The Financial Express
The pandemic has brought about notable shifts across industries, and the case has been no different for marketing. Today, digital marketing has become a crucial aspect in order to acquire new customers and retain existing ones. In our weekly BrandWagon Ad Talk series, industry experts highlight what has changed over the past two years and more importantly, are these changes here to stay. Mitesh Kothari, co-founder and chief operating officer, White Rivers Media, talks to BrandWagon Online, about the dos and don’ts of digital marketing, best marketing campaigns, and more.
What is the difference between launching a brand in today’s digital era versus earlier?
With the advancements in smartphones, the growth of the internet and the rise of social media, marketing has become more digital now. Selective targeting, personalisation and result analysis are now easier than ever before. Social media influencers are finding their space alongside leading celebrities, and digital advertisements are replacing print ads. In a nutshell, marketing that used to be brand-centric earlier has become customer-centric in the modern digital era.
What are the recent best marketing or advertising campaigns you have seen and why?
While many brands came out with impressive campaigns during this festive season, the one that connected the most was the Cadbury celebrations’ #ShopsForShopless campaign. It allowed people to find street hawkers in their vicinity just by scanning the QR code at the back of their Cadbury celebrations pack. The campaign is a noble thought with a tech-led execution packaged in beautifully produced visuals that create a lasting impact on the consumers.
Which brand in the last year has made the best use of digital and how?
Last year, Shark Tank, the top business reality show in the world, made its debut in India. For that, it was crucial to develop an effective digital marketing strategy to achieve tremendous reach and make ‘entrepreneurship’ a topic of conversation at the dinner table in the typical Indian household. In association with Sony Entertainment Television, White Rivers Media successfully moulded the online sentiment to gather and build support for the entrepreneurial potential within the country. Powered by the strength of its online community, Shark Tank India became the most-discussed content on Indian television, and entrepreneurs turned into celebrities for the first time in the nation’s recent history.
In a post-Covid world, what are the dos and don’ts of digital marketing?
The pandemic really pushed the limits of consumer-centric marketing. Along with quality, convenience and cost, consumers also consider factors like sustainability and social responsibility while choosing a product. So, standing behind good values is a great way for brands to outshine the competition. It is also essential to understand that now the power lies in the hands of the customer, and brands have to keep pace with the market requirements to be the favourite choice. In local and personal terms, communication targeting specific consumer segments is another must-do thing for a brand in the post-pandemic time. Also, pacing up with the competition and fulfilling the exact needs of the consumers is the right path towards creating a trustable brand.
The social media space can be a bit overwhelming as it gives brands the potential to grow among audiences and capture different market territories in a very short period. But knowing your exact place and taking calculated steps to grow organically is important. Not creating enough video content is another red flag for brands, as in most cases it has been observed that consumers interact with video content more than any other form. Lastly, customer experience is the key to any successful brand, so not giving enough emphasis on that while just creating a better product is a big no for any brand.
One recent bad case of advertising you have seen, and why?
Not exactly a bad case, but CRED’s recent advertising campaign could’ve done better had they focused more on explaining more product features rather than repeating the same one. Also, brands should take the route of nostalgia-based advertising if they are sure the audiences would connect seamlessly to it. CRED has done some really good advertising campaigns in the past, but this one kind of marginally fell short.
Also Read: Canon India launches ‘MAKE IT DRAMATIC’ digital campaign for EOS R6 Mark II
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