Guest comment: Innovation overkill- Which brands are getting online marketing right?

With the advent of digital marketing and the rise of new products and techniques on a regular basis – what does it take to be truly innovative these days? Mark Zablan, Managing Director of Experian Marketing Services, UK & Ireland, looks at brands that have set a benchmark within their field, using tools such as real-time data and social CRM, and explains what we can learn form their success…


‘Innovation’ is a term that is widely overused in today’s lexicon, and that statement is especially true for the marketing industry. We regularly hear brands talking of their new ‘innovative’ campaign, their ‘innovative’ approach to a certain subject or their ‘innovative’ new product offering. So in an environment where everyone claims to be constantly reinventing the wheel, who are leaders and what does the term really mean?
For me, true marketing innovation happens when a brand manages to harness the potential of both online and offline data to create targeted and engaging multi-channel campaigns that work across a variety of platforms such as email, social, mobile and offline to give consumers a consistent experience. And of course – convince them to buy. Over the past ten years, there are a few brands that really stand out when it comes to breaking new ground within the marketing industry and utilising data to engage with their customers in the most suitable way.
Starbucks, Coca Cola and Burberry are great examples of brands that have experienced increased engagement through their Facebook pages as opposed to their traditional web presence. This is driven by the simple realisation that you need to be engaging with customers where they choose to spend their time – and today they are choosing to spend it on Facebook, not on brand websites. The smart marketers are realising this and are building communities and meeting their customers on their terms. When you consider that one in six webpages viewed in the UK is a Facebook page, this makes a lot of sense.
In terms of a brand that has evolved and broken into markets well beyond its traditional boundaries, Tesco is really leading the way. Tesco Cars, the supermarket’s used car website that launched this April, has become one of the fastest moving car dealership websites of the year, and is already one of the UK’s top 20 online car dealerships online.
Tesco Bank is now the third largest insurance website in the UK, while Tesco’s clothing line was one of the hottest destinations for web traffic in September during the crucial back to school period. By identifying gaps in the market, creating products and services to meet consumer demands and then cleverly marketing these new ideas to their customer base, Tesco is creating a benchmark for its competitors.
A number of fashion brands are also making effective use of social media to engage with their customers. Jack Wills, ASOS, Urban Outfitters and Topshop are all examples of brands that have made really good use of Facebook to build online communities and to increase traffic and sales. Our competitive intelligence product Experian Hitwise has seen high levels of traffic directed to brand websites via social networks.
T-Mobile is a great example of how brands can use viral video to build market awareness. It received millions of views of its adverts on YouTube (including the flash mob in Liverpool Street and the royal wedding spoof) and has effectively demonstrated how to blend the gap between online and offline advertising.
So what does this tell us? What does it take to truly be seen as an innovator in marketing, particularly in the digital space where new products and trends are emerging on a regular basis? I believe that data holds the key. The wealth of real-time data and insights that are available to marketers thanks to social networks is already revolutionising the field of marketing. The drive towards social media advertising provides access to engaged audiences in huge volumes. The most exciting innovators in our industry are those who are using the data available across all channels to better reach and engage with customers and fully exploit the value of both traditional and digital channels.
Making full use of the technology available is another way to ensure truly innovative campaigns. Facebook Fan strategies have become an established part of the digital marketing mix, which also extends into F-commerce and social CRM. Over the past 12 months we’ve seen major F-commerce launches ranging from niche fashion retailers to major household names. Brands can benefit from using social CRM platforms which integrate with their online properties and existing CRM platforms, enabling an optional connection between a user’s social profiles and brand websites. This provides a real-time snapshot of consumer social connections and profiles, helping brands understand what is driving the most online activity and deliver a more relevant service based on their likes, interests and social connections.
All marketers want to make an impact on the industry. The best advice here is to really look at the data and insights they have about their customers and prospects today, and use that intelligence to design campaigns that truly engage with their target audience using a multi-channel approach that encompasses both on and offline.
By Mark Zablan
Managing Director
Experian Marketing Services,UK & Ireland
www.experian.co.uk/