The opening keynote was from Rob Master, Director of Media North America at Unilever. Big take-away: digital marketing allows for indirect marketing rather than forceful product mentions. Embracing the leaning forward aspect of digital marketing is the best way to successfully market products.
Next up, State of the Nation. Speakers from Google, Microsoft, Queens School of Business, M2 Universal and Olive Canada Network.
Q: Bright spots for digital marketing in declining economy?
- Microsoft: no real pullback from advertisers so far for Christmas season, shift into search and results-oriented marketing.
- Last time bottom fell out, a lot of businesses and campaigns that deserved to die did. Economic woes lead to Darwinist weaning. Smart businesses will survive.
- 40% of companies cutting down marketing budgets to facilitate price cuts. However, keeping marketing level leads to large success when upturn comes around.
- Money will be moving to online without being integrated. Predictions: sloppy work.
- Online will move away from B2C and move to B2B ie social networking.
- Performance driven marketing is only way to justify spend.
Conclusion: Justify campaign spend. Successful businesses are going to use integrated campaigns carefully with precise measurement techniques.
Q: Is there insufficient content for older users online?
- Facebook: 47% of users are above 35. Audience can be reached.
- ‘Tipping point’ reached for young ‘uns but still not for +45.
Conclusion: Opportunity to help this audience find out how to live more cheaply/better rather than just entertain?
Q: New research tools that work?
- ComScore
- Context Matters report (Microsoft): how engagement changes depending on time of day and what they are doing. Successful ad spend should vary depending on what people are working on while they are on that website.
Conclusion: the story behind what people use the web for is the most important tool to have. In other words, first think hard about how your community is using the digital space
