What are you most excited about in the digital marketing space at the moment?
I’m most excited about the upcoming wave of digital content that shows real-time moments. The rise of data application is also exciting to me.
Indian marketing is progressing at a rate where working within the digital space and with mobile internet is quickly becoming the norm.
Content marketing is a rapidly growing industry, which equips us as marketers with information that consumers demand from brands. Using customer insights provides plenty of value for businesses looking to engage with audiences through content. Internet usage is also set to grow, which allows more access to local information for content marketing use.
What’s your favourite example of innovative digital marketing?
I loved what Twitter did during the World Cup – the integration with a global event was beautifully executed. It gave the more reactive brands on Twitter opportunities to utilise context and association for their campaigns. Indian brands are also experimenting with creating their own media channels. We’re very proud of PHD’s work on Kaan Khajura Tesan for HUL, where we created our owned media channel in the digitally emerging areas of India. Kotak Mahindra Bank’s social banking campaign ‘Jifi’ is another interesting take on using social media for business. Aside from this, I find that Radiohead are digital marketing pioneers – a pay-gated torrent for the next Thom Yorke album is genius.
My ultimate favourite example however has to be Newcastle Brown Ale’s ‘If We Made It’ campaign. It integrates all media channels to tell a well-crafted story creating something that would be impossible to do using “traditional” media.
Where do you go for great content?
I like how Reddit has brought online conversation into one key forum. I also like long-form content, and am always on the lookout for more great pieces to add to my bookmarks. Twitter is more or less my new RSS feed and I use it to stay informed with the latest news stories. Facebook gives me a steady stream of BuzzFeed and Times of India articles as well as things my friends are into. There is a lot of great Indian content out there on websites like Homegrown (pop culture), Scroll & Kafila (social commentary) and NH7 (music & comedy); and there is of course YouTube too!
What’s next for digital content?
It’s a mix of adopting the new and dispelling the myths – because the medium is vast and offers endless possibilities; the canvas for the ‘formula’ of digital content is really wide. Navigating this for brands to understand what the consumer is looking for as content is going to be an interesting learning curve. Understanding the potential of the multi-screen effect is going to guide the future of digital content. Winning on mobile will be crucial to winning in stores.
What defines good content?
Good content sparks the consumer’s interest and delivers an engaging experience – branded or otherwise.
What is the biggest myth about content marketing?
That you can ignore it. It is as important as creating the great story you want to tell. Everyone is making great content, so why should the consumer choose to spend time with yours?
How are you amplifying and maximising your content?
We place content on a variety of platforms, depending on the content itself. We have created a content distribution network and social platforms form the backbone of this through referral traffic; we also leverage key opinion influencers to gain conversation traction. We’re also looking at ways to amplify third party or earned content, and our work with Outbrain has produced some great results. We’re also developing mobile apps, because mobile is a key area in our efforts to amplify and distribute content.
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