Marketeers renewal

Marketing today looks different from what it was early 1990´s. Planning direct marketing, print, tv, radio or outdoor has gotten way more complicated. Consumers lifestyles, values and behaviour plus media consumption have changed. Internet and globalization has changed our way of communicating, consuming and living. Values are now focused on life satisfaction, family, sustainability and self-actualization.

No wonder marketing as a function is changing drastically. Marketing has evolved from awareness building to understanding customer needs, finding opportunities, providing insights and linking customer needs to product portfolios, services, total offering and message. Marketing communications is the final link to optimize customer touchpoints and provide interaction.

Apart from understanding customers changing needs, marketeers follow up and even drive the changing roles of marketing, media and consulting agencies. Marketing has become a center for customer dialogue (Strategy & Business issue 54, 2009) - running activities to connect with customers on a daily or even nightly basis. New marketing positions now include "community manager", "customer dialogue specialist" and "marketing analyst".

What more, now that companies talk of social media, marketing has a golden opportunity to build its own relevance, knowledge and role. The current understanding and experiences can be extended to customer care, product development, logistics and sales. Anything to serve customers better.

Hanna Viita

Marketing as a service

If there is any one dream a marketeer has, it is influencing customer behaviour by the activities a company offers. Marketing can offer activities as services and complement the actual product by making communications truly beneficial for the customer. The crucial thing is to base the service on company´s core values.

What customers wish for today is time, independence and convenience. An article by Trendwatching.com states many companies now are turning their marketing campaigns into broader services.

In Trendwatching.com article numerous examples of such services were iPod applications. Since mobile applications still reach a limited audience, my favourite case was one by Adidas with an actual physical service. What they created was a running store in Tokyo offering locker rooms and showers for customers who want to take a run. Anyone can use the store as their home base for an exercise. You also have equipment for rent. How often I´ve had time to spare downtown thinking where to go for an hours exercise that does not require a membership. Loved it.

What is crucial is to start from benefits the brand can offer. According to Trendwatching.com this could be related to information, saving costs, connectivity or simply getting healthier or happier. Plan what you can offer and select a channel where you best can support, help and guide your customer.

Hanna Viita