Back to School
Posted on 22. Mar, 2010 by jtheim
I often come across digital, cross-media campaigns where the marketers behind the campaign have simply missed the point. They’ve basically slapped a digital bow on an analog campaign.
Case in point: A couple of days ago, my nephew received a personalized mailer from a university (he’s off to college next year). The campaign also included a personalized landing page for response. The campaign knew his name, and made a point of letting him know they did. Unfortunately, they didn’t seem to know anything else about him. Nor, did they attempt to initiate a relationship that would allow them to learn. For example, one of his most important selection criteria is his ability to play Lacrosse. This university will never know that Lacrosse is a dealmaker or breaker for him. Instead, they used his name, in several clever ways, at the top of an online brochure.
Here’s the lesson: digital media requires a different marketing model, a different mindset. Digital is about engaging in conversations that create value for both parties. Companies must learn to use these powerful technologies to drive relevant interactions with their customers, and move beyond the “novelty” in these new tools to make sales.
