The STORY will always be the only CONSTANT !

A quick rewind to 20 years back ....Remember the cool cassette device and the VCR tape that used to be the icon of entertainment until the early 90’s revolution of the well-known cds? Recall the excitement, around the family time in the living room, defined by the combined watching of a primetime show on Sunday mornings? If you really have no clue what I am talking about then obviously you must be one-third my age and I probably sound like 'gen-Xtinct' to you ! Let’s now flash-forward to our current entertainment icons, powered by the influence of the man who tamed technology, Steve Jobs. Today, in the midst of the Apple vs. Android battle, we as consumers have a plethora of devices that swallow our wallets but never our hunger for more. Even our television, apparently the 'idiot-box', links up now to our smartphones; not just with a cord, but with a super cool technology that enables content display and sharing with just a gentle screen swipe. We really belong to a highly complex multi-screen world where consumption behavior is way too difficult to predict with a linear logic. Content being the king as always, is funneled down our consumption network now in innovative ways like never before. However often overlooked and underestimated, what is most important for us to remember is that from the passive experiences of entertainment consumption in the past, to the currently active, interactive and immersive capabilities, the one thing that continues to stay constant, unbeatable in importance and at the heart of the complex layered consumption ecosystem- is the - story, story and Story.

Story has always been and will always have to be the heart of the consumption eco-system. But if story is the constant, then let’s understand what has really changed. Spotting the easier first, no doubt that the medium and devices of course have changed and so has the method. With them evolving, even distribution innovation has had to follow fast. All this has boosted a dynamic consumption environment. But the one ultimate element worth noticing and accepting, is the evolution in the storytelling style and format. This has happened for two reasons; one being the consumer’s quick and frequent adoption of technologically advanced devices and second being his constantly evolving preferences, dominated by his extremely competitive lifestyle. To express this better, let’s compare our yesterday's media ecosystem with today’s. What stands out the most is the dramatic movement of consumption from 20 channels on television with a remote in a fixed living room, to 500 channels anytime and anywhere across television and the mobile, laptop, tablet or now called ‘the second screen’. 

However while the ecosystem has  branched, the fundamental seed that ensures it is healthy and relevant, is afterall the 'story', which forms both the need and desire for consumption. Therefore what now is interesting to observe is how all this branching out of the consumption ecosystem has boosted 'the art of storytelling'.

If we were to analyse storytelling evolution, one might wonder what was the real trigger for such innovation. Many may say it was the advancement of Technology, marketers would boldly claim it was the need for differentiated brand communication and some technology businesses would share their insight being the demand of the consumer. I, on the other hand, have a different theory. I strongly believe it was the stagnancy in content consumption due to the rise of the highly mobile or transit lifestyle that drove businesses across the consumption value chain to push their limits and this positively triggered the spark in storytelling evolution. It was the consumption stagnancy that pushed technology businesses to work on smarter content consumption solutions which was complimentary to the lifestyle of consumers. This, in return, influenced content producers and marketers to revolutionize their storytelling format. Thus was the beginning of the constantly evolving up-gradation from not just a liner passive format but the story as well.

Technology cannot lose focus that it is always going to be differentiated on the ‘how’ value it brings to the experience of consumption. Media channels cannot afford to forget that it is always going to be the network effectiveness that will ensure its value. Finally Brands and their marketers, absolutely need to always question their communication goal in the clutter of all. In a chaotic world where every professional and every business is struggling to win the rat race of consumption, it is extremely important to stay focused on the heart, the 'story', while battling against each other. 

So if you spend your average 12 hours a day running the much admired rat race with your own professional batten, do not forget to ask yourself the fundamental question, time and again... "really what is the story?"  

Content in the right CONTEXT IS KING!

Our lives lie in the grasp of a contagion with twin totems: one Time Poverty and the other Distraction. An inundation of channels, platforms, devices and information is crushing consumers as they go about their daily lives. By having unhindered access to mobile and social media platforms, brands are experimenting with paid, owned, and earned media to reach, attract, connect and converse with target consumers across their channels of relevance. Thus emerged the importance of content and its constantly emerging value as a key brand strategy marketers adopt to establish though leadership, relevance, buzz and most importantly for behavioral targeting. However as content takes on more forms in more channels, marketers are constantly seeking innovative ways to keep brand messages and conversations from spinning out of control.

With the recent boom of 'Digital Consumerism', the advanced customer targeting capabilities that exist today habitually offer very rich analytic data about the consumers. This detailed data available to brand  marketers is now  comprehensive of the consumer's profile, location, demographics, psychographics, online behaviors, buying patterns and conversion propensity. Marketers now can scientifically declare how valuable specific consumers are to them; directly target; and willingly pay additional for those who would perceive the brand’s content or message and influence it further. However it is really the context in which the content is both served and consumed which drives value, power and offers the differentiation from self-serving junk mail and the much-loathed ‘interruption marketing’.

Context is therefore important today, but only because of the proliferation of content. Personally, I don't believe one is more important than the other. But since the emergence of user-friendly platforms and digital technologies, there seems an over-abundance of content everywhere. And so the brand’s constant problem is how do we deal with such an overwhelming amount of information that everyone is participating in creating and consuming?

And the answer is in - 'the context'. Why? Because context makes the content more relevant to everyone. Simply put, if I offer valuable information, you will appreciate it, but it is highly possible that you honestly may never use it. However, if I help you appreciate the value of that information by showing you how it works for me or someone like you, then the context makes it invaluable.

We all identify with what we know and what we are exposed to. Local context, culture and experience shapes our lives personality and behavior. For marketers who constantly enjoy doodling innovative editions for their content strategies, it is time they accept the importance to be relevant to their audience. Time to show customers 'you understand them' – that 'you understand their context'.

If you have any additional thoughts or comments, please do share…

REPLACE YOUR BRAND's ATTITUDE!

As content takes on more forms in more channels, marketers are constantly seeking innovative ways to keep brand messages from spinning out of control. Look carefully around at the environment around you...can you count how many brands envelope your immediate environment with taglines, statements, philosophies and what not? Now ask yourself, how many of those convert you into any sort of reaction or instigate conversations. Is not your answer- few or almost none? Sometimes it is really difficult to understand how oblivious this envelope of our ‘branded environment’ can be to our human social environment; lying passive like the backdrop of a theatrical performance, just adding visual enhancement sometimes and nothing more.

In a world where the more socially active consumers are constantly replacing mindless consumption with tactful informative mindful purchasing, I believe brands are now being forced and pressurized to transform and ‘fit in’. In times where the power of shared media is in the hands of the informed public, impatient with marketing, brands cannot afford to overlook the only ‘survival weapon’ popularly known as 'customer engagement with relevance'; both on multiple levels through integrated strategies and mutually beneficial media platforms. If my insight seems obvious, then ask yourself why leader and challenger brands still  seem to be dragging their philosophies across the brand battlefield like wounded soldiers. 

With rapidly, fundamentally and constantly changing consumption patterns, every brand and media agency is really struggling to understand how to take advantage of their constantly informed consumers and their varying consumption landscape. But before brands hit this battlefield endorsing the much desired ‘survival weapon’, here are four fundamental replacements I prescribe necessary in every brand's attitude. 

• Connecting must replace Tagging - Upgrading multi-platform partnerships from 'brand tag' to 'brand connect'; to ensure the consumer bond is deepened at every facetime the brand may have with its existing or potential customer. 

• Building must replace Badging - Graduating from mere product placements to strategic integrations which ensures an association delivering brand building via storytelling and therefore advocacy across communities. This way focus moves from measurement of impressions (awareness) to that of adoption, engagement and conversations; all of which are every brand’s long-term relationship tools. 

• Meaning must replace Screaming - Shifting boldly from loud in-your-face advertising to relevance showcased clutter-free messages with an embedded brand meaning which is intrinsic to the content property. This way the brand means more and links better with the audience. Infusing good meaningful brand stories is both an opportunity and a responsibility.

• Creating must replace Dictating - Enabling co-creation of belief and intention in partnerships instead of dictating propositions. This ensures a deeper relationship with both the content and the consumer. 

Eventually every brand aspires to create communities of people who care about the brand, not just by consuming it but also as a partner in producing more sustainable business results for the brand. Here are two most powerful mantras I believe always does the magic: 

• Content Dialogue with influencers takes superiority - Offering great conversation-starter based content to fans ensures they spread the word for the brand. While direct-marketing moves make the traditional mass approach look weaker, influencer-based marketing ensures smarter success with respect to both financial outflows and viral impact. 

• Impactful Property drives impactful sustenance - Purposeful partnerships with larger movement based content ensures sustenance of connect and conversation. Partnering with a cause or drive bigger than brand proposition uplifts the sponsorship valuation across multiple platforms. 

If you have used any of the above strategies or have any additional strategies or recommendations, please do share…