Tech is not the be all and end all

It’s no secret that digital marketing, including social media, is growing more dominant by the day. Merely being active on these channels has become, for some, the primary consideration when planning brand and marketing communications. We’re constantly told this is the key to success in this brave new world, with advice that makes it sounds so easy:

“you just have to start doing video on social media!”,

“you just have to animate your banners!”, and so on.

Granted, this advice is sage, but it’s missing the magic ingredient. They might as well say ‘just add water!’. In this environment, ‘just’ making a video, or doing animation, is nowhere near enough.

Creative is still fundamental

When it comes down to it, digital and social are merely tools, albeit ones that every modern marketer wants to throw the kitchen sink at.

The result: the growth of effective digital marketing, including social, has stagnated, as the means of reaching people, and collecting data, has grown more sophisticated. For our industry, this is the same old script that inevitably accompanies the introduction of the latest shiny new toy. It happened during the nineteenth-century newspaper boom, the late-Victorian-era poster wars, through to radio, cinema, television, and of course websites in the 1990s. In short, the emphasis on the medium overshadows the importance of the message (direct and conversational), and its delivery. Same as it ever was.

Don’t become clutter

The belief that the technology alone will do the job has led to a somewhat relaxed approach to creative for digital and social. As such, the overall landscape for brand and marketing online has become generic and commoditised, and very little genuinely stands out from the clutter. Of course, not all marketers do this, which is why when something stands out digitally, it really stands out.

Employ a strategic and creative approach

How do they do it?
They approach digital and social like they would any other channel – strategically and creatively. Keep to the basics, use logic, always strive to cut through with impact.

Why is this important?
Digital, including social, is digested at a million miles an hour. As marketers, we need to slow people down, so when they come across your video, or banner, or social media post, they stop – however briefly – to take a closer look. In order to be heard, you need to be seen. And if you’re noticed online, you’re a lot of the way there. The data can get you to the right place, but once there you have to make the most of it.

 

Stand out like landing lights on a dark runway

To make the impact we need to jump out from the screen, we must start from the premise that the internet (including social) is just a channel. We can’t let the technology drive us, rather we need to respect it as an exciting platform from which to convey messages and join or inspire conversations. Bell brings years of collective knowledge, experience and creative flair to digital and social. We are sticklers for employing strategic approaches to online problems, by using modern creative techniques, whilst applying the fundamental rules of communications at all times.

We have six KPIs which we use as a checklist on every project, big and small:

• Impact and cut through
• Memorability (yes, especially in digital/social)
• Sociability (how you join or inspire conversations)
• Accessibility and scalability
• Relevance and a sense of purpose
• Positive (and appropriate) differentiation

Creative to help you break through

For many years, these channels have made up a large proportion of our work. However, in the last year (especially since the pandemic), they have become by far the largest activity we do. As such, economies of scale come into play, which is why we can offer this level of quality at competitive prices.

In addition to individual outputs, Bell offers four package bundles to suit all your needs:

• Digital advertising package
• Social media package
• Campaign package
• Full digital package

Packaging activities together in a bundle truly integrates your online presence, working strongly along the customer journey, which in turn ensures effective frequency.

Get in touch

If you like what you’ve seen so far, and want to break on through with digital and social that jumps out from the screen, get in touch.