Engaging the digital audience

pharmafile | October 28, 2010 | Feature | Medical Communications Andy Bell, Huntsworth Health, Jon Clark, Talking Point, digital marketing, digital pharma 

We live in exciting times. With the rise of social media, people are changing the way they consume information. As choice opens up, they are supplementing their regular diet of print and broadcast with a healthy dollop of digital. They take in what they want, when they want; and tapping into this trend is the driving force behind ‘bleeding edge’ digital creativity.

As the line between traditional and digital content becomes blurred, creatives and strategists have to think of new ways to engage audiences.

To maximise the creative potential of a specific digital channel, they must either do something that cannot be achieved in any other medium, or bring a new dimension to existing platforms by creating integrated campaigns.

Great brands are channel agnostic, not being affiliated to any particular communication channel. Fantastic brands go one step further. By linking across channels, and encouraging audiences to migrate between them, they not only generate a sense of ubiquity, but also reinforce engagement, spreading messages quickly and creating genuine communities all with a vested interest in the brand.

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It’s no longer a case of pondering, “How can we make this idea work in digital?” We now have to rethink our communication strategies from the ground up, with the customer needs and consumer habits central to our ideas. As creativity is being redefined, the forward thinking agency must employ an array of multidisciplinary skills and talents that go way beyond the traditional definition.

The concept of communication itself is changing, from a one way monologue to a world of experiences, conversations and positive relationships. The advent of social media has added a new level of engagement. Not only can individual audience members enjoy the comprehensive experience of a well thought out campaign, but they can share that experience with friends, family, colleagues or even industry peers. Clever use of digital media can engage people like never before. We can now pinpoint and interact with audiences in ways that hadn’t even been imagined five years ago. Exploring these new levels of interaction opens up virtually endless avenues for creativity, helping us squeeze every last drop of potential from our ideas. If we create something that captivates people, they will actively seek it out, to the point where it doesn’t even feel like marketing any more.

In the spirit of engagement and interactivity, here are a few examples for you to peruse at your leisure:

Philips: See the bigger picture – http://bit.ly/philips219

When Philips wanted to demonstrate the difference their new 21:9 aspect ratio TV could have over the ‘standard’ 16:9 widescreen, where better to show it off than online? At first glance the premise is quite simple: Here’s a telly. Here’s a wider telly. Here’s a wider telly with a pleasant glowing light around it. It’s even nice to play with the controls to compare and contrast. But hang on a minute! They’ve only gone and shot a complete action movie complete with ‘bullet time’ effects and 360 degree, end-up-back-where-you-started cinematography.

Mercedes: A-class act – http://bit.ly/mercedes-a-to-s

A lovely example of digital innovation, where the experience is the message. The team has worked together to create a range of surprising and delightful interactions, all of which give a sense of refinement and quality. You get the feeling that every touch point with the brand will reflect the standards shown so elegantly within the site. I get the distinct impression that this project wasn’t rushed. A great deal of time was taken in developing each ‘experience’ and a prolonged period of testing was built into the production schedule. This was no place for bugs or glitches – just one jittery cursor and the effect would be destroyed.

California Milk: Take a good idea and milk it – http://bit.ly/gettheglasscampaign

Games are a brilliant way to let customers engage with your brand through your idea. This is a wonderful illustration of an innovative idea, brilliantly executed. As well as being part of an integrated campaign, this element was also followed up in a recent magazine article, which gave a glimpse into ‘the making of’ the game. This adds yet another level of engagement, giving readers an appreciation of the work that’s gone into the brand, reinforcing its credibility.

Cadbury: Int-egg-ration – http://bit.ly/cremeeggcampaign

How do you read yours? A plethora of activities to excite the viewer and hold their interest, all branded to the hilt. Any campaign that features ‘egg-mented reality’ has got to be worth a look!

BMW: The ultimate branding machine – http://bit.ly/BMWjoy

An excellent example of a core idea being translated and refined across a variety of channels is BMW’s integrated campaign for the Z4. The central thought was to use the car itself as an expression of joy. In the TV, cinema and print elements we are treated to a literal display of driving artistry, as a shiny new roadster pirouettes across a giant canvas leaving vibrant trails of paint in its tyre tracks.

Meanwhile, in cyberspace, tantalising tie-ins abound. A microsite not only replays the broadcasted ad, but also allows the viewer to recreate the whole thing in superbly rendered Augmented Reality (this was one of the first and most referenced examples of the technology). Mobile technology was also employed via a simple app that allowed users to take the wheel and skid around a virtual world.

But the killer feature of this campaign is the way it uses social media. At every opportunity, viewers are encouraged to either upload their creations to Facebook or even see a life-sized AR version of the car speeding through the capital (see BMW Z4 vs London via the link provided).

The role of social media in brand campaigns

And so, rather like the Philips 21:9 movie, we end up where we started. Social media has fast become an essential element of every brand campaign. How it affects healthcare communications is a source of much debate, but the effect is happening whether healthcare companies choose to be involved or not. The Twitter group ‘Healthcare Communication & Social Media in the EU’ has a TweetUp for one hour every Friday at 1pm CET. You can join the discussion by adding #hcsmeu to your Tweets.

What opportunities lie ahead for digital creativity? How will social media grow in the future? How will it affect the way we communicate with our customers?

One thing’s for sure – the audience will decide. All we have to do is keep up!

Jon Clark is the European divisional director and Andy Bell is a creative director at Huntsworth Health. The agency’s brands include nitrogen, nitrogen interactive, ApotheCom and Tonic.

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