Food for thought: The spy who sold out
Forgiving a pretty face
Facebook to agencies: how will people share your story?
Is “The Pitch” an accurate reflection of our industry?
More and more, I am convinced that, as an industry, we are becoming overly focused on the “How” at the expense of the “What.”
Grab any industry magazine, read your favourite blog or eavesdrop on marketing types at your local coffee shop and you’re sure to find the conversation squarely focused on how we need to speak to consumers.
It usually goes something like this: TV is dead. The world of digital is upon us. Consumers don’t want to be advertised to anymore. (Did they ever?) Brands need to leverage social media. We need more one-to-one conversations. And so on.
Listen a little bit closer and you’ll hear the conversation dive even more tactical: you need a Facebook “Like” page. No one will ever see that 30-second ad now that kids are not watching TV anymore. How can we use foursquare to define our brand experience?
Look, there’s no denying that the world our consumers live in is changing rapidly, or for that matter, that how we speak to them as marketers needs to change. The issue I have is that, as an industry, increasingly we seem to be jumping to solve this “How” before we spend the right time determining the appropriate “What.”
For brands to be successful, they will need to deliver on a consumer need in a consistent and powerful way. They will need to differentiate themselves and provide consumers with a reason – be it rational or emotional – to choose them over the plethora of other options out there. Brands will need to be rooted in a value that motivates consumers to take action and make a choice to embrace the brand. This is the “What.”
While the “How” can determine the speed, and to some extent, the degree of success with which consumers take this step to embrace a brand, it really needs to start with a compelling “What.”
As the world gets ever more fragmented and the lives of our consumers get busier, we as marketers will have to do an even better job of finding those insights that allow brands to resonate with these distracted consumers. In this environment, a powerful “How” can go a long way but not far enough to make up for a mediocre “What.”
We often hear that a great idea executed poorly yields a poor result. Equally, a poor idea executed flawlessly also yields a poor result.
In that race to find the latest and greatest “How,” don’t forget to take the time to first build a compelling “What.” Trust me, your consumer, and ultimately your brand, will thank you.
Jacoub Bondre
June 8, 2010 @ 11:55 am
I like coming up with the “What”, then deciding what “Hows” best deliver the “What” to the “Who”.
Great piece.
Jason West
June 8, 2010 @ 1:30 pm
Great piece Harv.
I love “TV is dead” conversation and then a brand like Nike gives us a great 3 min spot that is willingly shared by millions around the globe.
If you have the “what” people will share it / discuss it / oppose it but at least it will invoke a reaction.
Dave
June 8, 2010 @ 2:29 pm
The “death of what,” is the real threat. We need to nurture the time and thought back into brand positioning well before execution as you say. Let’s hope we start overhearing “death of what,” conversations at Starbucks!
Tweets that mention The “What” versus the “How” « Big Orange Slide -- Topsy.com
June 8, 2010 @ 3:48 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Chris Eyerman and Jacoub Bondre, Grip Limited. Grip Limited said: Brands: In that race to find the greatest “How,” don’t forget to take the time to first build a compelling “What." http://bit.ly/a6Rwqm [...]
Fraser
June 8, 2010 @ 4:38 pm
Couldn’t agree more.
Excellent article Harvey. At the risk of propagating yet another ‘deepity’ – “In order to say what you want you must first establish what it is you would like to say. The how is a function of the what.”
Kimber
June 8, 2010 @ 5:32 pm
Nicely said Harvey!
Business is constantly being pulled into avenues without understanding why or if they should be there, and what affect they will gain from moving within that medium or with that tactic. If their strategy or business/communication goals do not fit, it can be money spent unwisely.
Filipe
June 8, 2010 @ 10:37 pm
Nice article Hav.
In my short career I sometimes really question if I came in at the wrong time and if I’ve missed the boat on the reason I thought this could be my dream job. The pursuit to build up a brand. Just earlier today I mention to a co-worker that we react non-stop and execute over and over. I can’t recall the last time I started a project by first taking a step back and defining what the brand is and what it needs to move forward. As soon as there is a feeling that our blocking chart has a void we look to fill it with something, at times I feel, anything.
Ean
June 9, 2010 @ 3:25 pm
One of my friends said it best, “When for the consumer it becomes a ‘why not?’ decision instead of a ‘why?’ you have succeeded.”
If you provide the value, people have no problem supporting your brand.
Brian
June 9, 2010 @ 4:44 pm
This piece really resonated with me, Harvey. It continues to strike me as odd at how “sold” we are on the new platforms, media and channels with nary a strategic consideration as to the fundamental brand strategy objectives when engaging in them. We’re in the business of selling, ultimately…and yet, we blindly seem throw our support to the next best thing in an attempt to keep up with the Joneses, Inc.
Really enjoyed the piece and the insight. Have to keep conversations like this going in order to keep brands sound for the future. Thanks much, cheers!
Jacoub Bondre
June 9, 2010 @ 9:07 pm
@ Brian
I think its less about being sold on new technology and platforms, and more about understanding their purpose and how they can benefit the strategy and creative.
Never use a technology or channel to keep up with the next guy. Picking a channel first is a bad idea. However, if you have a sound strategy, and a great creative idea, it is our job as marketers to look at all channels and technologies, new and old to determine the best way to deliver the message to the consumer.
To ignore any of them is a disservice to our clients, and the consumer.
Andrew Cherwenka: How Full-Service Advertising Agencies Are Becoming Interactive at NEWS.GeekNerdNetwork.com
February 5, 2011 @ 1:13 pm
[...] Creative Comes Before Channel “As an industry we are becoming overly focused on the ‘How’ at the expense of the ‘What’… While the ‘How’ can determine the speed, and to some extent, the degree of success with which consumers take this step to embrace a brand, it really needs to start with a compelling ‘What’”. –Harvey Carroll, President, Grip Limited [...]