Paul Miser

Ever since business school, I have heard of this new thing called “Integrated Marketing” where all messages, brand attributes, and channels will all work together in joyous harmony and delight the consumer to a purchase-minded bliss. But the deeper I’ve evolved in my career and having my blissful visions completely crashed by the cold hard facts I’ve found that there is no such thing as “Integrated Marketing” as we sit today; just a bunch of silos working independently from other touch points. Why?

From where I see it, as advertisers and agencies both work in these disparate silos the internal communication between groups is very little or almost nonexistent.  So how can we expect an integrated messaging output to come from that?

This is what I currently see happening:

As new channels and communication disciplines come about, both the advertiser and agency mindset is to create a new division or build a new agency to handle that particular channel. Done.

We don’t have to worry about it. We’ll build a “Social Media Task Force” and a hire a Social Media agency and everything will be perfect. We can keep doing what we’re doing while the social people (whatever that is anyway) will give us the presence we need to tap into that discipline. Now I’ll go back to my TV advertising.

I’m sure you have all been a part of a similar thought or have seen a similar thought happen in your organization (advertiser or agency). Huge disconnect here. No strategy, no communication, no thought of elaboration, or collaboration, or collective brainstorming… no integration.

So what have we learned about integrated marketing communications? Companies and agencies work in silos; HOWEVER, consumers do not. These silos don’t produce optimized results because of inconsistent messaging, false promises not held up by another touch point, confusion in action steps; frankly a disconnect between the needs of the consumer and what we’re providing as value through communication.

We all know this is a major issue facing everyone in the industry, so I guess the question becomes, “Why do we still act this way?” Just because it “worked” in the past doesn’t necessarily mean it will work in the future. Adding divisions and new roster agencies every time a new communication channel comes around will continue the siloed effect and quickly tear the beauty of expert messaging apart. Why not break down walls and focus on core messaging and definitive objectives for that messaging (regardless of the platform)? Why not start with a strategic view to satisfy consumer needs and strive to reach those needs.

Being completely platform agnostic and starting with the objectives and consumer needs in mind will allow for a literal strategic mapping of sorts of how communication and engagement should unfold for the consumer, not the other way around; not from the brand. Then, with this map to guide us, we can begin to develop a robust messaging strategy that is consistent across the touch points that are the most relevant to each consumer, effectively breaking down the silos and putting up a unified, dare I say it, Integrated front, continuously supporting the consumer to produce the blissful, purchase-minded results we all want.

All in all, consumers are constantly changing; their messaging platforms are constantly changing; their needs, desires, and behaviors are constantly changing… Why are we so reluctant to change?

They help us get from Point A to Point B in the most efficient way manageable. They make it easy to plan a course of action. They allow us to see the terrain on which we have to work with. They give us perspective when we get lost.

So, why don’t we map our conversations with our customers?

By mapping out all touchpoints, all messages, and all interactions, we can begin to identify where our customers will be, what mind set they’ll be in, what content they may need, and what channels they will be using to communicate. With that information, we can devise a strategy to best engage each and every customer the best way possible, whether online, offline, or converged.

Interesting.

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a moving train…

With advances in digital technologies (especially in the mobile realm) we, as humans, are more powerful than ever before. We can access information, learn, and be entertained with a simple thumb tap; we are able to perform at the top of our game with connectivity and instant access; we can enhance our daily physical activities to the point of complete immersion within our own social networks to share physical experiences digitally with those who may not be present; we can now elude time and be in two places at once…

While on a panel about “Time” at the NYU Graduate Marketing Association Conference on Friday, one of the questions asked was “What technology are marketers underutilizing right now?” With the plethora of answers at my fingertips, a thought popped in my head that I think, needs a bit of exploration…

My answer? Not necessarily a technology but more of a rough idea or underpinning thought…

The idea of “convergence” or “integration.”

As marketers, we continue to discuss tactics and strategies as it relates to the silos that we manage (what’s my digital strategy, what am I going to do on Facebook, is my TVC on brand, etc). By thinking this way, we are limiting our creativity and missing huge opportunities to converge, learn and grow with our consumers. While social and mobile communications continue to emerge and natural enhancements to traditional communications elevate in the marketplace, there will be a tremendous amount of focus and energy put towards the “conversation” or interaction with the consumer.

While this happens, we must figure out away to create conversations that not only happen in “real time” but also conversations that learn and grow.  Having disparate conversations in silos we are losing the opportunity to continue relationships and increase chances of consumers dropping off or becoming confused over time.

The opportunity and technology is here to connect conversations that grow over time; relationships that spawn into amazing assets; and advocates that will shout from the mountain tops. As strategists we can now begin to take a holistic view of our communication strategies to form a managed asset of relationships.

With the hundreds of strategy sessions I’ve been involved in, it amazes me the number of times when retrofitting a strategy to tactics actually takes place. Having a desired allocation of tactics and trying to piece mail a strategy to verify the tactics is the first step towards oblivion. Luckily, you have me here to tell you what to do if this happens.

If you should ever come across retrofitting in your strategy sessions, be sure to perform the following tasks…IMMEDIATELY!

1.    STOP
2.    Throw all aforementioned tactics in the trash (after all, they probably have been grandfathered in and have no relevance in today’s communication structures)
3.    Kick anyone who brought tactics out of the meeting
4.    Ask if anyone has thought about the consumer and their needs, wants or desires (after all, in the world of information overload in which we live, a simple Google search will lead you in the right direction)
5.    Go gather info about your customer (not as a whole, but as individuals)

Whew… now with all that out of the way, you can safely start strategizing. Understanding the consumer and what value you are offering, whether you’re solving a problem or just giving them something to brag about… you can now make decisions based on clarity, rationale, understanding, and the affinity path.

Retrofitting, while cool for sunglasses, high tops, and slap bracelets, is not cool for strategy.

Sweet Rocker Dude Pic courtesy of Flickr – greggoconnell