will you shape and develop?
• Will you encourage experimentation? (you should)
• Will you embrace failure? (within acceptable limits)
• Will you refuse to use the phrase ‘that’s how it’s always been done’? (yes, please)
• Will you push folks like me and demand constant innovation? (I can take it)
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84. If you’re interested in staying connected...?
avin.narasimhan facebook.com/ linkedin.com/
@avin_narasimhan
@gmail.com avin.narasimhan avinnarasimhan
avin.posterous.com avin_narasimhan nahmisaran avin_narasimhan
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