JIMC

2017

2

Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications

Copyright © 2016 by Medill, Northwestern UniversityAll rights reserved.

Letter from the Editor

ForewordThe Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications (JIMC) provides a bridge between the academic world and the day-to-day uses of concepts and tools. This year’s version explores several ideas from Northwestern University’s Integrated Marketing Communication curriculum. The team of graduate students who worked on the journal this year have done an outstanding job of finding both academics and practitioners to describe what’s new and how to apply it. For 12 months, these students have worked together to produce this journal. In addition to finding articles, they edit, design and produce a work product that represents what the school is all about: quality, curiosity and creativity. On behalf of the team, we hope you will enjoy reading it.

Frank Mulhern, Ph.D.

Professor, Associate Dean & Department Chair

Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor

Medill IMC Department

Northwestern University

Nancy Hobor

Senior Lecturer & Faculty Advisor

Medill IMC Department

Northwestern University

Greetings and welcome to the 2017 issue of JIMC! This journal is a culmination of the diligent work of a student team in Medill’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) graduate program at Northwestern and insightful articles from industry and academic professionals with extensive understanding and experience in the IMC field.

JIMC is made up of associate editors who assist authors in the writing process and a leadership team that reviews the articles in effort to identify a common thread across the wide array of topics, industries, and perspectives. Some common concepts were: technological evolution, cultural and digital engagement, and brand expansion. These words were indicative of what is a constant factor in IMC — change. But how will IMC practitioners address this ever-present reality? Answer: Innovation.

Introducing the 2017 theme: “JIMC in an Innovative World”

In the spirit of innovation, this year’s journal introduces the “Purple Pages,” with articles written by Northwestern alumni, as well as a dedicated “Northwestern” section to display IMC faculty articles and research. It is my hope that this spirit enlightens and motivates you about the growing opportunities in the field of IMC.

A very special thanks to: Frank Mulhern, Nancy Hobor, and Robin Young. JIMC Leadership Team: Roberta Pedotto, Paul Fourçans, Elizabeth Fontana, and Anna Klutho; the associate editors and our esteemed authors. Your tireless hard work and dedication to making the 2017 edition of JIMC a success is greatly appreciated.

With warmest thanks,

LaVern Thomas

Editor in Chief

Copyright © 2016 by Medill, Northwestern UniversityAll rights reserved.

Medill’s Approach to IMCIntegrated marketing communications (IMC) is a strategic approach through which organizations drive performance by engaging, serving and communicating with customers and other stakeholders.

IMC combines qualitative understanding of consumers with large-scale analytics to develop communications and content that build and maintain strong brands. Grounded in advertising, IMC has emerged as the premier way for organizations to manage customer experiences in the digital age.

JIMCadvisory board

Jonathan BlumSenior Vice PresidentChief Public Affairs and Global Nutrition OfficerYum! Brands, Inc.

Clarke A. Caywood, Ph.D.ProfessorMedill IMC DepartmentNorthwestern University

Sara Webber LaczoSenior DirectorCorporate CommunicationsMcGladrey

Jack ModzelewskiPresident of the Americas & Senior

PartnerFleishmanHillard

Joe WoodardManagerAnalyticsJet.com

Andy BosmanPrincipalNational Marketing and Sales LeaderMcGladrey

David GrossmanFounder & CEOThe Grossman Group

Emily LondonManager People Advisory Services Ernst & Young

Elisabeth RitzFounder & PresidentRitz Communications

Jane FlisAssociate Director of Digital MarketingMedill, Northwestern University

Lynn PedottoEDITORIAL

DIRECTOR

Before pursuing her graduate degree at Medill, Lynn worked as a freelance content creator, publicist and social media manager for various authors, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and Spanish from Presbyterian College. At Medill, Lynn is concentrating in content strategy and public relations.

JIMCleadership team

LaVern ThomasEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Prior to Northwestern, LaVern worked as an adjunct faculty at DePaul University teaching mixed media and ESL writing, executive editor for The Hip Hop Democrat, and currently serves in leadership positions on two non-for-profits assisting with marketing and fundraising campaigns. LaVern holds a MA in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse and a BA in History from DePaul University.

AnnaKluthoCOPY EDITOR

Anna worked as a content and communications coordinator for an executive leadership events company. Prior, she was a marketing strategy intern with Disney Vacation Club. She holds a bachelors in business administration (marketing) from Seattle University.

Liz FontanaPR DIRECTOR

Liz worked for a SEO marketing agency in which she optimized websites and improved natural organic search results. Prior to that, she managed the social and digital campaign for a Tallahassee hospital. She holds her bachelor’s in marketing and communications from Florida State University. At Medill is concentrating in brand strategy and digital

Paul FourçansCREATIVE

DIRECTOR

Before coming to Northwestern University to pursue a M.S. degree in Integrated Marketing Communications, Paul received his B.A. in Marketing and Communication from the Ecole Française des Attachés de Presse in Paris, France. Paul started his first company when he was 21, ACID for Clothes, which he still runs today.

JIMCassociate editors

Brit’ney McTush

Allison Chen

Sonam Roteria

Alison Golensky

Smriti Khanna

RubenBravo

Chinye Osamusali

Christina Dreher

Peishan Ouyang

Mariana Arana

Lindsay Menk

Joseph Macdougall

JessseDaniels

Sharon Liao

Liang Liu

Marissa Pederson

Megha Ghildiyal

Natasha Smith

Qiulin Peng

Olavina Harahap

Yudi Gao

Rebecca Yeng

Euphonia Xu

Sunny Yu Wang

JIMCassociate editors

Sakhile Richards

What Is IMC?Alice Marder

So Your Bull’s-Eye Consumer Tweeted

at Your Brand. Now What?Joe Sargent

Driving Business with a Consistent Brand

Charlie Chen

10 12 13

From The Funnel to Dual Buckets: Rethinking Our

Campaign Objectives Frank Wong

Decoding the Millennial Enigma

Amanda Slavin

Personal Branding & What It Means in 2016

Jeff Willinger

14 15 16

The Importance of Innovation in Elevating

Brand RelevanceShari Matras

Transforming into an Analytical OrganizationJosé Antonio Murillo Garza

Telling a Memorable Story with Your Data

Cyndi Greenglass

17 19 20

Authenticity, Democratization of Information and the Changing Nature of Influence

Jake O’Leary & Smriti Khanna

22

Table of Contents

The Importance of Social Media for

BrandsMatt Augustin

Personalized Marketing @ Scale

Abhishek Jadon

The Influence of Influencer Marketing

Tara Chang

23 24 25

Platform Businesses “Float Costs,”

Consumers Run Businesses

Tony Poidomani

Brand-Driven InnovationAriel Goldfarb

An Exploration of Online Customer

ReviewsIMC SRC

27 28 30

A Non-Writer’s Guide to

StorytellingKirsten Longnecker

Public Relations Means Business

Dr. Matthew W. Ragas

A Brief Look at the State of PR in Mexico

Olga Oro Coppel

33 34 35

Don’t Panic, PlanStephanie Kneisler &

Therese Van Ryne

Preparing Your CEO for the Role of Senior Statesman

Marjorie Benzkofer

Speaking the Millennial Language

Andrea Sanchez Ferro

36 37 38

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1. Communicated the core value that Cars.com and our suite of solutions delivers to customers2. Drovetrafficand“stayingpower”toour booth and other Cars.com hosted events3. Cutthroughthevendorclutter4. Elevatedourbrandpositionastheautomotiveindustry’sdigitalmarketingleader

Theoverallcampaigngoalwastopositionourselvesasaninnovatorandleaderinthespace.Expressed through a campaign thematic calledDominate Digit@l, the core message was thatwhenitcomestocarbuying,Cars.com is the only way dealers can dominate the conversation, dominate the short list and dominate sales.

5. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL INVOLVEMENT

Cross-functional buy-in, commitmentandresourceswasneededtosuccessfullyexecutethe strategy. With support from the product,operations and sales teams,we accelerated thedevelopment and launch of two brand-new,groundbreaking products,which led to recordin-booth sales.

TheteamsucceededinowningDominateDigit@lfromallangleswithahighlypromotedappointment setting contest, insights-drivencontent, innovative paid and social media,advertising, PR and direct marketing. Dealersalsoenjoyed in-boothamenitiesandrelaxedatour customer appreciation event. This themeacted as the cohesive thread connecting all of our marketing efforts with an intricate planreachingdealersbefore,duringandafterNADA.

6. EVALUATING RESULTS

Cars.com succeeded in dominatingNADAandSanFrancisco.Theresultsconnectedbacktoourbusinessobjectives,farexceededallexpectationsandsetrevenuerecords!Thiswasalldone ina truly integratedandcollaborativefashionasoneteamwithonegoal.

What Is IMC?

Alice Marder

imc

Edited by Sonam Roteria

Senior Manager, Integrated Marketing, Cars.com

WHAT IS IMC?

Whether it’s at a networking event orwhile talking to friends or family, I am oftenasked, “What exactly is Integrated MarketingCommunications?Youmakeads,right?”Ialwayssmileandjustsay,“Notexactly...it’sabitmorethanthat.”

Tome, it seems like such a simple andlogical concept but to most folks — bothmarketersandnon—IMCstillseemsabitforeign.IdefineIntegratedMarketingCommunications(IMC)as:“Thecomprehensivemanagementof allcommunicationstobuildpositiveandlastingrelationshipswithcustomersandstakeholders–bothinternallyandexternally.”Thismeansthatall components of marketing communicationsare rooted in research and insights, and worktogether to deliver a single and consistentmessage.

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

Organizations have a tendency to workinsilos.Whilefolksbelievethey’redoingwhat’sbestforthecompanyortheirjob,toooftentheyareonlyfocusedontheirfunctionandimmediateimpact to their team or area of business. IMCrequires cross-functional integration and helpstobuildawareness,alignmentandaccountabilityof strategic objectives. It provides guidancefor messaging and communication to reachcustomers(B2C&B2B)andprospectsateverystepof thepurchaseprocess—before,duringand after. IMC processes thus help present acoherentbrandpositionbyimplementingsynergythroughallinternalandexternaltouchpoints.

HOW DO WE DO IT?

As withmany things, the devil is in thedetails. One of my favorite campaigns in mytenure at Cars.com, and one that I take greatpride in, is an IMC campaign we developedfor the 2015 National Automotive DealerAssociation(NADA)Convention&Expo.Eachyear, 22,500+ professionals from across thecountryattendNADA,theautomotiveindustry’slargest tradeshow. But the challenge is always:

howdowebreakthroughthishighlyclutteredandcompetitiveenvironment?

Let’sbreakitdownintothekeyplanningsteps:

1. DEFINE GOALS & OBJECTIVES

InattendingNADA,wesetouttoachievethefollowingbusinessobjectives:

• Driverevenuegrowth• Capitalizeontheopportunitytomeet

withkeydecisionmakers• Buildandnurturerelationshipwith

keyinfluencers,mediaandpartners• BuildCars.combrandawareness

2. IDENTIFY TARGET NEEDS

Inunderstandingtheneedsof ourtargetaudience,weworked from the insight that cardealersneedtostandoutandbeeverywherecarshoppersaretoensureapresenceonthebuyer’s“shortlist”forpurchasedecisions.

Our approach: we gave dealers a broadrange of solutions via our products offeringswithwhichtheycouldtargetthehighlyengagedCars.com consumer audience.Additionally,weofferedaccesstoourteamof dedicateddigitalconsultantsanddetailedreportingandmetrics.Allthisgivesdealersthepowertonotjusttakepart in digital but to dominate it, so they canstay in frontof customers and aheadof theircompetition.

3. ESTABLISH A CORE TEAM

To ensure functions were on the samepage, a core working team met on a weeklybasis. This team was responsible for internaland external communications to ensure that a singular vision and mission for the campaignwasestablishedacrossallstakeholdergroups.

4. CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT

To achieve our business objectives, wedevelopedamulti-channelcampaignwithtacticsthat:

Alice Marder is the senior manager of integrated marketing at Cars.com. She leads and unites cross-functional teams in the development, execution and measurement of key business initiatives in support of the organization’s aggressive growth strategy. Prior to joining Cars.com, Alice was the manager of marketing integration at U.S. Cellular and played an integral role in the development and successful implementation of the organization’s new integrated marketing approach. Previously, Alice held positions at various agencies including MindShare and DraftFCB. Alice is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned her M.S. in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern University.

NU Alumni

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS AT CARS.COM

brand.

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marketing team can now identify sales tied toWhatever through retail execution.This is keybecause purely experiential campaigns canhave successful KPIs, like high social mediaimpressions or increased long-term brandhealth, but those are incredibly difficult totranslate into real dollar value. Many productcategories, likebeer,aretrendingdownwardinvolume;therefore,theabilitytoquantifyresultsis paramount with pressure mounting to turnthese businesses around.

Sowhat’sthevalueof atweetaboutmybrand?

Thatanswerissomewhatmoot.

In the future, my work will focus oncreating programs that deliver a consistentmessage at all consumer touch points.Experientialmarketingremainsapowerfultooltoconnectbrandswithconsumers,butfocusingon it alone would be shortsighted. From theconsumer perspective, one great event withnofollowthroughfallsflat.Fromthebusinessperspective, the benefits of that tweet are toofar removed from the sale.

Thevalueof atweetisnothingwithoutastrongprogramsupportingit.

So Your Bull’s-Eye Consumer Tweeted at Your

Brand. Now What?

Joe Sargent

brand

Edited by Marissa Pederson

Brand Manager,Wilson Sporting Goods

Whatisthevalueof atweetaboutmybrand?

This is a question I have asked myself multiple times in my various roles exploringexperiential marketing. As all marketers know,understandingtheconsumerisatthefoundationof a successful program. Companies spendmillions trying to understand every aspect of theirconsumers’lives.

• “WhatdoesshewatchonTV?”• “Whatarehershoppinghabits?”• “Howmuchof ourproductsdoessheconsume?”

Allof thesequestions feed the researchthat informs media plans, retail planogramsandvolumeprojections.However, there isstillagapwhen itcomes toconnectingwith theseconsumers.

Thisiswhereexperientialmarketingplaysavitalrole.Creatinganimmersiveexperienceforconsumers can turn the curious into fans and fans into advocates. These advocates not onlypurchase products, but also persuade otherstodosoaswell.Inthebestcases,experientialmarketinghelpsbrandsexpresstheircorevaluesand physically engage the senses of potentialand current fans.

And thebestpart?Brandshave the fullattention of everyone in attendance. Theyare able to engage their audiencemuchmoreeffectively than by having an expensive TVcommercial that gets skipped via DVR or ismissedwhileaviewerchecksherphone.

So why wouldn’t every brand spend alltheirmoneyinthisspace?

Inmyexperience,companiesarehesitantwhen it comes to experientialmarketing for anumberof reasons.Ittendstobeexpensiveonaper-consumerbasisversusaradioorTVspot.Tomakeasplash,theprevailingthoughtisthatabrandhastospendmillionsof dollarstoreachafewthousandconsumersatmost.

This represents a gamble for decision-makers.DoyouinvestamilliondollarsintoanexperientialactivityorcreateanotherTVspot?

Wehavereamsof informationontheROIof TVcommercialsacrossmultipleproductcategories.Incontrast,manyexperientialactivitiesdonotdirectly impactsales.Considered together, it isnowonderthatexperientialmarketingactivitiesareoftenmarginalized.

How, then, does a brand successfullyexecuteexperientialprograms?

Consider Bud Light’s Whatever USAcampaign.

BudLightflew several thousandpeopleto a small town in Colorado and met themwith a nearly complete takeover of the area,includinglivemusic, larger-than-lifeactivationsand,of course,lotsof BudLight.TheactivationwassupportedwithTVspots,andentrieswereaccepted via social media as well as at retaillocations.

Thebrandclaimedthepromotionwasasuccess, saying that sales increased during thesummer, which is the most important seasonforsalesinthebeerindustry.Equallyimportant,more than 200,000 consumers auditioned to be apartof thecampaign.Thisledtoanincreaseinbrandaffinitywithitskeyconsumers.

As this example shows, the key tosuccessful experiential marketing is expandingthe message beyond those attending theevent and creating an integrated program thatmaximizesconsumerawareness,retailactivationandexperientialactivities.

When an integrated program isexecutedsuccessfully,evaluatingROIbecomesmuch easier. Post-campaign, the Bud Light

Joe Sargent is a Detroit sports fan by birth with a soft spot for brand marketing. Having lived in several states for work and school, Joe has shared triumphs and miseries with several fan bases. He currently works as a brand manager at Wilson Sporting Goods in Chicago and has several years of experience in lifestyle marketing and experiential activation.

Creating an immersive experience for consumers can turn the curious into fans and fans into advocates.

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advancedtelecommunicationtechnologies,self-developed mobile chipsets, mature hardwareand software platforms, Huawei strives forperfection andmakes the impossible possible.Consumers should get a phone with theperformance they would never imagine —thebest camera, the thinnestbody, the fastestspeed,thelongeststandbytime,younameit.Nolongershaky,Huaweifirmlycommittedtohigh-endproductdevelopmentandthepursuitof theperfectnessof inspiredexperience.

InFebruary 2013,Huawei launched the“Make it Possible” global branding campaign.A lineof premiumproducts includingAscendP6,P7,P8andMate7and8havebeenreleasedto themarketplace. The new products gainedmany awards, and Huawei rapidly increasedits market share to become the third largestsmartphoneprovider in the world. In 2014,HuaweibecamethefirstChinesebrandthatwaslistedas theBestGlobalBrandbyInterbrand.manyawards,andHuaweirapidly increased itsmarketsharetobecomethethirdlargestsmartphoneproviderintheworld.

JustasAbrahamLincolnsaid,“Characterislikeatreeandreputationlikeashadow.Theshadowiswhatwethinkof it;thetreeistherealthing.” Huawei’s investment in its brand paidoff,andthecompanyisstilldedicatingitself toconsistentlydeliveringitsbrandpromisetothecustomersinallthreebusinessgroups.

Driving Business with a Consistent Brand

Charlie Chen

brand

Edited by Liang Liu

President, Triwin

THE PRACTICE OF HUAWEI

Inthepast30years,Chinahasgrownintothe second largest economy in theworld, anda number of competitive Chinese companiesburgeoned in this period of time. A lot of companiesaretryingtoestablishthemselvesasleading brands in the global market; however,they are facing various challenges. The mostserious one is shifting the mindset from aproduct-driventoabrand-drivenbusiness.

Branding strategy is no longer theexecutionof thebusinessstrategybutadriverto the business strategy.Huawei, the only theChinesebrandthatwaslistedastheBestGlobalBrandbyInterbrand,isagreatshowcaseof thatpractice.

DEFINE BRAND DRIVEN BUSINESS

It was challenging to figure out a topbrand strategy that drives the entire business.Huaweiownsthreebusinessgroups thatservethreedistinctgroupsof customers—carriers,enterprises and regular consumers. There hadbeen debates about whether to build a houseof brandsorabrandedhousestrategy.Finally,considering the low brand awareness amongregularconsumersatthetime,Huaweiadoptedbrandedhousestrategytostrengthenitsbrandimage.

ThenhowdidHuawei define and buildone single brand with three distinct businessgroups that developed different products andfaceddifferentcustomersindifferentmarkets?Thisiswherethepipestrategycameintoplace.Despite Huawei’s different customer groups,Huawei is, in essence, in the business of information transmission. Huawei comparedthe carriers to the Mississippi River and theGreat Lakes; the enterprises to the reservoirsand pipes in the city; and mobile devices towater taps. The solution Huawei providedare pipe networks that can handle the digitaltsunami that carries and sends huge amountsof data fromoneplace toanother.Therefore,Huaweidefineditsbrandpromiseas“buildinga better connected world” with three majorcharacteristics — ubiquitous broadband, agile

innovation and inspired experience. Thesecharacteristicsdrivefutureproductdevelopmentinallthreebusinessgroups.

POSITIONING IN THE B2C MARKET

Knowing and being yourself is essentialtoabrand.Huaweiwentalongwaytopositionitself in theB2Cmarket.Before 2011,Huaweiwas confused about the target consumers andpositioning in this market. When Apple andSamsungproductsattractedconsumers’attentionwith their luxury fashions and fancy functions,Huawei also wanted to establish a fashionableand fancy brand image. But that was not whoHuawei is. When launching the new productAscend P1, Huawei invited a famous directorfromLondontoshootacommercial,whereanoldman(representingwisdom)andawhitehorse(representing beauty) ran into each other, andthe phonewas born in the collision.However,withoutaclearpositioning,alltheseeffortswereinvain.Theaudienceweretotallyconfusedaboutwhatthecommercialwasintendedtoexpress.

Huawei realized that that thebrandwasnotafashionleader.Therealheritageof Huaweiis thededication inadvancedtechnologies, thespiritof perseveranceandmakingtheimpossiblepossible. After months of brainstorming anddebates, consumer business group executivesfinallyrealizedthat“MakeitPossible”isexactlythe positioning they were looking for. It bestanswerswhatHuaweiisandwhatvalueHuaweiis bringing to the consumers — “make theimpossible possible!” With the advantages of

Charlie Chen is the co-founder and the president of Triwin Investments International LLC. Before Triwin, Charlie was the vice president of Huawei Technologies, a Fortune 500 company, and was in charge of Huawei corporate branding and communication department. Charlie held several leadership positions in Huawei in the areas of R&D, sales and marketing. He earned his doctorate degree in electrical engineering from the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, China.

Branding strategy is no longer the execution of the business strategy but a driver to the business strategy.

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is important that we factor in the element of timewhenpicking themetrics tomeasure thesuccessof ourcampaigns.Immediate,trackablerevenueisgreatbutif thesalescycletakesabitlonger,measuring lift in considerationorpureproductawarenessmightbeabetterchoice.

TWO BUCKETS — CREATING DEMAND VERSUS CAPTURING DEMAND

So if awareness exists throughout thefunnel, is there another way to categorize acampaign?

Inmyworldasdirectorof digitalmediaat Hyatt Hotels, I’ve scrapped The Funnelperspectiveandhavebeeninsteadusinganewmethod of categorizing most of our digitalcampaigns into twomajorbuckets—creatingdemandandcapturingdemand.

To use a simple example: During theharsh winter in Chicago, you put out a TVcommercial tellingpeople to visitMiami (and,of course,suggestingtheystayataHyatthotel).In this scenario, you are trying to generatedemand.On theotherhand,whenconsumersare actively reading articles about traveling totheBahamas, and youput your ads rightnexttothearticle,youaretryingtocapturedemand.

Many companies organize their teamsinto retention and acquisition; this same conceptof targetingcanalsobeappliedwithinthose twogroups.For existing customers, youcan generate demand by encouraging themto purchase more. Then again, if you realizeyour existing consumer is considering otherbrandsforaservicethatyouprovide,wouldn’tyouwant towin thembackbycapturing suchdemand? Technology these days allow us toeasilyidentifythoseusers,andmarketersshouldtakeadvantageof suchtargetingcapabilitiesasmuch as possible through tools like Google’sremarketinglistsforsearchads.

Sothenexttimeyourunacampaign,youmightwant to think about if your product oryour campaign message is unique enough togenerateconsumerdemandoryoujustwanttotarget those in-market consumers and simplyhaveapieceof themarketshare.Notalotof marketerscancreateanentiremarketlikewhatDeBeersdidwithdiamondsbackinthe1930s,butIcanenticeconsumerstotravelmorewithphotographsof exoticdestinations.

From The Funnel to Dual Buckets

Frank Wong

brand

Edited by Rebecca Yeng

Director, Digital Media,Hyatt Hotels Corporation

When I first got into marketing eightyears ago, everyone talked about The Funnel,andweused this frameworkextensively at theagencies.EvenafterItransitionedtotheclientside, I still see The Funnel being used quiteoften. I’ve used itmyself occasionally aswell,butthemoreIthinkaboutit,themoreIthinkthatthepurchasefunnelneedsalittletweak.

“AWARENESS” IS THROUGHOUT THE FUNNEL

Many marketers categorize theircampaigns as awareness and direct response.The awareness campaign focuses on the toppart of the funnel while the direct responsecampaignfocusesonthemiddletobottompartof the funnel.

However,theterm“awareness”hasbeenvery looselyused,andIbelievethatawarenessdoesn’tjustexistonthetopof thefunnel.Let’sbegin by defining “awareness” more clearly.Awareness of what? Your particular brandin general? A particular action/need that theconsumershaven’tbeenthinkingof?Orabrandnewproductwithinyourbrandportfolio?

Let’s keep it simple and say you wantconsumers to be more aware of your V8Vegetable Juice. You can put a TV ad outthere,which isusuallyconsidereda top-funnelexecution.As for amid-funnel execution, youcan run paid search ads targeting consumerssearching for “healthy drinks” to make themaware of your product. Alternatively, you canhave the right shelf placement, putting theV8 next to other health drinks targeting the

consumerswhoare actively shopping in thoseaisles, and thiswould be considered a bottomfunnel execution. If we follow the traditionalpurchase funnel categorization, the last twoscenarios are usually considered to be directresponsecampaigns.

However, didn’t the consumer justbecame aware of your product in those twoscenarios? Therefore, consumer can become awareof yourproduct throughout the funnel.Itisimportanttoknowthatalthoughawarenessis throughout the funnel, the purchase pathremains the same.Consumers still need to gothroughtheprocessbelow.Thekeydifferenceis that consumers at the bottom of the funnel usuallymaketheirdecisionsfasterthanthoseatthetopof thefunnel.

SPEED TO PURCHASE IS THE KEY WHEN MEASURING SUCCESS

Have you ever wondered why your TVadorhomepagemakeoverisnotgivingyouanimmediate return? Why do we see such highROIwhenbiddingonourcompetitorsbrandedterms? That’s because the speed to purchasevariesdrasticallydependingonwhenconsumersareexposedtoyourbrand.Whenconsumersseeyouradinthecomfortof theircouchathome,it’s probably going to take longer for them topickupyourproductascomparedtothosewhoarealreadyinthegrocerystorebutjustlearnedaboutyourproductwalkingdowntheaisle.

When the speed of purchase is notimmediate, several factors such as loss of tracking (think cookie deletion) or changeof mind could affect a campaign’s ROI. It

In his role at Hyatt, Frank Wong is responsible for developing digital roadmaps and executing strategies across various digital channels including paid search, meta search, display, paid social and search engine optimizations. Frank is a big believer in data-driven marketing and is passionate about user experience. Prior to joining Hyatt, Frank spent four years at Digitas, where he worked on the Bank of America and Sprint accounts. Prior to Digitas, Frank spent two years working as a financial and operations consultant at Huron Consulting Group.

RETHINKING OUR CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES

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In order to do this, start marketing tomillennials internally. Forbes states that 77%of connected millennials choose to work ata company because of its sense of purpose.Millennials demand flexible work hours; theydemand creative ways of communication; theydemand meaningful context and narrativesand the truth. Focus on creating a structurethat provides opportunity for upwardmobility,entrepreneurial activity, remote working andconsistentpersonalgrowth.Onceyouprovideasafe space for your team toexpress themselves(andworkhard),turnattentionstoinspiringyourteamtosharethatpassionwithyouraudience.

Externally,rememberthesecretingredientto ameaningful,millennial-engaging experienceis the fact that it isn’t about you— it’s aboutthem.Millennials know their power; they haveseen their leverage through social media inmovements they have created, and they knowtheamplificationof theirvoice.Askyourself —whatisyourpurpose?Whydoyouexist?Whatisthevalueyouareofferingthepeopleyouaresellingto?

Sources:Dan Schwabel, “10 New Findings About the Millennial

Consumer.” Forbes. Jan. 20, 2015. http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2015/01/20/10-new-findings-about-the-millennial-consumer/#7e30049928a8.

Erin Mulligan Nelson, “MIllennials Want to Party With Your Brand on Their Own Terms.” Advertising Age. Aug. 2, 2012. http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/millennials-party-brand-terms/236444/

Image Source: (picked by the JIMC) http://www.azcommerce.com/media/468319/the-millennials_lowres.jpg

AUTHOR BIO p 39.

Decoding the Millennial Enigma

Amanda Slavin

brand

Edited by Sakhile Richards

CEO/Founder, CatalystCreativ

A MESSAGE TO BRANDS LOOKING TO ENGAGE THE ELUSIVE

GENERATION

$200 BILLION PER YEAR

$10 TRILLION OVER LIFETIME

64% WANT TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

77% CHOOSE TO WORK AT ACOMPANY BECAUSE OF ITSSENSE OF PURPOSE

SAY THEY ARE LIKELY TO BECOME LOYAL CUSTOMERS BECAUSE OFBRAND ENGAGEMENT ON SOCIALMEDIA

Millennials 80 MILLION

To many brands, millennials are anenigma.The reasonwhy somanybrands careabout engaging millennials is because theyare a powerful group. According to AdAge,millennials are 80 million strong with $200billion a year in spending power (starting in2017), amassing to $10 trillion in spending bytheendof ourlifetime.So,itisnowonderthatbrandsaredesperatelytryingtofigureoutwhatmakesmillennialstick.

There are many blanket statementsregarding millennials; below I have providedresearch to back up the most accurateassumptions. Millennials want brands to beauthentic; they want brands to be vulnerableandtransparent;theywantbrandstocareaboutmakingtheworldaplacethatwillsurpasstheirlifecycle.

Based on a survey by Forbes, “62% of millennials say that if a brand engages withthem on social networks, they aremore likelytobecomealoyalcustomer.Theyexpectbrandstonotonlybeonsocialnetworks,buttoengagethem.”Millennialsusethepowerof technologytonotonlybeapassive listener tobrandsbutalsotobeanactiveparticipantinabrand’sstory;theywant to feel heard.Because theyhave somany microphones to amplify their voices(Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram),there is no reason for brands to solely haveone-way conversations with their millennialaudience.Whenthinkingaboutbrandalignmentat CatalystCreativ, a company that focuses onhelping brands with millennial engagement, Ialways ask myself the question, “Would yourconsumerwanttodateyou?”

That isthewaytolookatthemillennialconsumer to a certain extent. There needs to be a two-way conversation—youneed to listen,youneedtoasktheiropinionandtobeapartof the narrative, and you need to care aboutwhattheysay.Youneedtocreateameaningfulexperiencesotheywantthatseconddate,thirddate, and eventually to go “steady” with you.Youwant your consumer to love you becausenow they have the ability to share that love,or in some cases, that disdain, instantly withthousandsof people.

According to a study conducted byDeloitte,64%of millennialssayitisapriorityforthemtomaketheworldabetterplace.Thisisn’tsurprising,astheworldtheyhavebeenbroughtup in has been fairly bleak. With issues likeclimate change, obesity, drought and terrorismas consistent topics in their day-to-day to life,it is not surprising that they believe the mostpowerful communication tools (brands) shouldbe investing their time, energy, attention andmoney intoensuringthat theworld they live instillexistsin20,30or40years.

At CatalystCreativ, we think of it asnot only engaging millennials but engaging“millennial-mindedpeople.”Whodoesn’twantabetterworldortobelistenedto?Millennialsforcebusinessestohavebetterpractices,internallyandexternally.Bylisteningtowhatmillennialswant,youcanactuallybecomeabettercompanyand,inthelongrun,attractloyalcustomersthatactbothas consumers and brand ambassadors.

Ultimately, millennials are exactly theaudienceyouwant.Youwant someonewhoseloyalty you can’t buy, but that you have toemotionallyearn.Onceyouengageamillennial,they’ll be invaluable assets to your brand. Ipromiseyoutheywillneverdisappoint.

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showinghowyoucansolvethetoughproblemsthat keep customers and potential employersawakeatnight.Knowinghowtousethesocialmedia tools to assist in building a personalbrandthatconnectsyoutounprecedentednewopportunitiesandmakesyouinvaluabletoyouremployerandyourclients.

Oneof thekeystoasuccessfulpersonalbrandisbuildingyourownstorylineandonlineidentity—beginningto“live”yourbrandandconnectingyouronlinebrandand“in-real-life”brand.Thekeyformewaschoosingthesocialmedia tool that“putmeon themap.”Twitterhelpedmeby lettingme add abiography thatwas140characters,soIwasabletoputmyself outthere,livemybrandandmeetmygoalsbysupercharging my social media channels on aregularbasis.

I then added a blog as the hub of mysocialmediawheelandusedittotellmystoryfarmore effectively. I decided to commit to amonthlypostonatopicrelevanttomypersonalbrand. Inmy case, it was SharePoint, internalcommunications and ways to drive adoptionand engagement around intranets. I was abletofindcontentfromsuchsourcesasMashable,Tech Crunch, Harvard Business Review andSloanManagementReviewtocomplementmypersonalideas.

I have been able to avoid the killermistakes toomany business social networkersmakebynotoversharing,ratherbeingaconstantresource tomy colleagues and connections inbothreallifeandonline.Givenmyexperience,here are things you will need to keep top of

mindtopositivelyshapeyourpersonalbrand:

• Buildapowerfulsocialnetworkthat feedsopportunitiestoyou.

• Connectwithinfluentialpeoplethat willhelpbuildyourbrand.

• Usethebesttoolsandsolutionsfor brandbuilding.

• Createagreatpersonalprofilethat sells.

• Buildapersonalbrandthatwillget youpromoted.

By building a recognizable personalbrand, you’ll find that opportunities find youeffortlessly.Whetherit’satworkoratplay,youwill become a magnet for the opportunitiesyou’remostinterestedin.

Personal Branding & What It Means

in 2016

Jeff Willinger

brand

Edited by Olavina Harahap

VP, Digital Inspiration,Rightpoint

What is a personal brand? Building apersonalbrandwillearnyoumoremoney,giveyoubettercareeroptionsandmakeyouvirtuallyimmune from unemployment. When I thinkaboutmypersonalbrandin2016,ithasoccurredtomethatitissimilartowhenIfirstheardthetermin2005.Ihadalwaysthoughtof theterm“brand”aspertainingtocompaniesandbrandslike Tide (P&G’s flagship reliable laundrydetergent for cleanest clothes), McDonald’s(trusted hamburger fast food chain) and AvisRentalCars (“WeTryHarder”tobeyourbestrentalcarexperience).Irarelyeverthoughtof Jeff Willingerasabrand.Andthensomethingchanged—Ihadsoldmycompanyof 15years,GraphicPackaging,whichhaddefinedmybeingformostof mybusinesslife,andknewIhadtofigureoutwhatthisJeff 2.0wasgoingtolooklike.

This was when social media was justcomingintoitsown,andcompanieslikeTwitter,Facebook and LinkedIn were coming to theforefront of people communicating a wholenewway.Workingoutloudandcollaboratively,Ihadthegoodfortuneof beingoneof theearlyadoptersonmanysocialchannelsandwasableto“put itout there”what Iwanted tobeandthenbuildmybrandfromthatpointforward.

Iwasabletousesocialmediatobuildagreatpersonalbrandandlearnedhowtopresentmyself as the best solution to customers’ andemployers’worstproblems.Bylivingmybrand,I was able to learn the right ways to sell myknowledge capital and demonstrate my valueto prospects and potential employers, whilealso rebrandingmyself. I was able to connectmy online and offline networking together tosuccessfully navigate my next career change—and theoneafter that. In today’s turbulentbusiness environment, millions of people areseeking to strengthen their personal brandsand demonstrate far greater value to potentialcustomers and employers. Many of themare seeking to rebrand themselves as theymove towards entirely new jobs and careers.Fortunately, social media offers powerful newtoolsforbuildingpersonalbrands,strengtheningbusiness and personal relationships, and

Jeff Willinger is the VP of digital inspiration at Rightpoint. He is an internationally recognized online influencer, analyst and expert on all things web collaboration, enterprise social networking and enterprise IT strategy. With experience spanning more than two decades, he is a global speaker and expert in all CMS solutions and is a technology and business evangelist with deep expertise in user experience, information architecture, enterprise content management and web 2.0 technology strategy. He is the president and founder of the Social Media Club of Chicago and serves as EVP for Business Marketing Association.

One of the keys to a successful personal brand is building your own storyline and online identity

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expandeditsofferingsbeyondshoesovertimetobecome“amakerof athleticshoes,apparel,sports equipment and recreational products.”Realizing athletes’needsextendbeyond shoes,Nike saw opportunity; thus, as consumerneeds evolved, Nike developed technology,enhancingperformanceinshoestoequipment.Technologies such as Nike Air or LunarliteFoam create true product relevance forconsumers, continually reinforcing the brand’srelevance.Nike’smarketingcampaigninvolvingcurrentathletesalsocontinuallybuiltrelevance,reinforcing the performance message andspeakingtoamateurathletesinaninspirationalway. Without these innovations, I am notsure Nike would have been able to maintainrelevance.Throughfoundationalunderstandingof needs and providing technology to betterdeliver,Nikehasremainedontopof itsgame.Through intentional cannibalization, theyhaveremained victorious.

Innovationiscriticalintoday’smarketingtoolkit.Iwouldarguethatwithout innovation,abrandwillbehardpressedtogrow,letaloneremain relevant. Going back to foundationallearning and truly understanding consumerneedstobetterdefinebrandstheninnovateforthelongtermwillallowbrandstopositionforfuturegrowth.

The Importance of Innovation in Elevating

Brand Relevance

Shari Matras

brand

Edited by Qiulin Peng & Peishan Ouyang

Senior Director, Innovation Global Nutrition Group, PepsiCo

It seems that all companies, sectors,and industries are suffering today. Why isbrand performance declining? I would argueunderperformanceislargelydrivenbybrandsnotkeepingpacewithwhatconsumerswant.

Let’s face it— it’s easiest to continue todowhatyou’vealwaysdone,makewhatyou’vealwaysmade.Someproductshavebeenaroundfor100+years,andasthecompanyseeksgrowtheachyear, they takeout salt, sugarormake thepackagingthinnertosaveapennyonthebottomline.Andasaresult,consumersleavethebrand,findothersolutionsorbecomeannoyed,whichultimatelydecreasesusageandhurtsthebrand’srelevance.

But how to elevate brand relevance? Ibelieve the secret lies in the foundations of marketing — give the consumer what shewants.It’sreally thateasy—sowhy ignoretheconsumer?Bigcompaniesthinktheydon’tneedtodoresearch;theyalreadyhaveallthelearnings.But they fail to realize that consumer beliefs,behaviorsandpreferenceevolve,andsometimeschangeradically,inacoupleyears’time.Instead,theyrushtomarket,thenwonderwhytheproductfails.Smallcompaniesarejustasguilty.Iseethemlikechildren—inahurrytogrowup,sometimesnotthinkingorlookingbeforecrossingthestreet.Bothendupwithshort-termthinkinginsteadof thefoundationsneededforlong-termgrowth.

I believe the key to long-term success

starts and ends with consumer insight— notonlytrulyunderstandingtheconsumer,herneedsanddesires,andwhatshewants today,butalsoanticipating her future needs. Clear consumerunderstanding allows you to identify a spacebroad enough to encompass today as well aspositionfortomorrow.Withthoroughconsumerunderstanding, only then can you identifyinnovativeideastodeliveragainstfutureneeds.

P&G,forexample,reframedtheOldSpicebrandtoexpandfromanaftershavebrandtoafulllineof men’spersonalcareproducts.Theyrealizedthe brand had lost relevance and therefore set out to better understand the needs of today’sconsumer.Inthe‘60sand‘70s,aman’spersonalcare routine was limited. Personal care waslargelyforwomen.Perhapshe’duseaftershave,if hewenttothatextreme!Bythe‘90s,however,men required the same array of toiletries andofferingsastheirfemalecounterparts.Withthisshift in consumer behavior, P&G broadenedtheir thinkingbeyondtheproductformtotheconsumerneed.Creatingafulllineof productsincluding body sprays, deodorants, soaps, haircare and stylingproducts also created abrandhalo, allowing it to rise from its ashes like aphoenix, reinventing the brand for futuregrowth.

Additionally, Old Spice’s user base wasdeclining. To rebuild penetration, P&Gneededtogetmorepeopletobuythebrand.Changingto targetyoungerconsumersbroadenedappeal,growing penetration. This was a bold move,potentially alienating current users; however,P&Gsawtheopportunityintherisk.Today,thebrand encompasses a full line of personal carethat, “Helps guys improve their mansmells,”targetingayounger,maleaudience.

Throughoutits52-yearhistory,Nikehasfocusedonrelevance.DidyouknowNikehasbeen around since 1964? Probably not.Why?BecauseNikehasalwaysstayedontopof whatconsumers want, leveraging technology tobetter deliver against consumer needs.Namedafter the Greek goddess of victory, Nike

Shari Matras has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and innovation. She has led the launch of notable brands such as Orbit Gum, Orbit White Gum, Gevalia Kaffe Roast & Ground Coffee, and K-Cups for Maxwell House and Gevalia Kaffe. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Shari led the innovation team for Kraft Foods’ coffee business. She has also held significant roles at the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Schools and Recycled Paper Greetings. Earlier in her career, Shari held positions for companies/agencies representing Kraft Foods and Taco Bell, Sara Lee, Ellio’s Pizza and Lunch Makers. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Northwestern University.

Clear consumer understanding allows you to identify a space broad enough to encompass today as well as position for tomorrow.

NU Alumni

data.

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some of its top management sponsorshipcapital in assuring end-to-end implementationof the chosen projects. The transformationaleffortatBanorteinitiallyfocusedonthecreditcardbusinessbecauseof theproject’svalueandthewillingnessfromthebusinesspartners.

An analytics team obviously requiresquantitative skills, and the organization hasto make a substantial investment in data andtechnology. However, these prerequisitesare not enough to transform an institution.Banorte’s experience has shown that two softskillsarevital—theabilitytobuildconsensusandtohavegoodteamplayerswhorespectthebusinessacumenof theircounterparts.Businesslines expect the quants to be a partner, not alecturer.

Finally, rooting analytics within theorganization requires measurement. It is notuncommon for anorganizationon its path totransformation to undertake several initiativesat the same time, and it may prove hard todisentanglethecontribution.Theanalyticsteamshould not assume that results are self-evident — a detailed report to the top managementmustbeproducedperiodically.Furthermore,itiseasytostrayfromvaluebyundertakingonlytheprojectsfromwillingpartners.AtBanorte,measurementhasassuredsponsorshipandhaskeptanalyticsontrack.

Transforming into an Analytical Organization

Dr. José A. Murillo Garza

data

Edited by Mariana Arana

Ph.D, Chief Analytics Officer, Grupo Financiero Banorte

BEYOND DATA AND TECHNOLOGY

Analyticswithinatraditionalorganizationoftenstartsasatopmanagementinitiativeaimedat increasing productivity. Implementationfaces several challenges, and top managementsponsorship could quickly fade away. Banorte,the largest Mexican financial group, is underway to successfully transform into an analyticalorganization.Thisexperienceoffersfivelessonstostartoutsuchatransformation:

1.Gaincredibilitybydeliveringshort-termresultsthatassurelong-termsponsorshipfromtopmanagement.2.Settherightincentivesfortheorganizationtoembraceanalytics,avoidingrivalrybetweenanalyticsandthebusinesslines.3.Donottakeforgrantedthatanalyticprojectsareapriorityforthewholeorganization—holdtheanalyticsgroupaccountable for end-to-end implementation.4.Theanalyticsteammembersbeyondquantitativeskillsrequiretheabilitytobuild consensus across different stakeholderswithintheorganization.5.Thecontributionfromanalyticinitiativesmust be measured.

A traditional organization that aims tobecome an analytical firm with the capacityto deepen and extend its relationship with itscustomers starts its journey with some leadersenvisioning a future for the company. It is notuncommon to find contrasting visions withintopmanagementof what shouldbe the future— some subscribe to the oldTexas adage, “If itain’tbroke,don’tfixit.”Thisshouldnotbeasurprisesincecompanieshavelimitedresources,and there are competing projects that respondtoexistingcustomerdemands.Hence,whentheorganization embarks on the transformationpath,itisclearthattheanalyticalcampprevailed,butthisdoesnotmeanthatthetraditionalcampwas convinced. Top management compositionis not static, and suddenly the forward-thinking camp that once prevailed to launchthe transformational analytic initiativemight be

outnumbered. Assuring continuity requires theanalyticteamtogaincredibilitywithbothcampsof theorganization.Ahighshort-runROIdoesthetrick.AnalyticsinBanorteduringitsfirstyearof operations contributed 10% of the group’s

totalnetprofit,gainingcredibilityandresourcestoadvancewithmedium-termprojects

Ahighyieldfromanalyticsisanecessarybut insufficient condition. Analytics and thebusinesslinesmustestablishapartnershipthatwill face some hurdles. Analytics will disruptthe way business has been conducted, andrivalrybetweengroupsmightarise.Bothgroupsspeak different languages — one group hasbusiness experiencewhile the other talkswithstatistics and models. The business lines have manyconcerns—devotingscarceresourcestounprovenprojects,thecredittheywillgetincaseof success,ortheblametheywillshareif failureoccurs. These concernsmust be addressed bythe design of an incentive scheme that alignstheinterestsof analyticsandthebusinesslines.Banortesolvedthisproblembysettingashadowtargetforanalyticsthatdidnotrivalthebusinesslinestargets,butratheranalyticprojectshelpedbusinesslinesattaintheirtargets.

Non-rivalry between groups does notguarantee that the business lines and otherstakeholders will enthusiastically embraceanalytic initiatives to change the way theyhave been working. Stakeholders within theorganization are unfamiliar with analyticinitiatives,andtheycertainlyhaveotherprojectstop of mind. It is of an utmost priority foranalytics to find partners willing to championinitiativesthatcansetanexampletotherestof the organization. Analytics will need to invest

José Antonio Murillo Garza serves as managing director of analytics at Grupo Financiero Banorte, S.A.B. de C.V. José also serves as general director of analysis at Banco Mercantil Del Norte, S.A. Prior to this, José was the director of price analysis for regional economies and information at Banco de México. He holds a degree and Doctorate in Economics from Rice University.

Business lines expect the quants to be a partner, not a lecturer.

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need to master some basic concepts that canhelpyougeneratethebestvisuals,including:

1. Determiningwhatyouaretryingtovisualizeandwhatkindof informationyouwanttocommunicate.2. Knowingyouraudienceandunderstandinghowtheyprocessvisualinformation.3. Usingavisualthatconveystheinformationinthebestandsimplestformforyouraudience—if youneedtospendmorethan30secondsexplainingthechart,itisn’tworking.4. Understandingthatreporting is easy —recommending is hard.Don’ttaketheeasywayoutandsimplyreportoutabunchof metricsandnumbers.Takethetimetounderstandwhatitmeansandaddvalue.

But you also need to be careful not togo overboard in your storytelling. Some of the biggest mistakes I see marketers make increatingvisualstoriesfromdatainclude:

1. Death by PowerPoint—Toomanyslideswithtoomuchinformationoneachslide.Rememberthatyoushouldneverhavemorethanoneslideforeverytwominutes.Combinetheslidewithyournarrativeforaddedimpact.2. Too good to be true—Toomuchanimation,flashorpizazzdiminishesthevalueof thedatayouarepresenting.Striveforpurityandsimplicity.3. The infographic that killed the whale —Takingeverysingledatapointyoucanpossiblyimagineandturningitintoonegreat,big,longinfographic.Noonewantstolookatinfographicsthatcannotbeviewed“abovethecrease”orononesimple,horizontalslide.

CONCLUSION

Asanintegratedmarketingprofessional,you will need to communicate and tell yourstory to other colleagues in the organizationwho are not as well versed in the statisticsand thenumbers,andwhomaybecompletelyunfamiliarwith the techniques andmetrics of integrated marketing. Take the time to trulyunderstandwhatthedatameanssoyoucantellyouraudiencethestoryitistellingyou—andwhatmeaningfulactionstheycantakebasedonthatstory.

Good marketers get good results, butgreat marketers are great communicators and get great results. Bymastering the art of datavisualization, you can build trust and respect,gaincredibilityandcreatecollaborationamongyourpeers,yourcolleaguesandyourboss.

AUTHOR BIO p 39.

Telling a Memorable Story with Your

Data

Cyndi W. Greenglass

Edited by Allison Chen

SVP, Strategic Solutions,Diamond Marketing Solutions

data

We’ve all heard the phrase “a picture isworth 1,000 words.” It turns out that this ismore than just an old saying. Research datingback to the 19th century has proven that ourbrains can grasp, process and retain pictureswith much greater meaning than numbers orwordsalone.

This is called the “picture superiorityeffect,” and understanding this basic humandynamic is critical to integrated marketers. Itmeansthatitisfasterforpeopletounderstandmany data points when they are displayed inchartsandgraphsratherthanporingoverpilesof spreadsheetsorreadingpagesandpagesof reports.

Let’sconsiderthemarketingdirectorwhois trying to explain why she wants to devotemore of her online media budget to mobileanddigitaladvertising.Herbossisabigfanof magazinesandisquestioningthesoundnessof herdecision.Sheneedstofinddatatosupportherposition.

Shecouldtellher bossthata2015industryreportshowsthecontinuingdeclineof printinfavorof digital advertising and that this trendis also being seen among marketing budgets.Or she can show the following slide with an

accompanyingverbalnarrativeinapresentation.Whichdoyouthinkismorecompelling?

TELLING THE STORY

Therearemanydifferentwaystoanalyzeand interpret data — as Ronald H. Coasefamously said in his Essays on Economics and Economists,“If youtorturethedatalongenough,it will confess.” Therefore, as marketers, wemust have a very clear understanding of ourobjectivesinordertoprotectagainsttoomuchbias in our analysis. It is equally important toexpress yourself in a way that people willunderstand and retain, and to ultimately gaintheir collaboration and support. And nothing builds collaboration like storytelling.Thestoryallowsyou to answer the meaningful questions youhaveasamarketer,aswellasthequestionsyourbosswillask,suchas:

• Whatisworking,andwhatisnot working?

• Didwesucceed?• Andinallcases—WHY?

To be a successful data storyteller, you

digital.

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shared goals, interest, activities, understandingand trust.

To achieve a strong and mutuallybeneficialrelationshipwithinfluencersyouneedto:

•Knowthetypeof influencerthatisrightforyourbrand•Understandtheirneeds•Makeamemorablefirstimpression•Ensurethevalueexchangeismutuallybeneficial•Demonstratelong-termintent

5. Influence Can’t Live Without Content or an Experience

People need something to react to andshare.Experiencesandcontentarehowwelearn,whatwerememberandawaytoconnecttotheworld.Asaresult,youneedtobeconsistentlyevolving and tailoring your approach to keepyour influencer and audience base interested.By creating memorable, personalized contentandexperiences,youaremorelikelytointerest

Authenticity, Democratization of Information and the

Changing Nature of Influence

Jake O’Leary, Smriti Khanna

Edited by Smriti Khanna

Global Head of Brand Marketing, Youtube Music& IMC Graduate Student, Northwestern University

digital

Manymarketersstillhavetheperceptionthatthosewhocanmakethemostnoiseorcreatethemostoutrageousstuntwillcutthroughtheclutter.However, while these thingsmay haveworked in the past, millennials are lookingsomething different. This is a generation thathunts for, and cares about, real stories from real people.

Platforms likeYouTube have led to thedemocratizationof contentandinformationbyallowingalmostanyonethefreedomtoexpresstheirideasandopinions,theopportunitytobediscovered,thechancetofindtheircommunity,andgainaccesstotheinformationof theworld.Millennialstodaydecidewho,whereandwhentheywanttoconsume.Tohearorseesomeoneexplain a raw emotion or an experience helpsthemunderstandif theyarejustifiedintheirownpersonalfeelingorexperience.Thischangehaselevatedtheimportanceof influencermarketingwithintheoverallmarketingmix.

Asbrandbuilders,weneedtounderstandand embrace this major shift in the nature of influencer marketing as an integral partof brand strategy. This is a departure fromthe commonplace, last minute, surface-leveladvocacy at the launch of a new product orcampaign.Toooften,influencecanbereducedto a short-term transaction in attempt to rentsocialmediaimpressions.Whilstthis“buzz”isgoodfordrummingupawareness,itfallsdownwhentryingtobuildaniconicbrand.

Coming from a more traditional CPGbackground, my current role at YouTube hasshown me firsthand how the landscape of influenceisrapidlychanging.Whiletheconceptof influence is not new— as humans, we allhave the ability to exert influence throughrelationships— it is the nature and scope of influencethathaschangedoverthelastdecade.YouTubeisaplatformthatenablesone-to-onerelationships by facilitating rich, immersiveexperiencesthroughvideothatechothefeelingof being in the same physical space as thecreator of the content. Experiences that wereonce limited arenowavailable to anyonewitha computer or a smartphone. Top executivesnolongerdecidewhatcontentpeopleconsume—thepeopledo.Thischanginglandscape,andthe sheer reach of individual influencers, has

openedamajoropportunity forbrands to telltheirstoriesoutsideof traditionaladvertising.

FIVE PRINCIPLES FOR BRANDS AIMING TO BUILD BRAND ADVOCACY WITH INFLUENCERS

1. Quality Beats QuantitySegment your brand’s user base to

figureoutwhoactually influences them.Onceyouunderstandwho trulyhas cloutwith yourusers, it is imperative to work closely with amanageable group of individuals capable of spreadingadvocacy,bothdigitallyandinperson.Passionatesupportfromsomeonewithmodestinfluenceshouldalwaysratehigherthanatepidvoteof confidencefromsomeonewithalargeaudience.

2. Start Niche to Reach MassAudience size does not necessarily

equal influence. The ideal state of influencermarketingistoreachalargeaudiencebyworkingwithafew,targetedindividuals.Getenoughof therightpeopleonboard,youhaveachanceof creatingagroundswell.

3. Treat People as Humans, Not Algorithms or Data Points

The very reason brands want to workwith influencers is for their unique culturalposition, perspective, writing style, on andofflinefollowingorstrongsocialpresence.Forthis reason, being too prescriptive or micro-managingisnotthewaytogo.Eachinfluencerhasauniquevoice—trynottostifleit.Eachof themmayhaveadifferentwayof talkingaboutyourproductorbrand,andthatisok.

Influenceisahumanbehavior,pronetoemotionswithswiftchangesintone,focusandsentiment.Embracingtheunpredictablenatureof influence and being agile in your thinkingand actions will not only endear your brandto influencers but ensure that the brand stayscurrent, relevant, and most of all, credible.

4. Create Relationships, Not TransactionsInfluencer marketing is much like any

relationship. Great relationships are built on

Jake O’Leary leads brand marketing for YouTube, the biggest music platform in the world. Not content with serving more than a billion users, he launched the new YouTube Music app on Android and iOS, which trended globally on Twitter (#2) and collected 591 million impressions in the first twelve hours. Jake was almost solely responsible for bringing the app to the world, from working hand-in-hand with product & engineering execs to identifying development scope based on consumer feedback. Jake previously spent his working life playing music and marketing world leading brands, including Pantene and Gillette.

Smriti Khanna is a full-time student in the Medill Integrated Marketing Communications program. She has worked in brand management in the CPG industry for the last four years in Asia. While working across a variety of brands and markets, the growing importance of Big Data and the increasing shift of control to consumers intrigued her and brought her to Medill. Smriti holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and marketing from Singapore Management University.

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propertargetingwithwhichbrandscanensuretrue success.

Do not mistake this for the fact thatpeople are not tuning into traditional mediasources such as television shows and movies.However, according to aDeloitte survey, 92%of U.S. consumers aremultitaskingwhile theyare watching television. That means that theyare tuning out during commercial breaks andmissingbrandmessaging.Whilethismaysounddetrimentaltoabrand,thisisakeyopportunitywherebrandscannotonlyjustreachconsumerson their televisions but also on their mobile devices that connect them with the worldaround them.

Despite all of this, there are thosewhofeel as if social media is solely for youngergenerations, choosing to stick with theirtraditionalmarketingmethodsinstead.Thisisavitalmisstepas58%of U.S. consumerschecksocial media daily, and millennials aged 19-32stated that recommendations from their social media circles have surpassed the influence of television advertising (Belson, Westcott, &Lippstreu, 2016). Now imagine if we ignoredmillennials. Brands that are not tapping intothis market are missing out on a generationthatisprojectedtospend$200billionannuallystartingin2017and$10trillionoverthecourseof theirlives(Nelson,2012).Thoughthatisjustanoverallsnapshotandeducatedestimate,onethingcannotbeignored—thatsocialmediaiscrucialforthesuccessof brandsintoday’sdayandage.

The Importance of Social Media

for Brands

Matt Augustin

Edited by Brit’ney McTush

Social Strategist, Fitzgerald & Company

digitalSources:

Belson, G., Westcott, K., & Lippstreu, S. (2016, March 23). Digital Democracy Survey: A multi-generationl view of consumer technology, media and telecom trends. Retrieved April 1, 2016, from Deloitte: http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/technology-media-and-telecommunications/articles/digital-democracy-survey-generational-media-consumption-trends.html#

Bendtsen, C., Dolliver, M., Johnson, M., McNair, C., Minsker, M., Orozco, O., . . . Williamson, D. A. (2016). US Social StatPack: Usage and Ad Spending. eMarketer, 1-72.

Nelson, E. M. (2012, August 2). Millennials Want to Party With Your Brand But On Their Own Terms. Retrieved April 1, 2016, from Ad Age: http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/millennials-party-brand-terms/236444/

Intoday’sdayandage,socialmediaservesasmorethanjustamediumforpushingproductsand services. It allows consumers to connectwiththeirfriends,family,strangers,and—mostimportantlyformarketers—brands.Longgoneare the days in which marketers could throwsomething at thewall aftermeetingwith selectfocusgroupsandwaittoseeif itsticks.Theageof looking for the needle in the haystack hastransitionedtoonewhereconsumerscaninteractnot justwhen thebrand saysbuton theirownterms.

Social media has totally shifted controlfrombrand toconsumer.Withanyoneable totweet or findoutwhat their friends are doingon Facebook, it has become an epicenter forcommunities of consumers to rally aroundtheirinterestsandcreateamplifiedsubcultures.With this, social media has also become asource for not only providing content butalso a tool for targeting the right content tothe right people at the right time.Thismakessocial media invaluable, and brands need to ensure they capitalize effectively. Social mediaisakeyopportunityforbrandstoreachcrucialaudiences and ensure their ad spend is usedeffectivelyandstrategically.

Sowhynotjusttakewhatyou’realreadydoing on traditional media and push it onsocial?Thereasonisbecauseonesizedoesnotfitall.Eachplatformrequiresspecificstrategiesworking in tandemwith one another in orderto effectively reach users where they are.AccordingtoanarticlebyeMarketer,therearemorethan150millionpeopleintheU.S.usingmobilephones to access social networks,with58.6%of themaccessingsocialnetworksatleastonceamonth.Thismeansthatthedynamicof how consumers are choosing to engage withthe world around them has drastically shifted—especiallywhenitcomestointeractingwiththebrands.EvenwithFacebookbeingthemosttrusted source for branded content, consumers stillgettochoosewhattheyengagewith.Thatmeansthatmarketershavetoknowexactlywhattype of content goes where. Using the samecontentfromtraditionalmediawhereconsumersareforce-fedadsonaplatformwhereusersgettochoosewhattoengagewithwillresultinpoorresults.Instead,mediastrategiesshouldworkintandemtoensureahealthymixof exposureand

Matt Augustin is the first social media strategist at the McCann Network’s Fitzgerald & Company, where he develops the social strategy for brands. With a heart for service, Matt spearheads the social media strategy for the Marcus Graham Project, a program that aims to serve as an avenue for minorities to truly change the face behind the lens in the advertising industry. Matt also serves on the local executive board for MAFA, a Chicago-based networking group that coordinates events and opportunities for diverse men and women to connect with powerful professionals in the advertising, marketing and PR communities.

92% of U.S. consumers are multitasking while they are watching television.

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and then eventually from visitor to purchaser.Thisidentificationor“traits”areimportant,asthesedatapointshelp inknowingmoreabouttheuser’sintentandthensegmentingusersintothe right groups. Bottom line is that with theamount of big data available, marketers canuse it to their advantage to purposely informtargetingbycreatingusefulmicrosegments.

DESIGNWith key identified microsegments

comes the need to create relevant messagesthatarealignedtotheneedstateof auser.Forexample, if youknowthatthisgroupof usershas browsed a particular section of your site(like baseball equipment), you know that theonly creative that would resonate themost tothis audience is about baseball. This is whereyoucan apply a customized site experienceormediaadforthisgroup,includingapersonalizedcall to action.

DISTRIBUTEOnce you have dynamic creative

optimized for a particular segment, anotherchallengeisplacingthemarketingmessaginginrightcontext.Thismeansdecidinghowtoserveatenniscreativetopotentialprospectswhentheyarelookingfortennisnews.Intoday’smarketingworld, the right placement is fundamental tosuccess as much as the right creative. If youfocusontheintentof theconsumer,itprovidesa direction for you to place themessage at arelevant place. We have seen examples wherewhenusersgotoasportsnewssiteafterabiggamewin, they seeoffers tobuyapparel/gearfeaturingtheheroof thatgame.Thisiswhereyoucantakedesignanddistributetoscaleinacontextualmannertodriveimpulsebehavior.

In the end, by leveraging marketingtechnologies, brands that extend digital mediatargeting beyond consumer demographics andfocusonthe“intent”of theconsumerwillseehigherresults.

AUTHOR BIO p 39.

Personalized Marketing @ Scale

Abhishek Jadon

Edited by Megha Ghildiyal

Senior Manager, Digital Strategy, Gatorade,PepsiCo

digital

WhilebrowsingthroughtheInternet,haveyouevernoticedthatwhencasuallyvisitingwebpagesorclickingoncontent,someadsfeeltargetedandcontextuallyrelevant(seeingadvertisementsfeaturingsameapparelyoujustviewedaftervisitingafashione-commercesite),andsometimeswhatgetsservedisnotcontextuallyrelevantand,insomecases,themessagedoesnotevenfitthedestinationenvironment(apharmaceuticaladonsportsnewswebsite).

Thefundamentaldifferencebetweenthetwosituationsisamarketer’sfocusondeliveringcontextuallyrelevant,impactfulcommunicationwhilekeepingconsumer’sintentatthecore—simplysaid,deliveringtherightmessagetotherightpersonattherighttime.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

We live in a hyper-connected digitalworld,whereconsumerbehaviorsareconstantlyevolving. In the last five years, the way weconsumemedia,whichdeviceswe consume iton,orevenhowweinteractorsharethemediahasevolveddrastically.

Whiletheattentionof today’sconsumeris shrinking to seconds, the desire to getinterestingandrelevantcontentisstillhigh.Infact,studieshaveprovedthatconsumerstodayare open to receiving marketing messages oradvertisements if they either provide value orarecontextuallyrelevant.

As the digital landscape continues toevolve and as technology allows us to bettertag,serveandanalyzedigitalmedia,thepressureon marketers to adapt to this new way of “personalized marketing” will only increase.With the emergence of data managementplatforms (DMPs) that allow better trackingandunderstandingof consumerbehaviorsandinterests, this data coupledwith any 3rd partyorownedanalyticswillprovideclear,actionableinsightstoservemorerelevantandcompellingadvertisements,thusdeliveringhigherresults.

DMPswill help segment audiences, andbrandswillbeabletoservedifferentcreativetodifferent microsegments. For example, if youare a sports apparel e-commerce site, insteadof serving everyonewithgeneric sports-based

bannerad,youwouldbeabletosegmentyourtotal audience and serve a tennis-interested audiencewithtennis-featuredcreative.

Thekeyelementistolearnfromconsumerbehavioronmanyattributessuchaspreferences,platforms and purchases. Technology hasadvanced to allow us to consolidate all thesebehavioraldatapointsandidentifytheintentof consumerwithinthemarketingfunneltodeliveramorecompellingmessage.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Beyond implementing any technologysolution,thefutureistakingastrategicapproachtocollectingdataandapplyingitacrossalldigitaltouchpoints to ultimately gain longitudinalbehaviorallearningof yourconsumer.Itstartswith recognizing your core consumer andunderstandingtheintentof thatconsumerandwherethepersonisinhis/herjourneyonpathtopurchase.

The three-stage framework belowoutlinesonepossibleapproachtopersonalizedmarketing through an example of a sportsapparele-commercesite:

DATAThis stage is about identifying the key

attributes of your consumer that youwant totrack.Forexample,asane-commercesite, thefocus is to convert everyprospect to a visitor

DATA

DISTRIBUTIONDESIGN

MAGIC

PERSONAS

ENGAGEMENT

CONNECTED ECOSYSTEM

DEFINED PLATFORM

DYNAMIC CREATIVE

Right Person, Right Message,

Right Time.

25

digitalCONSUMERS AS EVANGELISTS

With consumers exposed to more than5,000adsaday(accordingtoYankelovich),theirattentionisshort.ConsumersarenotlookingtoseethesameadthatwasonTVlastweek—theyare looking tobe evangelists fornewcontent.They are excitedby theopportunity tobe thefirst to share information with their friendsbecause that allows them to continuebuildingtheironlinereputation.Brandsmustunderstandthatcontentisfleeting,andthevalueof beingrelevantinthe“now”momentof aconsumer’smindisoneof themostvaluableplacesabrandcan be.

Influencermarketingischangingthewaymodern marketers connect with consumers,and it is time to embrace this new way of marketing. Brands have been slow to adoptinfluencermarketing, but forced advertising isnolongereffective.Wecanseeanewwaveof influencer marketing emerging where brandsare intheconversation—theyaredrivingtheconversations, and they are connecting withconsumersonamorepersonallevel.Consumersare your most important assets, and whenconsumersloveabrand,theyarethestrongestadvertising any brand will ever see. It is timeformarketerstoinvestininfluencermarketing,andweassureyouthatyourbrandwillseetheimpact.

The Influence of Influencer Marketing

Tara Chang

Edited by Chinye Osamusali

Co-Founder,Women’s Innovation Lab

Didyouknowthat31.2millionFacebookmessagesaresenteveryminute?And300hoursof videosareuploadedtoYouTubeeveryminute?Withtheriseof newsocialmediaplatforms,consumersarebecomingmoreconnectedthanever.Insteadof turningtobrandstotellthemwhat’shot,theyareturningtotheironlinecommunitiesandinfluencerstofindoutthelatesttrends.Brandsarenolongerabletobombardconsumersthroughmassmediamessagingbecauseconsumershavelearnedtotune-outtraditionaladvertising.Withonly10percentof consumersactuallyreadingthecopyof ads(asnotedbyGeorgeGallup’sresearchwithYoung&Rubicam),smartmarketershavelearnedthatitisessentialtobecomepartof theconsumer conversation.

Thereisafragmentationof trustthatisplaguingthetraditionaladvertisingworld.Marketersarebattlingforconsumers’shareof attentionandarebeingforcedtoadapttonewpathwaystoconnectwithconsumers.Oneof themosteffectivewaysistopartnerwithsocialmediainfluencerstohelpbecomeapartof theconsumerconversation.Influencersareabletoorganicallyreachconsumersandbrandsnowhaveanopportunitytorelatetocustomersattherightplaceandintherightway.

THE CENTER OF INFLUENCER MARKETING - SOCIAL CURRENCY

Influencer marketing has created anew economy of social engagement whereindividuals are able to capitalize on their ownuser generated content. Their self-producedcontent has become their online voice and brought them social fame. Influencers are theones who hold the power of social currency.Bypartneringwithinfluencers,brandsareableto share their messages with their audienceswithoutbeing invasive.More importantly, theyinfluence the perception of the brand. Bypartnering with these influencers, companiesare able to align their brand with a particularmessage and online community. Marketersshould heed the opportunity to partner withinfluencerstobecomeapartof theconversationwithconsumers.

SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE

Whileinfluencermarketinghasproventobe successful in gaining brand trust, it is onlypossible when brands speak the language of their consumer. If an auto company alignedthemselveswitha15-yearoldEDM(electronic-dance music) influencer who doesn’t have adriver’s license, consumerswouldquestion thecredibilityof theinfluencerorcouldevenhaveamorenegativeviewof thebrand.Sohowdobrandsfindtherightinfluencertopartnerwith?It is about knowing the brandDNA, not justwhoitstargetis.Manybrandsaimtocapturetheattention of millennials, and it is essential that themessagingbegenuine.Insteadof forcingabrandmessageuponaninfluencer,manybrandshavebeensuccessfulbysendingproductstotheinfluencers. Consumers are trained to ignoreforcedadvertising,andakeywaytoeffectivelycommunicatewith them is through an honestconnection.

GIVE THE INFLUENCER FREEDOM

Influencers are focused on staying truetotheirownbrand.Someinfluencerswilllookto partner with brands to generate revenue,but the best influencers will do the same duediligenceonabrandasbrandsshouldbedoingontheinfluencer.Withoutgivinginfluencersthefreedomtocraftcontentthatwillresonatewiththeirfans,theresultingpartnershipcontentwillnotbeaseffective.Despitepredictiveanalyticstoolsthatcanhelpdeterminetheeffectivenessof content,influencersaretheoneswhoknowtheiraudiencethebest.Theyknowthebesttypeof contentthatwillkeeptheirfansengaged.

HOW BRANDS BECOME PART OF THE CONSUMER CONVERSATION

Tara Chang is the co-founder of Women’s Innovation Lab, a leading female empowerment platform that partners with corporations to drive gender equality. As an expert in new marketing technologies, she has served as the former vice president of sales at Visible Measures, a leading video advertising company, and as an advisor for Revfluence, a social platform for influencer marketing. She received her education from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford and the Kellogg School of Management. Tara has won various awards and competitions from DARPA, Facebook, Cisco, Macy’s and the City of Boston.

Influencers are the ones who hold the power of social currency.

NU Alumni

NorthwesternUniversity

27

andmatchconsumerdemand.“Pipeline”hotelcompaniesarefacinganeconomicchallengeto ensure that the asset commitment and, in turn,highfixedcostsgenerateoccupancyratestodeliverprofitableoutcomes.Thedisruptiongeneratedbyplatformsandtheconsumerdirectinvolvementisimpactingthevolumeneededforthesecompanies.

Pipelinecompaniesaretakingalookatoperatinglikeaplatformbusiness.Forexample,GeneralElectricisre-inventingmanyof itsbusinessunits.Injetengines,GEisbuildingcapabilitiestocapturedataintelligenceresultinginlowermaintenancecosts,increasedefficienciesandproductfeatureimprovements

throughcommunitycollaborationsfromengineersandacademicsaroundtheglobe.

Consumersrepresentmorethan2/3of theeconomicGDPintheUnitedStates.Withatoughjobmarket,manyconsumershavetakenpersonalreflectiveaction.Theyaremotivatedbytheabilitytocreatebusinessesontheirownand“floattheirpersonalassets”tothemarketplaceforvalue.Withadvancementinplatformapplicationsandsocialmedia,thedemandcanbegeneratedforapotentiallysuccessful endeavor.

Beware,industrialagebusinesseswillneedtoprotecttheirassets,theircoststructuresandtheirprofitsbycontinuingtoattractlarge

volumes of transactions. Consumer businesses donotneedtoattractlargevolumesof businessestobesuccessfullyprofitable.Thebarriertoattractconsumers,allowsthesmallestof companiestobedisruptivelysuccessfulthroughdirectrelationshipdeliveryexecutionusingplatformsystems.

Adviceforbothpipelineandplatformbusinesses—beflexible,dreambig,getdirectconsumerrelationshipsand“float”yourassetsandcostsintothemarketplace.

Bytheway—garageavailableforwinterstoragerent,anyoneinterested?

Platform Businesses “Float Costs,” Consumers

Run Businesses

Tony Poidomani

Northwestern on digital

Edited by Joe Macdougall

Lecturer, Medill IMC Department, Northwestern University

Haveyoueverexperiencedataxiridewithoutgettingintoataxi?Howaboutenjoyingaroomaccommodationwithoutenteringahotel?Consumerstodayareinapositiontodelivervalueasservicesuppliersandtobecomedemandgenerators.TechnologyplatformscreatedbycompaniessuchasUberandAirbnbareempoweringconsumerstotakemarketsharethroughdirectrelationshipsandrunprofitablebusinesses.Peer-to-peercommerceisflourishing,andindustrialagecompaniesbuilton20thcenturyprocessesaretakingnotice.

Inanewbook,Platform Revolution: How Networked Markets are Transforming the Economy and How to Make Them Work for You, the authors GeoffreyParker,MarshallVanAlstyneandSangeetChoudaryofferedthefollowingtocharacterizeindustrialagecompaniesandnewtechnologyplatformcompanies:

• Pipelinebusinesses are built on linearflowsthatlinkinfrastructure,peopleandprocesses.Assetsareleveragedandcarryhighfixedcosts.Thevalue created is the transformation of inputstofinishedproducts.

• Platformbusinessesbringtogetherproducersandconsumersdynamicallyinhigh-valueexchangesof an“ecosystem.”An“ecosystem”consistsof networksof partnerships,scoresof usersandcooperationof governmentstodeliver“ondemand”servicesfortheeconomy.Assetsareprovidedbytheconsumers and costs are variable in nature. The value created is derived from the increased number of users generatingpositiveexperiencesanddefiningthemselvesascommunities.

Airbnbisagreatexampleof aplatformwithan“asset-lite”businessmodel.TheAirbnbplatformaggregatesapersonalconsumersupplyof roomswithaneasy-to-useapptocapture

Tony Poidomani is an adjunct lecturer of financial accounting at the Medill IMC program. For more than 20 years, Tony has been an Executive MBA instructor of accounting at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, receiving accolades for Professor of the Year in 2007. Tony is currently a partner in Azure Services, which delivers analytics as a service, as well as a consultant, assisting CFOs in project management, continuous improvement and daily services.

Consumer businesses do not need to attract large volumes of businesses to be successfully profitable.

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Steve Jobs famously said, “It’s reallyhard todesignproductsby focusgroups.A lotof times, people don’t know what they wantuntilyoushowittothem.”Thisexerciseis lessabouthavingcustomerstellyouwhattheywantorvotingyesorno.Thegoal is touncoverthereasonsbehindtheirvote.Gettingtothe“why”helpsuncoverinsightsthatprovideguardrailsforinnovation efforts.

For example, a clothing brand desiringto become a lifestyle branddiscovered it couldsucceed with ideas that had strong functionalbenefits, but it lacked the equity needed tosupport self-expressive benefits. So any typesof innovations that had a high self-expressionquotient (like watches, perfume, purses, ordress shoes) were out. Things like book bags,sportsapparel,gymaccessoriesandcasualtravelaccessories — all quite strong. In a businessenvironment in constant search of growth,this kind of information helps with go/no-godecisions.

5. Prioritize the Most Promising Ideas The previous efforts will yield an

assessmentof yourexistingideasandwill likelyalsogenerateadditionalideasthatemergeaspartof activities.Atthispoint,emphasisshiftsfromexplorationtoanalysis,wherethestrongestideasundergomorecomprehensive scrutiny andduediligencetohelpmanagementmakeago/no-godecision.

6. Assess Business — and Brand — ImpactIn addition to typical business-oriented

metrics, it’shelpful tounderstandwhetheryournewofferinghelped to strengthenyourbrand’sequity.Measuringbrandawarenessandmeaningwith target audiences lets you know if yourinnovationefforts arepayingdividendsback toyourbrand.

Innovation is riskybutnecessary foranythriving brand. Leveraging your brand’s equityandusinginnovationpathwaystobringstructureto the process helps reduce risk, acceleratedecision making and improve the chances forsuccess.

Sources:1. Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Report for Europe

2014, Fast Company, April 4, 2012

Brand-Driven Innovation

Ariel Goldfarb

Northwestern on brand

Edited by Sharon Liao

Adjunct Lecturer, Medill IMC Department, Northwestern University, & Managing Partner, CurtisAlan Partners

LEVERAGING THE INHERENT EQUITY OF YOUR BRAND TO REDUCE RISK AND

INCREASE THE SUCCESS OF INNOVATION EFFORTS.

Ariel Goldfarb is an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern’s Medill IMC program and a managing partner at CurtisAlan Partners, a consultancy focused on helping organizations become more customer driven. Ariel teaches strategic brand management courses and is a recipient of the 2010 Faculty Teaching Award. He holds a bachelor’s degree from U.C. Berkeley and a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University.

Many things need to go right betweenthegermof anewproductorservice ideaanditssuccessfullaunchintothemarket.Butif theideaitself issmall,soisthereward.Thisarticlefocusesonthebeginningof theprocess:helpingmarketerscreatebiggerideasandbiggerrewards—withlessrisk—fortheirbrands.

BRAND “PATHWAYS” FOR INNOVATION

While all innovation is risky, your brandis a tool that can help reduce that risk. Usingbrandequityandabrand’s innovationpathways—thenatural, intuitivemeansbywhichbrandsextend—youcanimproveproductdevelopmenteffortsandinspireteamstotryforbigger,morerewardinginnovationsforyourbrand.

BABY STEPS VERSUS BIG LEAPS

Successstatisticsoninnovationeffortsarenotpretty.Numbersvary,butingeneral,failuresareestimatedtobe40to75percent.Giventheperceived challenges, companies make smaller,safer bets in order to get a win. This tends topromoteincrementalinnovation—anewflavorprofile,anaddedingredientoranewpackagingformat.Notonlydoesthisdeliversimilarlysmallincremental rewards, but also contributes toproductproliferationandcannibalization.Itisthebiggerleaps—extendingintonewcategories—thatofferbiggerrewards:creatingnewcustomers,increasing brand awareness, enhancing brandequityandcreatingnewfranchises.Brand-driveninnovationleveragestheequityinyourbrandtohelpmakethesebiggerbetsalittlebitsafer.

Therearegenerallysixstepsinpursuingbrand-driveninnovation:

1. Understand Your Brand – Map Brand Equity with Target Audiences

Customers use brands to help themmake decisions. Whatever associations theyhave— that’s the brand’s equity. It’s not justawarenessbut thesubjective thoughts, feelingsandperceptionstheylinktoyourbrand.Theseare thegatekeepersof purchasedecisions.For

example, would you feel more comfortablebuying a self-driving car fromNikon or fromHelloKitty?If youdiginabittoaskyourself why,you’llseeit’stheassociationsyoucarryforeachbrand—eachbrand’sequity—thathelpsyoumakeyourdecision.

2. Position for Growth – Articulate Future / Aspirational Brand Equity

Brand-driven innovation leverages yourbrand’s existing equity to increase chancesof success for your new offering. But thereis a second goal— each newoffering shouldideally further strengthen your brand’s equity.This happens when new offerings are wellreceived and seem to “fit” with the brand.They in turncreateadditional strong,positive,uniqueassociationsthatstrengthenandexpandthe meaning of your brand. For example, bycreatingtheirownsalons,Avedaexpandedtheirmeaningfromjusthaircareproductstohaircareandstyling.Todothis,youneedtoknowwhereyou want to take your brand. This is donethrough brand strategy, and more specifically,positioning. In positioning your brand, youdefinethefuturemeaningyourbrandwillcreate.

3. Team Task – Generate Ideas Using Innovation Pathways

Havinganunderstandingof whereyourbrand is today andwhere youwant to take itgoingforwardsetsthestageforexploringyourbrand’sinnovationpathways(seecalloutforthepaths).Thesearesimplypathsof logicbywhichcustomersperceive theappropriatenessandfitof anewoffering.An ideacan travelmultiplepathsbutusuallyhasaprimaryone.Themorepathsitisperceivedtotravelbytargetaudiences,thegreaterthelikelihoodforsuccess.

4. Explore the Possibilities with Target AudiencesEnlist your target audiences to test your

ideasandalsogeneratenewones.It’saresearchexercise that incorporatescreativity,aswellasacreativityexercisethatincorporatesresearch.Thebrand innovationpathwaysareusedagainhere.Thegoal is toseewhichpathstargetaudiencesare most comfortable traveling down, how fartheyarewillingtogo,andmostimportantly,why.

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Northwestern on brand

Higher-level benefits derived fromoriginproductsandservices

- 7th Generation products (diapers,lightbulbs,cleaners,etc.) - Coach leather in Lexus cars

Emotional Benefits

Products and services relating to thebrand’sidentity

-SwissArmyfragrances-RalphLaurenpaint

Brand Identity

Perceivedtobewithinthecompetenciesof yourcompany

-Kellogg’sBreakfast-To-Go-Colemanbackyardproducts

Core Competency

Perceivedsimilaritytooriginproductsand services

-Jeepmountainboards-RollsRoycejetengines

Product Attributes

Low-levelbenefitsderivedfromoriginproductsandservices

- Tide-To-Go instant stain remover pens-Cloroxmopanddisinfectingwipes

Functional Benefits

Products / services relating to thebrandexperience

-Nikegolf camps-Torolawnirrigationsystems

Usage Context

© Copyright CurtisAlan Partners LLC

Brand-Driven PathwaysThere are six innovation pathways used internally to generate ideas and externally with target audiences to assess the fit of your ideas. In addition to definitions and examples of each, the framework below can be used to visually map idea rankings:

30

toreadthereview.Kim et al. (2016) focuses on situations

whereconsumersareactuallyreadingreviewsandfindingthe“right”lengthof review.The“right”length of a review probably depends on thecategory,whereconsumersmaybewillingtoreadlongerreviewsforahigh-involvementpurchase(such as a washing machine) but less willingto read a long review for a low-involvementpurchase(suchasshampoo).

TAKEAWAY:Understand thecircumstances inwhich reviewshaveuncommonlyhigh and lowinfluenceonpurchases.

THERE’S A GREATER IMPACT FROM ACTUAL, VERIFIED BUYERS.From “Understanding and overcoming biases in customer reviews” (2016a)

Askalidis andMalthouse (2016a) explorethe difference between verified buyers andanonymous reviewers. Nearly all reviews fromverified buyers were in response to an emailsent to customer after purchase, where thecustomercansubmitaratingwithasingleclick.Anonymousreviewersmustfindthewebpageforaparticularproductandcreatealogintowriteareview.Dependingontheretailer,thevalenceof reviewsfromverifiedbuyersisbetween0.5and1starhigherthanfromanonymousreviewers.Anexplanation for this finding is the self-selectionbias —those who had a negative experiencearemore likely to invest the effort to find therightpagetowritethereview,whilerespondingto an email is much easier and includes a more representativesetof customers.

TAKEAWAY: Consider incentivizing reviewersto write reviews to obtain more reviews fromverifiedbuyers.

Sources:Askalidis and Malthouse (2016a), Understanding and

overcoming biases in customer reviews, under review at Decision supportsystems.

Askalidis and Malthouse (2016b), The value of online customer reviews, accepted at ACM Conference onRecommenderSystems.

Kim, Maslowska and Malthouse (2016), Disentangling the Effect of Online Product Review Features on Purchase Behavior, ICORIA, Ljubljana.

Maslowska, Malthouse, Bernritter (2016), Too good to be true: The Role of Online Reviews’ Features in Probability to Buy, InternationalJournalof Advertising.

Maslowska, Viswanathan, Malthouse (2016), Do Customer Reviews Drive Purchase? The Moderating Roles of Review Exposure and Product Involvement, under review at Decisionsupportsystems.

AUTHORS BIOS p 39.

Evidence of the Influence and Value of Customer Reviews

for Purchase Decisions

Spiegel Research Center

Northwestern on data

Edited by Chinye Osamusali

Edward C. Malthouse, Ewa Maslowska, Yorgos Askilidis, Su Jung Kim, Tom Collinger, Vijay Viswanathan, Chinye Osamusali

Now, more than ever, consumershave more control over how they share theirbrand experiences — good or bad — withthe global audience. Online customer reviews(OCRs) are becoming increasingly important—various surveys report that consumers trustrecommendations or opinions from otherconsumers more than traditional forms of advertising such as commercials or productplacementsonmassmedia.Giventheimportanceof OCRs, the Spiegel Research Center (SRC)conductedaseriesof studiestohelpcompaniesunderstandtheeffectsof reviewsonconsumersandhelpmarketersbettermanageOCRs.

MODEL TO ASSESS IMPACT OF REVIEWS ON A BRAND AND CATEGORY. From “The value of online customer reviews” (2016b)

AskalidisandMalthouse(2016b)devisedamethodtoassesstheoverallvalueof reviewstoabrand.Themethodstudieshowtheconversionrate changes as more reviews are added to abrand. The difference between the conversionratewithnoreviewsandtheconversionratewithalargenumberof reviewsisthevalueof reviews.Theoverallconversionrateislowwhentherearenoreviewsandincreases270%asthenumberof reviewsincrease(seegraphsonp.31).

TAKEAWAY:Forecasttheimpactof reviewsonsales.

REVIEWS HAVE A GREATER EFFECT WHEN THERE IS A HIGHER VOLUME.From “Do Customer Reviews Drive Purchase? The Moderating Roles of Review Exposure and Product Involvement” (2016)

Additionally,Maslowskaetal.(2016)expectfortheaveragestarrating(valence)of reviewstohaveagreatereffectwhentherearemanyreviewsthanwhentherearefewforseveralreasons:(1)itcouldsignaltotheprospectivebuyerthattheproductispopular;(2)itshowsthatotherpeoplewhohavepurchasedtheproductcareenoughtomaketheefforttowriteareview;(3)thevolume

may indicate reliability and trustworthiness; or(4)consumerswillrelyonthesummaryvalencemeasure rather than reading individual reviews(seetablesonp.31).

TAKEAWAY: Encourage customers to writereviewsafterpurchasingaproduct.

PERFECT RATINGS MAKE OCRS SEEM “TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.”From “Too Good to be True: The Role of Online Reviews’ Features in Probability to Buy” (2016)

Whilevalencehasageneralpositiveeffectonpurchase,Maslowka,MalthouseandBernritter(2016) are able to qualify this conclusion. Thisstudyshowsthatwhenaproducthasallfive-starreviews (so that the valence is 5), thepurchaseprobabilityisabitlessthanwhenvalenceislessthan5,thatis,whennotallreviewsareperfect.Thepurchaseprobabilitiespeekwhenvalenceisabout4.5stars,across theeight categoriesandfour companies researched.An explanation forthisfindingisthatconsumersperceiveaproducthavingallfive-starreviewsasbeingtoogoodtobetrueandbecomeskeptical.

TAKEAWAY:Donotfilteroutnegativereviews,astheymaypositivelyinfluencesales.

OCRS HAVE A GREATER EFFECT ON CUSTOMERS WHO CHOOSE TO READ THEM.From “Do Customer Reviews Drive Purchase? The Moderating Roles of Review Exposure and Product Involvement” and “Disentangling the Effect of Online Product Review Features on Purchase Behavior” (2016)

According to Maslowska et al. (2016),there are several reasons why a customer maychoose to read reviews.Many times, it reflectsthe consumer’s uncertainty about the product.Someonewhodoesnotchoosetoreadreviewseither does not trust them or does not need additional information, perhaps because theyhavepurchasedtheproductbefore.Eitherway,wewould expect thevalenceof the reviews tohaveastrongereffectonsomeonewhochooses

31

Northwestern on data

Graphs

Tables

Effect of Number of Displayed Reviews on the Conversion Rate

The Effects of Average Star Ratings on Purchase Behaviours

communication.

33

A Non-Writer’s Guide to Storytelling

Kirsten Longnecker

Edited by Natasha Smith

Director, Kasasa

FOUR SHIFTS TO BETTER MARKETING THROUGH MESSAGING

• Limitthetypesof graphicsunderconsideration. You’ll create opportunities to intrigue

and engage with the sheer unexpectedness of creativity.

4. Think in FractalsGoodmarketing is like fractal geometry,

wheresmallerpatternsarereflectedinthemakeupof alargerpattern.Wheneveryuserinteractionbothreflectsthewholeandstandsoutsingularly,you’reheadedintherightdirection.

Make sure each piece of collateral andeverypartof thereaderjourneyreflectsthelargerroadmapyou’resettingforthforyouraudience.Therearesimplewaystodothis,andtheyrelatebacktotheprevioustips.

START STORYTELLING

Probablythehardestpartaboutbecominga better storyteller is embracing that you’rein charge of perception. Second hardest isembracingyouruniqueskillsatcraftingstory.Atriskof aSwiftianslip,Iencourageyoutoshakeitoff andjuststart.Startwithafoundationof authenticity and transparency — that’s beinggenerouswithyourreader.Layeronmetaphorthat’smeaningful to your demographic, whichprovides shared context and predictive clues.Create purposefully within the parametersyour team agrees on to rev up creativity and,therefore,response.

Whether you’re a natural storyteller orfindyourself responsibleformessagingaspartof yourrole,writingformarketingshouldfeellike an anticipated journey when you executetheseideas.You’llconnectmoregenuinelyandmore often.

If you’reinmarketing,you’reastoryteller.Whetheryou’retweakingonlineadsordreamingupthe“CaseStudyThatDisruptedtheIndustry”— and whether or not you’re even aware —you’restorytelling.Asthepublisherof persuasiveideas,you’lldoabetterjobwhenyouapplymorespitandpolishtoyourwritingskills.

Howcouldsomethingasbasicaswritingmakesuchadifferencetotheconsumerdecisionpath? Because poor writing is a mental speedbump. When readers are jarred from in-the-moment enjoyment of shared understanding,of illumination, of converging thought, they’rebumped back to a mindset of skepticism. Orworse, they bounce. Anything that creates afeelingof “thisisn’tforme”atanystageof theuser’s brand experience is a lost opportunity.When you clear the path of obstacles withtransparent, generous and intriguingmessaging,you create a real relationship with readers thatextendsbeyondpageorscreen.

Even better than the “we’re in thistogether” feeling that good storytelling createsis the fact that YOU created it. Here are fourmentalshiftsyoucanmaketodaytobeabettermarketerbybeingabetterstoryteller.You’llseeimmediate improvement in connectivity, clicksand conversions.

1. Pass the B.S. TestReaders can tell when you’re trying to

manipulate them. How many times have youheard inameeting,“Butwhat arewe trying togetthemtodo?”

For all the eye-pattern tests and CTA-buttonconversationsthatgoon,therealroadtoconnectionisauthenticity.Andthewaytogettoauthenticityincopyistoaskyourself continually,

“Butwhy?”Peelbackthe layersof justificationto reveal the kernel of what you’re offeringandwhat you’re asking in return.TransparencyforcesyouintoaWIIFT(what’sinitforthem?)mentality.You’llshiftnaturallytousingtheword“you”moreoften,andyourmessagingwillshedlanguage that doesn’t sound like the way realpeopletalk.

Talk in truths. Truth builds trust; trustbuildsrelationships;relationshipsbuildbusiness.

2. Make it a MashupAmashupiswhentwoseeminglydisparate

thingscometogether.ThinktheacapellasongsinthePitchPerfectmovies.Layeringthesong“JusttheWayYouAre”byBrunoMarswith“JustaDream” by Nelly infuses new melodic textureandmeaningto lyricswithwhichwe’refamiliar(orwithwhichourkidsarefamiliar).

Nowapplythatideatomessaging.Whenyou create amessagingmashup, you’re layeringmetaphor with a marketing pitch. Applyingmetaphor to a story arch gives it the structureitneeds.Betteryet, it automaticallymakesyourcontent more accessible to the reader.

Mashups are shortcuts to understanding.They smooth the speed bumps, leading to themetricswesoloveinmarketing,suchasincreasedtimeonpage,socialsharingandclicks.

3. Create Within Confines“Drawyourframe,”theprofessorsaidon

dayoneof Drawing101.Atthetime,Ithoughtit was redundant to draw a border within theborderof thesketchpaper.SoonIcametoseethemethod to hismaking-me-mad-ness, and Ilearnedalargerlesson—creativitythriveswithinparameters.

Tight turnaround times, limited colorpalettes, compliance regulations, word-countmaximums — these are the realities of ourindustry.Whenyoureframethese“frames”intocreativechallenges,youswitchyourbrain’strackfrom check-the-box mode to problem-solvingmode.

Toturnonyourcreative,problem-solvingself,trytheseself-imposedpractices:

• Writewitheconomy.• Editwithimpunity.• Artificiallyshortendeadlines.

communication

Kirsten Longnecker oversees corporate communications, PR, social media, content strategy and client panel research for Kasasa (formerly BancVue). From her early days writing rhymed pentameter for Hallmark Cards to architecting communication for a highly regulated industry, Kirsten trusts that creativity thrives within confines. At Kasasa, she and her badass team drive engagement for community financial institutions while maintaining brand awareness for the Kasasa suite of free reward checking and savings products designed to give the megabanks a run for their money.

Poor writing is a mental speed bump.

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Public Relations Means Business

Dr. Matthew W. Ragas

communication

Edited by Jesse Daniels

Associate Professor & Academic Director, PR & Advertising, DePaul University

ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR GREATER BUSINESS ACUMEN

• Also,forseniorleaders,geteverymemberof yourteam—notjustcorporateandfinancialcommunicators—listeningtothequarterlyearningsconferencecallsof yourcompany,competitorsorclients.SeekingAlpha.comisafreesourceforaccessingearningscalltranscripts.YourteamwillbecomemorebusinesssavvybyunderstandinghowWallStreetanalystsandinvestorsthink(andreact).

Bottom-line, public relations can havethegreatest impactwhen it servesascounseloron C-suite decisions before they aremade notsimply playingmessagemanager after the fact.Toearnthisrolemeanshavingabusiness-savvycommunicationfunctionfromthetopondown.

Sources:1. “The New CCO: Transforming Enterprises in a

Changing World.” AWPageSociety.com. Arthur W. Page Society, March 2016.

2. Neill, Marlene and Erin Schauster. “Gaps in Advertising and Public Relations Education: Perspectives of Agency Leaders.”Journalof AdvertisingEducation, Fall 2015, pp. 5-17.

3. Ragas, Matthew, and Ron Culp. Business Essentials forStrategicCommunicators: CreatingSharedValue for theOrganization and its Stakeholders. Palgrave Macmillan: New York. 2014.

Publicrelations isgrowingup.Thechief communicationsofficer (CCO) increasinglyhasaseatatthetablealongsidethechief marketingofficer (CMO) and other C-level executives.Public relations professionals no longer simplycraftmessagesannouncingpolicydecisionsthathave already beenmade but often now have ahandinthedevelopmentof suchpolicies.

With such greater responsibility comesgreaterexpectationsandashiftintheskillsandcompetenciesneededamongallcommunicationprofessionals. The Arthur W. Page Society, anassociation for communication leaders, sees the futureof theCCOalongthreedimensions: thefoundational CCO (business leader/counselor,enterprise reputation steward, effectivecommunicator),theintegratorandthebuilderof digitalengagementsystems.

To fulfill this mandate, PR andcommunications professionals — from juniorranks on up — need a deeper grounding in“the business of business.” In today’s complexbusiness environment, the best communicators are businesspeople with an expertise incommunication that can make a business casebehind their recommendations.

Researchbearsout thatbusinessacumenisincreasinglyseenasamust-haveskillforyoungcommunicationprofessionalsbutthatuniversitiesandtrainingprogramsaregenerallyfallingshort.For example, recent research by Marlene Neill

andErinSchauster,basedoninterviewswithPRand ad agency executives, found that businessacumen was the second most identified skilllackingingraduates,toppedonlybywritingskills.

This deficiency is not just limited toyoungprofessionalsbuteveninthemoreseniorranks of the profession as well. For example,GarySheffer,formerCCOof GeneralElectric,openlysharesthatwhenhejoinedGE(hisfirst“corporatejob”),hedidnotknowwhat“organicgrowth”meant. Sheffer at that point had deepprofessionalexperienceinjournalismandpublicaffairsbutneededtoengageinacrashcourseinbusinessandfinanceuponjoiningGE.

Given this gap between the need forgreater business acumen and professionalsfallingshortinthiscompetencyarea,Iofferthefollowingfouractionablerecommendations:

• Foryoungerprofessionals,becomeanexpertinthelanguageof businessandfinancebymakingbusinessnewspartof yourdailyroutine.ThereisperhapsnobetterplacetostartthanTheWallStreetJournalandCNBC.Also,readWarrenBuffett’sannualshareholderletter.

• Formid-careerprofessionals,takeadvantageof in-housetrainingprogramsonthebusinessof businessandseekoutopportunitiesforexternaltraining.Thismightmeanearningagraduatedegree,suchasanMBA.OritcouldmeancompletingtheCFAInstitute’sClaritasinvestmentcertificateorNIRI’snewInvestorRelationsCharter(IRC)program.

• Forseniorleaders,quicklybuildconstructiverelationshipsacrosstheenterprisebeforeyouneedthemwithyourcolleaguesinfinance,legal,accounting,marketing,humanresourcesandotherC-levelfunctions.Tapintotheinstitutionalknowledgeof thesecolleaguestolearnthenuancesof thebusiness,theindustryandtheorganizationalculture.

Matt Ragas is an associate professor and academic director in the public relations and advertising graduate program in the College of Communication at DePaul University. An award-winning researcher and teacher, Matt has authored three books and more than 60 articles, book chapters, papers and reports. Prior to academia, he worked in financial journalism, investment research and strategic communication consulting. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, as well as an M.S. in management and B.S. in business administration from the University of Central Florida.

Business acumen is increasingly seen as a must-have skill for young communication professionals

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A Brief Look at the State of PR in Mexico

Olga Oro Coppel

Edited & Translated by Ruben Bravo Castano

President, PRORP Asociación A.C. & CEO, Mex PR Digital

Theway in whichwe understand publicrelations has been changing over the past fewyears.

Thebulletins,newslettersandpressreleaseswhichwereoncecreatedbymediadepartmentsin public offices to help the governmentcommunicatewithitspartnersarenowproducedby firms and professionals that specialize inmanaging information and, specifically, in theart of communications. Globalization and theeconomicandpoliticalplayers’needsto informtheir internal and external stakeholders aboutwhat happens across the country have forcedbothfirmsandthegovernmentitself torelyonthe experience of public relations agencies torecovertheircredibility.

Withtechnologicaldevelopmentthatallowsustoaccessinformationinablink,thepracticeof public relations has become increasinglyprofessionalized. Public relations changedqualitatively, becoming a communicationschannel through which organizations presenttheir strategies and their operations to thepublic.Publicrelationshavebecomeessentialtoorganizations.Theendconsumerrequestsmoreinformation and with higher quality, not onlyabout the products and services they consumebut also about the character and values of the companythatproducesthem.

One of the major transformations that hashappenedintheworldof publicrelationsis,precisely, that thepeoplewho are in chargeof

them are no longer just simple spokespersonsbut also storytellers for the organizations theyrepresent.Theynowtellusamorecomprehensivestory about their organizations, their products,the industries they belong to, themishaps theyhaveovercomeandhowsometimes theircriseshavebecomeopportunities.

Theharddataandfactscomingfromthepublic relations sector show steady economicgrowth, an undeniable professionalizationof those who work for niche and specializedagencies and the corporate public relationsdepartments.AccordingtothefiguresextractedfromtheannualsurveyconductedbyAsociaciónMexicana de Profesionales de RelacionesPúblicas(PRORPAsociación,A.C.),theindustryof public relationswas valued at $6.268billioninMexicanPeso in 2014, showing an apparenttendency toward investment in growth. Thisgrowth is fueled by the increasing focus oncorporatereputationmanagementandintangibleelements, such as credibility, trust, engagementandauthenticity,thathavebecomemorevaluedin this digital era. This survey shows the levelof maturity of the industry and how this newdisciplinehasbeenacceptedinthemarket.

Public relations inMexicohavechanged.Withoutadoubt,themostefficientwaytoreachatargetmarketoranicheforapublicrelationsprofessionalisnolongertalkingaboutaproductorservice.Theircommunicationstrategiesneedtoexpressanorganization’svalues,itsphilosophy,its compromise and its responsibility to theenvironmentandsocietyingeneral.

communicationOlga Oro is a public relations and strategic communications professional with more than 30 years of experience working with companies such as Microsoft, Intel, HP and SAP. Currently, she is the CEO of Mex PR Digital, a strategy consulting firm in México City, and teaches the digital PR course at the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. Olga is the immediate past president of PRORP, one of the largest PR and communications associations in Mexico.

The industry of public relations was valued at $6.268 billion in Mexican Peso in 2014.

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WarrenBuffet said, “It takes20 years tobuildareputationandfiveminutestoruinit.If youthinkaboutthat,you’lldothingsdifferently.”Today’s high-tech, competitive marketplaceleaves littleroomforerrorforanyorganizationtrying to protect its reputation. What starts asan unknowingly lax approach to email securityturnsintoamassivedatabreach.Withinminutes,an organization can slip into crisis mode withlittle chance of coming out unscathed. Theproblem—nomatter the size or intention of anorganization,issueswillhappen.Thesolution—managetheissuebeforeitbecomesacrisisbydevelopingawell-definedpreparednessplanledandmanagedbythecorporatecommunicationsfunction.

THE POWER OF A PLAN

Nothingislessmotivatingthanplanningfor the worst. But it’s the planning that willallowanorganizationtomobilizequicklywhenan issue arises. Depending on the severity of the issue, theremay only be hours to addressthe problem before it negatively impacts anorganization’sreputation.Thisisparticularlytrueoncenewsmediagetinvolved.Awell-organizedplanallowsyoutoanticipatethepotentialissues,assignateamtoresolvethemandhaveaclearapproach to messaging, policies and otherprotocols. When problems are contained andaddressed quickly, an organization’s reputationismorelikelytoremainintact.

Don’t Panic, Plan

S. Kneisler & T. Van Ryne

communication

Edited by Alison Golensky & Yudi Gao

Senior Manager, Business Communications& Director, Global Public Relations,Zebra Technologies

HOW TO STRUCTURE A CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM

TO PROMOTE PREPAREDNESS

4. Guidebook BuildingGatheringscenarios,teamsandprocesses

intoasingledocumentwillserveasthefoundationof the program and house critical messagingthatwillmakecrisismobilizationefficient.Thisguidebook should reflect the structure of theplan and, more specifically, detail approvedmessagingforeachscenario.Giventhesensitivenatureof theinformation,theguidebookshouldbe hosted on a password-protected intranet orfile-sharing site and printed as a hard copy ina secure area if computer and internet accessbecomes unavailable.

MAINTAINING MOMENTUM

A dated, inaccurate plan can be asineffective as noplan, so it’s critical to ensurecrisis plans are consistently reviewed andupdated. This can be done both in real timeandthroughaquarterlyreview.Duringaregularreview, you are evaluating whether scenariosarestillrelevantandif therearenew,potentialissues to add. You are also identifying andconfirmingmembersof theresponseteamandengagingwiththemtoensuretheirawarenessof theirroles.Tokeeptheplancontentfreshandtheteamenergized,executingabi-annualteamcall and/or quarterly newsletters around theplanandprocessesarea simpleway toensurethe continued momentum you started whenfirstbringingyourcrisisplantolife.

PROGRAM BASICS

1. Scenario planningA solid crisis communications program

starts with understanding your organization’spotentialissues.Somecommonscenariosincludeworkplace violence and labor relations; otherissuesareindustryspecificsuchasproductrecallsor supplychainproblems.To identify themostrelevant issues, survey an array of companyleaders to learnwhat is topof mind for them.Youwillsoonbeabletoidentifykeythemesforadetailedandactionableplan,capturingonlythemost relevant scenarios.

2. Role definition Oncescenariosaredefined,buildacrisis

response team and divide roles by strategic,tactical and communication responsibilities(Figure1).

3. Protocol identification It’s critical to define how the crisis team

willmobilizewhenanissuearises.Thisincludescreatinganescalationprocessandworkflowforsharing information. Not all issues require thesameresponseandmobilization,sounderstandingthe differences of severity will enable you torespondmoreefficiently.For example,definingissue escalation with “yellow-orange-red” willdetermine if a small group monitors a minorsituation (yellow) or if you mobilize all levelsof theresponseteamtoaddressamassiveissue(red).

Therearemanyappprovidersthatspecializeincrisispreparedness.Apassword-protectedapp gives on-demand access to crisiscommunications guidebooks and providesaquickwayforyourcrisisresponseteamtoidentifyandresolveissues.

Did you know ?

Stephanie Kneisler is the senior manager of business communications for Zebra Technologies. In her role, she is responsible for global executive and employee communications, which includes developing communications platforms for key leaders in the business to enhance both their internal and external brands and ensure messages are received and properly understood by all Zebra team members to influence employee engagement and lead to meaningful dialogs across the organization.

Therese Van Ryne is the director of global public relations, industry analyst relations and customer references for Zebra Technologies. In this role, she is focused on helping grow company sales and awareness by driving Zebra’s thought leadership strategy aligned with core business goals and objectives.

Strategic Level

Tactical Level

Communi-cations /Support Level

Role within Company Role within Crisis Response Team

General Responsibilities within Crisis Response Team

C-Suite,legal

Selectbusinessleads(e.g.,leadersof variouslevelswhoaligntotheissuesidentifiedandshouldbeabletorepresenttheirfunctionwellandmakebusinessdecisions)

Corporatecommunications,IT,subjectmatterexperts(asneeded)

Preparedness

ResourceManagement

•Planning•Trainingandexercises•Personnelandequipmentcertifications

•Identifyresources•Mobilizeresources•Reimbursement

•Developinformationpolicies•Developandmanagecommunicationssystems•Developandusecommonterminologyandinteroperabilitystandards• Disseminate communications

IncidentManagement •On-scenecommandandcontrolproceduresfortheissuesthatpertaintotheircompanyroleordepartmentfunction

Communications and InformationManagement

Figure 1: ROLE DEFINITION

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communicationwriters;somearegoodoncameraandothersnot.KnowyourCEOandputtheminenvironmentswheretheycanmostauthenticallytelltheirstory.Twoheartfeltspeeches(thatcanberepurposedinmany ways) can bemore valuable than 100tweets.

4. It’s a team sport Leadership is the job of more than one

individual. If the higher cause is women inleadership, then the actions and narrativemustbe carried by leaders through all facets of thecompany like HR, operations, sales, R&D andlegal.

5. Silence is not an option Theexecutivemaybelievethattheriskof

being more visible outweighs the benefits, butsilencecanbeasdamagingasitisdeafening.Byoptingoutof theconversation,you’readmittingyouhavenothingtoadd,you letothersnarrateyourstoryandyoumissanopportunitytomakeevengreatergains.

Today, those CEOs who will have themostlastingimpactontheworldarethosewhocanauthenticallycreatemorevalueandpurposeby demonstrating a wider concern for thosewhoworkfor,withandaroundthem.Asseniorcommunicators, we can help them understandwhy reaching for that greater purpose isworththerisk—forthem,theirbusinessandsociety.

Sources:“How authentic companies behave in a more demanding

world.” The Authenticity Gap Report 2015-16.

Preparing Your CEO for the Role of

Senior Statesman

Marjorie Benzkofer

Edited by Christina Dreher

Global Managing Director,Reputation Management Practice, FleishmanHillard Inc.

There is a need for a stronger voice of leadership in the C-Suite, but many executivesstruggletoarticulatehowandwhytheirbusinessmatterstosociety.

As communicators, we must be betterprepared to help guide these executives to tellthe story beyond managing the company andarticulate its relevance to society and the largerissuesof theday.Today’smostinfluentialCEOswillnotonlybecaptainsof theirenterprisebutalsoseniorstatesmeninsociety.

Numerous studies show that societybelievesbusinessismorelikelythangovernmentto solve tough societal problems. Businesshas perhaps the most influential role in howwe tackle job creation, healthcare, affordableand sustainable access to food, and balancingenvironmentalpreservationandcommerce.

Research done each year byFleishmanHillardonhowcompaniescanbehavemoreauthenticallyshowsthereisagrowinggapbetweenourrisingexpectationsformanagementtodotherightthingandourdecliningexperiencesof seeing those leaders make decisions ortake actionsmotivated by a greater good.Thatwideningchasmunderminescredibility,threatensgrowthandslowsprogress.

Despiteourgrowingexpectations,today’stitans of business often struggle to find theirvoiceandplayaroleasleadersof ourtime.Today,weneedanewkindof leader—oneI’llcalltheHumanCEO—anindividualwhodemonstratesprinciple, passion and purpose. And one whodoessonotfromatopthecorporateladder,butalongside us.Anew study from theWPCareySchool of Business found that humble CEOsareperceivedasstrongerbecausetheymotivatethe people around them. A purpose-drivenCEObecomesevenmore important in leadinginternallyastheworkforceapproachesbeing75percentmillennials,agenerationthatisattractedtoandmotivatedbypurpose.

Therearetwotypesof CEOleadership—thosewhoaredeeplyfocusedonmostefficientlyandeffectivelyrunningtheirbusinessanddrivinggrowth,andthosewhounderstandthatrollinguptheirsleevesanddivingintosomelarger,messierissuesbeyondtheirbusinesscanhavefargreaterimpact. CEOs don’t always stay cast as one or

theother.WhencraftinganyCEOstrategy, it’simportanttoknowwhereyourexecutivelivesatthe moment.

There are some important principles tokeepinmindincounselingaCEOintotheroleof statesman:

1. Vision Toooftenvisionstatementsaresimplyan

aspiration for the company. It shouldbe abouthowthepresentcanbechangedintoadesirablefuture,bothatthecompanyleveland,evenmoremeaningfully,atalargersocietallevel.Articulatinghow is the key to talking aboutmore than justthecompanyandfindingabroaderplatformthatspeakstoalargersocietalneed.

2. It’s a conversation Often CEOs shy away from speaking

aboutlargerproblemsbecausetheydon’thavealltheanswers,andtheircompaniesaren’twithoutblemishes. Being a statesman and a leadercan mean simply being willing to convene aconversationaboutthesetoughissues.Whetheritisaccesstoaffordablehealthcareorfairworkingconditions,acorporatestatesmen–theHumanCEO–iswillingtostandupandsayweneedtotalkaboutsolutions.

3. Authenticity is about quality, not quantity EveryCEOhasadifferentcommunication

style.SomearebetterontheirfeetinliveQ&Athanscripted;somearenaturaloratorsbutterrible

Marjorie Benzkofer works at the intersection of brand and reputation, helping organizations close the gap to better achieve business goals. As global leader of FleishmanHillard’s reputation management practice, Marjorie leads the firm’s work around authenticity – customized business solutions that improve organizations’ ability to more authentically engage with their stakeholders. Marjorie regularly works with CMOs, CCOs and C-Suite executives to manage both brand and reputation. Marjorie has put together award-winning programs for clients that help align employee performance behind an organization’s goals. She graduated from Northwestern University.

Humble CEOs are perceived as stronger because they motivate the people around them.

NU Alumni

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Howcanabrandengagewitha30-secondTVadtothistarget?ItisnotaboutbeingjustonTVor just in social media. There is an obvious trend of advertisingshiftinggearstobemostlyonlineoriented,butyoudon’twanttoallocate100%of your budget from TV to social media becauseyour competitor is certainlynot going todo it.Itismoreaboutspendingtherightmixineachchannel andhaving a smooth transition.Thinkaboutthemessageyourbrandisdelivering,andmakeitdisruptive.

MAKE THEM FEEL A PART OF THE EXPERIENCE

Most millennials are not brand loyal—theyresonatewithbrandsthatunderstandtheirpersonality, and they especially do not like tobemarketedto.Infact,theyarelookingfortheexperienceandtheaddedvalueabrandcangivethem.

Therefore,itisourresponsibilityasbrandownerstounderstandwhatmillennialsarelookingfor,knowthelatesttrends,andmostimportantly,enhancethebrandexperiencetowhichtheyareexposed.Infact,forthistarget,itnotonlyabouttheprice,but it ismoreaboutwhat is thebestdeal theycangetonadifferentiatedexperiencefromabrandwhounderstandsthem.

In order to continue being a top choicebrand for millennials, it is key to be aware of thesetrends.Andasabrandowner,youandyourteam should be constantly looking for what isnext.Adjustingfast,butevenmoreimportantly,understandingwhatisrelevantforyourtargetinordertomakeadifferenceontheresultsyoucanaccomplish.

Speaking the Millennial Language

A. Sanchez Ferro,

Edited by Chinye Osamusali

Former Latin-America Brand Manager,Kimberly-Clark

Themarketinglandscapeiseverchangingwithmillennialsbeinghardtoreachandexpectingmorefromcompaniesandbrandsthanothergenerations.

AsaBCGPerspectivesarticlequotes,millennialsrepresenttheconsumermarketof thefuture,andtheyexpectsomethingdifferentfrombrandsthanpreviousgenerations—theyexpectreciprocity,atwo-waymutualrelationshipwithcompaniesandbrands.Infact,itisnotaboutjusttargetingmillennialsasagroup—thereareatleastsixdifferenttypesof subsegments,asthisBCGreportshows.Therefore,itiskeytobemindfulof thesedifferencesbeforebuildingamarketingstrategytoreachthisveryrelevanttarget.

So,isthereaseamlessbutimpactfulwaytotalktomillennialsandbecometheirbrandof choice?

Connectingtotheseconsumersintherightplace,attherighttimeandintherightwayiseasytosaybutnoteasytoaccomplish.Brandsneedtounderstandwhatthisgenerationislookingforandhowtobecomepartof theirworldbylearningabouttheirpersonality.

BE FAST, BE PRESENT

Many millennials are early adopters —theyenjoytryingnewthingsandarelookingforreal-time responsiveness. For this generation,having an instant gratification is one of themost relevant things that a brand should takeinto consideration.

Imagine being a busy and tech-savvymillennial who is working in a cybersecuritystartupduringtheday,developinghisownideainhisfreetime,andobviouslyalsowantingtosharetimewithfriends.Sotoaccomplishallof this in just 24-hours, there is no time for this millennial towait for a seat in a restaurant orstand in line to buy groceries or, even more,go to a clothing store, try several outfits andwait in line to pay. This generation wants todevotetheleastamountof timetothesetasksandmore time to fulfilling their dreams. Thisis why companies such as Instacart, Uber orVenmoare attractingmoreusersbecause theyfocusonlearningabouttheirtarget’sneedsandmotivations, as well as making things happenfast—withjustoneclick.

TELL A STORY, BUT THE SAME STORY

Oneof themostcommonmistakes thatmanybrandsmakeistryingtobeineverysocialmediaplatform.Theydonottakeastepbacktorealizeif itisrelevantforthemtobepresentinallof themorif theirbrandmessageisconsistentineverytouchpoint.

Onecanvisitabrand’swebsiteandthengo to their social media channels and find acompletely different brand tone and message.HavinganOmni-channelstrategy,whichisbasedinprovidingaseamlessshoppingexperiencetoacustomer,helpsabranddeliveritsmessageacrossalltheonlineandofflinetargettouchpoints.

MULTI-SCREEN CONSUMERS

Another challenge is not only learningwhat isthebestwaytalktomillennialsbutalsohowtograsptheirattention.Thisgenerationhasmanaged to challenge what advertising meansandhowitisexecuted.

Pictureadayinamillennial’slife—theyare multi-tasking, using their smartphonesand laptops, while watching TV and beingsurrounded by friends—all at the same time.

HOW TO SPREAD YOUR BRAND MESSAGE AND BE RELEVANT

Andrea Sanchez is originally from Peru and has been working in brand management for more than five years in CPG companies such as Colgate Palmolive and Kimberly Clark. Prior to Kellogg, she managed Kleenex and Huggies brand for the Latin-American region in terms of the strategy planning, innovation pipeline and advertising campaigns. In addition, she has a passion for teaching and during her free time, she taught marketing classes to undergrads in a well-known Peruvian University and volunteered to help low income entrepreneurs to build business plans.

For millennials, having an instant gratification is one of the most relevant things that a brand should take into consideration.

communicationNU Alumni

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Amanda Slavin is a millennial and Generation Z expert and the CEO/founder of CatalystCreativ, an experience studio focused on helping cities, brands and institutions flourish by developing educational and inspirational strategy, along with on and offline campaigns to engage millennials. Amanda and CatalystCreativ have worked with brands spanning from NPR, Dell, Ekocycle and Starwood Hotels. Amanda was listed on last year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 for marketing and advertising. She is a founding advisory board member for NPR’s millennial arm, GenListen, and an advisor to Mama Hope and I Am That Girl.

Abhishek Jadon leads content and data strategy for Gatorade. In this role, he is responsible for developing digital branded content that focuses on authentic storytelling and for the implementation of marketing technologies to drive media optimization and content personalization at scale. He brings 11-plus years of experience in executing digital campaigns, conceptualizing digital strategy and leveraging technological trends at leading CPG companies, including Pepsi, Kraft and Cadbury. He provides a unique perspective informed by a global mindset developed through an international exposure of living and working in four different countries along with roles within cross-functional teams.

Cyndi W. Greenglass is a founding partner and senior vice president of strategic solutions at Diamond Marketing Solutions, a $100M data-driven communications company. Cyndi is a member of the executive management team, where she manages the strategic planning process and participates in strategic acquisitions. Cyndi was named into the Top 100 Influential BTB Marketers by Crain’s B@B Magazine twice and is the 2012 CADM Chicago Direct Marketer of the Year. She is an adjunct instructor at both Aurora University and WVU and lectures on data-driven marketing strategies nationally.

Edward C. Malthouse is the research director of the Spiegel Digital & Database Research Center and the Theodore R. and Annie Laurie Sills Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications at Medill. He is an expert in applied statistics, market research and media marketing. His research focuses on the intersection of consumers’ experience with media, customer value, marketing strategies and interactive marketing technologies.

Ewa Maslowska is a post-doctoral research associate of the Medill IMC Spiegel Digital & Database Research Center. She earned her Ph.D. in the persuasive communication program in the Amsterdam School of Communication Research at University of Amsterdam. Her dissertation explored how personalized marketing communication influences consumers.

Yorgos (George) Askalidis is a doctoral student in the Computer Science Theory group at Northwestern University. He received his B.S. and M.S. in mathematics from the University of Athens. His research revolves around online user-generated reviews. His area of focus is around the relationship between reviews, biases and usefulness of information to potential buyers.

Su Jung Kim is an assistant professor at Iowa State’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. She was the first post-doctoral research associate of the Spiegel Digital & Database Research Center and continues her work in areas such as cross-platform media use, social media and media industries.

Tom Collinger is the executive director of the Spiegel Digital & Database Research Center; senior director of the Medill Distance Learning Initiative; and an associate professor at Medill. He is a widely recognized expert and speaker in the areas of integrated marketing communications; direct, database and e-commerce marketing management; customer loyalty; customer relationship management; and channel integration.

Vijay Viswanathan is an assistant professor in the Medill School of Journalism in media and integrated marketing communications, and a research associate of the Spiegel Digital & Database Research Center. His research interests include media choice and multitasking, brand management, consumer psychology, marketing strategy and marketing mix models.

Chinye Osamusali is the data visual director for the Spiegel Research Center impact marketing team and a full-time student in the Medill Integrated Marketing Communications program. Prior to her enrollment at Northwestern, she worked for a year at SAP doing field marketing and earned her B.A. in english rhetoric and professional writing from University of Waterloo in Canada.

Additional Author Bios

Spiegel Research Center

HTTP://SPIEGEL.MEDILL.N O R T H W E S T E R N . E D U /

ARTICLE p 30.

“Decoding the Millennial Enigma” p 15.

“Personalized Marketing @ Scale” p 24.

“Telling a Memorable Story with Your Data”

p 20.

David Grossman1990–1991

Carolyn Brown Enright1991–1992

Cindy Blikre-Roche1992–1993

Lauren Smissaert1993–1994

Heather Kemper Miller1994–1995

Tonya Swann Conn1995–1996

Catherine Coerr Captain1996–1997

Jeremy Hartman1997–1998

Andy Bosman1998–1999

Katie Kennedy1999–2000

Elizabeth Smith2000–2001

Leslie Hodgin Oleyar2001–2002

Karyn Margolis2002–2003

Mark McMaster2003–2004

1990–2017JIMC

Rachel O’Konis2004–2005

Kathryn Pratt2005–2006

Sara Webber Laczo2006–2007

Winni Ching2007–2008

Ann Changpong-Kuo2008–2009

Erik Johns2009–2010

Sara E. Smith2010–2011

Kiku Chaudhuri2011–2012

Alison Solway2012–2013

Emily London2013–2014

Joe Woodard2014–2015

Jane Flis 2015–2016

LaVern Thomas 2016–2017

editors in chief

jimc.medill.northwestern.edufacebook.com/medilljimc1870 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208

JIMCcontact information

The Buggles

Video killed the radio star,

in my mind and in my car, we can’t

rewind we’ve gone too far.

Northwestern MEDILL INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

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