Curated perception has long been a free-for-all land grab aimed squarely at focusing the attention of a market. Because information is now instantly and freely shared, those brands with the largest gaps between fabricated perception (traditional marketing) and the authentic character of their actions (products, services, human interactions) will be the quickest to sputter and implode. This is true no matter what new platforms are employed to manipulate awareness, or what tools we use to examine them. Brand experience is an illusion, human experience is real.
A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is
- it is what consumers tell each other it is.
—
Scott D. Cook
Founder and Chairman of the Executive Committee – Intuit
Board of Directors – P&G
Print materials didn’t mean the end of face-to-face conversation. Websites didn’t mean the end of print materials. Social Media doesn’t mean the end of the websites…or print materials…or face-to-face conversation.
But with so many channels, having a strong brand—strong enough to keep all of those vehicles pulled together—is critical.
— Brandon C. Walsh/ Tamsen S. McMahon - Sametz Blackstone Associates
Take risks with unique ideas and see what happens. In this digital world, failing doesn’t mean defeat … but the key is being able to fail fast so you can get on to the next idea.
—
Dave Knox, corporate marketing brand manager for digital business strategy at Procter & Gamble.
Rethinking the Planner’s Role
To take advantage of these strategic communication opportunities, planners need to re-think their fundamental approach. The audience is networked - they can communicate in real-time to each other AND we can eavesdrop on those ‘conversations’. The role of the planner becomes less about ‘the brief’ and more about ‘the framework’ for real-time, authentic, transparent communications, powered by the brand.