TMCnet News
Driving Consumer Experience With Digital Tool [analysis](AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) In this report, Olamide Bakare takes a look at how digital channels are revolutionizing the marketing communication industry vis-a-vis its role in the engagement of today's consumers In achieving objectives, many organisations embark on different marketing strategies to push their brands for maximum exposure and return. But if there is one tool that has assumed a vantage position among the numerous tools deployed, it is the digital communication and engagement platform which seems to have taken the industry by storm, going by its impact. This is one important tool or channel a serious business cannot afford to ignore as doing so could be tantamount to shooting oneself at the foot particularly in a highly competitive market like Nigeria. It is no gainsaying that digital remains the fastest growing area of marketing, customer retention and engagement. Media devices such as accessibility and affordability to smart phones for the masses and experiential/digital mash-ups have made exposure to digital channels almost ubiquitous. Inevitably, digital channels and engagement through digital channels are now not only an expected part of audience experience when connecting with a brand , they are often at the core of an audience member's engagement with a brand. Audience expectation has increased to such a level that most consumers now see this platform as the only avenue to assess the brand on its quality and the value it placed on them. To this end, as part of its determination to give Nigerian consumers experience that will last long, Heineken, a premium lager beer has unveiled where next, a revolutionary new digital experience which is part of the fully-integrated global campaign, 'Cities of the World'. The campaign, aimed at helping consumers explore new experiences of their cities, hopes to deploy a brand new and innovative social tool that is bound to create emotional connection between the brand and the consumers . The digital experience of the 'Cities of the World' campaign marks a milestone in the evolution of the brand digital marketing strategy. Acting as a social compass, where next reads the pulse of a city by using real-time location-based social activity to show where is hot and guide urbanites to new adventures off their beaten track. The real-time recommendations engine will help consumers answer that eternal night-out question, 'Where next?' The new digital platform is a solution to findings from recent research conducted which revealed that consumers experience a 'fear of missing out' on the exciting experiences in their city. The research also showed how consumers from different cities seek a different 'social currency' in each urban environment. People who live in them want to break from routine, experience new places and embark on urban adventures that will add to their social currency. For example, Lagosians believe in "jayein," a local parlance for "enjoying life" as a lifestyle. New Yorkers see 'making it' as the ultimate social currency whereas people from Rio de Janeiro see happiness as the absolute mark of achievement. For Londoners, it's all about personal development and defining success for themselves. Speaking on the initiative, Senior Brand Manager of Heineken,Mrs.Ngozi Nkwoji said:"Our world-class marketing campaigns are global, integrated and digitally-driven as everything we do is inspired by and oriented towards our fans. The success of the Heineken brand is rooted in a commitment to continual innovation," "We boldly break away from traditional beer marketing approaches to create stories that inspire people to be courageous and aspirational. Where next and Cities of the World is the latest iteration of Heineken strategy, using rich consumer insights to respond to their desires to explore the great adventures in their cities." On how it works, Mrs. Nkwoji pointed out that the social-media-based service uses a unique algorithm that listens to social media activity, such as tweets, check-ins and photos across popular platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare and analyses which locations are trending. The platform will help people navigate nightlife, overcome their fear of missing out and live their city to the fullest. Throwing more light on the digital experience, Managing Director, Global Brand & Agency Strategy at Twitter,JP Maheu said: "Heineken is a consistently innovative brand on Twitter, and we're excited to see them continue this into the lifestyle and entertainment space with the where next campaign for Cities of the world. The initiative is really creative use of Twitter. It's well-suited to the real-time and mobile nature of the platform and will give fans a window into the most vibrant experiences in cities around the world, right in the palm of their hand." Copyright Daily Independent. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |