Money, moola, the big cheddar, dolla dolla bills… That’s the bottom line right? This is what it all comes down to at the end of a campaign when the people at the top are talking conversion, numbers, ROI’s and other measurables. And yes, there is no denying that this has always, and will always, remain an important factor when it comes to the awarding of campaigns amongst the many agencies vying for a piece of the corporate pie. But this only highlights the question – are procurement departments selling the soul of our brands to the lowest bidder?
Everyone has bills to pay. Stakeholders to keep happy. And let’s face it, who doesn’t like to be “that guy” that stands up every month with a success story laden with sales, consumer reach, Facebook likes and blog impressions? So yes money, money, money is the bottom line. But can we forget about the reason we are all here? To build a brand. To create experiences that evoke human emotions. To connect with our consumers face to face in a space that is relevant and real.
To make a difference.
There is no avoiding the fact that we operate in a market that is more and more living, or should we say existing, online. Our consumers are spending an average of 3.5 hours a day on social media. 3.5 hours? A day! That’s crazy. Now if we break that down at 8 hours a day to sleep, 8 hours for work, a couple of hours to eat, work out and maybe have a social interaction, it only leaves a mere 6 hours. 3 and a half of these disappear into cyber space. We are left with a sacred 3 and a half hours a day to do something that matters.
Take a moment to think about that.
Scared? Because I am.
Human beings are forgetting to live. Presenting the filter coated, check-in ready, always available online image, is where our society is at. Is it true reflection? Does it matter when perception is often nine tenths of the perceived truth?
This human regression, fuelled by a technological progression, has its pros. There is no denying that our brands need to have a presence in a space that offers an ever present audience to receive our brand message. Our consumers are available 24/7, 365.
Present.
But not aware.
Social media bombards us with politics, opinions, selfies and watered down arm chair activism. Is this where you want your brand to live? Because it’s sure not somewhere I want to live.
In this online era, the greatest asset to all our brands is the human touch. Interaction is how we build relationships and instil confidence. Experience is how we evoke emotion. Emotion is what bonds humans and grows a loyalty that can never be bought in the way we can buy Facebook likes. Can we really put a price on that?
The greatest return on investment a brand could hope for would be a loyal consumer, who advocates for the brand with integrity. This ultimately translates into sales. The Money, moola, the big cheddar, dolla dolla bills…