From Ads to Value Add

By Jill Steele, January 29, 2008 — It’s the time of year when pundits make predictions. One that caught my eye comes from Geoff Ramsey, CEO of eMarketer. He sees the interruption-disruption ad model, where consumers accept advertising as a necessary evil in exchange for free content, dying off because of the Internet, social media and the DVR.

The prediction isn’t particularly surprising: almost everyone agrees this is the way we’re trending. What’s intriguing is his suggestion that marketers must turn advertising into content, something so compelling and entertaining that people will seek it out. I agree, but don’t think he goes far enough.

Marketers must shift their mindset and seek ways to engage, offer value-added services, and experiences that make consumers want to interact with and buy the brand. Widgets, those rapidly proliferating online applications, are a good metaphor. Unlike a traditional ad, which at best can only communicate and entertain, a widget like Forbes’ “Top Lists” directly engages a consumer and provides a value-added service.

Other trends, such as the growing strength and popularity of word-of-mouth marketing, make it imperative for marketers to not only think about marketing, messaging and ads, but about their own brand networks. Unilever, Sony, and JetBlue are using citizen marketing to turn select consumers into brand ambassadors while growing their networks. These ambassadors serve many roles — PR agent, sales rep, and evangelist—by throwing brand-sponsored events and using social media to build buzz.

Instead of asking, `Will this ad generate buzz?’ marketers should be posing a different set of questions. Who are the influencers, and how does information, news, and perceptions about my brand travel? What content, service, or experience can we provide that’s relevant to the core of who we are and what we do, that adds value to our customers lives?

Marketers who can effectively answer these queries will be well positioned to succeed in 2008 and beyond.