Interview with Jelena Anđelić, Managing Director at DRIVE agency, for Diplomacy&Commerce magazine’s Secret Formula of Communication insertation
Today, the challenge of reaching consumers is bigger than ever before, and communication with them has become closer and more dynamic.
When it comes to the digital sphere, modern brands have to be social beings – friendly, open, authentic, interactive, courageous, entertaining, informative, and with an attitude. Consumers like to be included, so include them. But don't forget to also be quick. The traditional communication model has changed significantly in the last few years, as a result of modifications in the way we consume messages, our spare time and consumer needs. Today, 59% of the population, from the ages of 16 to 34, use several devices at the same time, 8 out of 10 go online at least once a day, and an incredible 93% of the Serbian population, aged from 25 to 34, use smartphones. Some 60 million hours of YouTube video clips are watched in Serbia every month. Consumers are mobile, they multitask and multiscreen, and they delight in video content. According to Wave's survey on the habits of social network users, we have a whole eight seconds to capture their attention.
New technology has facilitated real time communication and created opportunities for brands to participate in a dialogue with their consumers, based on information and events in real time. The Oreo brand was the first to test this communication format following a power outage at the biggest sporting event in the United States – the Super Bowl. Their tweet – “Power out? No problem!” – with an image of an Oreo biscuit and the caption “You can still dunk in the dark”, was a big moment in winning over American consumers. This tweet set new standards in the speed of communication with consumers, because it went online only a few minutes after the power outage.
Many companies have set real time communication as their business standard. Lego won over the 2016 Academy Awards’ audience by linking the celebration of Leonardo DiCaprio’s long awaited Oscar to its brand and this real time event.
Snickers used a humorous approach to the incident at the Football World Cup, when Luis Suarez bit Giorgio Chiellini, to win over consumers.
Technology has significantly changed the way we communicate and we can safely say that face-to-face communication has now moved to the online world. A clear and receptive brand image comprises experiences and contacts between brands and consumers. Digital has returned communication with emotions and storytelling to the pedestal. We are now able to communicate longer and, thanks to the right content, brands are able to connect to the feelings and needs of consumers. The video engagement of consumers dominates digital platforms today.
GoPro has been promoting its Hero camera on the back of the heroic story of a fireman saving a kitten. The video clip, in which a firemen is reviving a kitten following a rescue operation, has demonstrated the quality of this camera, told through a story that won over the hearts of many consumers, while GoPro has positioned itself as a brand that cares about and supports heroes. By sharing their emotions with the brand, consumers are making a connection, noticing and remembering.
Today's brands have an opportunity to respond to consumer needs in everyday life by providing support at the right time. The ‘how to’ tutorials are the first form of assistance that consumers reach for. Back in the day, we used to call our parents, neighbors and friends to help us with a problem or a task. Today, it is brands that are helping us. L'Oreal has recognised a need for women and girls to acquire more knowledge about putting on makeup and has now become both a mentor and friend that can help women look beautiful on any occasion, thus getting involved in communication at a time when the consumers really needs it.
Mobile devices have forever changed the dynamic of life. Life is now comprised of moments of need, emotion and experience, and today we often talk about communicating with consumers during these micro-moments. Consumers in the digital world are very vocal about what they want. By leaving traces/messages via information about their whereabouts and interests, consumers want us to use the moments that are important to them. They are no longer only observers, but rather have become hosts and content editors, explicitly stating their views. Digital makes it possible for us to find out what consumers want from us before we possibly make a mistake. Many TV stations engage their viewers in the process of choosing actors or the end of a certain episode, thus turning viewers into screenwriters. Conversation itself is a very important moment in forming an attachment to a brand or a product.
Today, more than ever, it has become incredibly important to be in the right place at the right time and with the right content. Communication can no longer satisfy just one segment. Today’s brands have to be social beings – friendly, open, authentic, interactive, courageous, entertaining, informative and with an attitude. Consumers like to be included, so include them. Changes happen on a daily basis and it is up to us to deal with the challenges of growing with them, learning from them and creating despite them.
This article uses data from the UM agency network's Wave survey, YouTube Adriatics 2016, and the 2015 Consumer Barometer.
I&F McCann Grupa jedan je od vodećih komunikacionih sistema koji 20 godina uspešno posluje u 12 zemlja jugo istočne Evrope i nordijske regije. Naš posvećen tim čini 600 talentovanih profesionalaca, koji svakodnevno sarađuju na integraciji marketinških kampanja, promotivnih aktivnosti, organizaciji događaja, dizajnu, planiranju i zakupu medijskog prostora, PR, produkciji, komunikaciji u oblasti zdravstva, kreiranju TV sadržaja,kao i na svim formama digitalnog marketinga. Agencije koje posluju u okviru I&F McCann Grupe deo su McCann Worldgroup (www.mccannworldgroup.com),jedne od najvećih svetskih agencijskih mreža,osnovane 1902.godine koja posluje u više od 120 zemalja sveta, i u vlasništvu je Interpublic Group (IPG) (www.interpublic.com) sa sedištem u Njujorku.