The digital media and marketing is increasingly ruling the roost. A recent report – TheCMOSurvey – says that marketers currently spend 17 per cent of their marketing budget on social media and this is predicted to increase to 20.3 per cent within a year, and 26.4 per cent in five years.
A number of experts in the industry too are batting for a synergy between creative and digital marketing methods and believe it is the key to growing brands now. The majority say that it isn’t a single digital or creative solution that makes for a great marketing campaign but an integration between them that works.
However, with a dozen of technology solutions available in the market – Generative AI, Augmented Reality and many more – the question now is how do you stand apart and keep a balance between creativity and technology?
Integration between social media & creative world
According to Hareesh Tibrewala, Joint CEO of Mirum India, “I don’t think creative and digital sit on the opposite side of the spectrum. ‘Creative’ is building a compelling story around the brand that addresses either a consumer aspiration or a pain point. ‘Digital’ is a channel that is used to communicate this story to the audience.”
Sharing an example of a media campaign that has successfully integrated both the solutions, Tibrewala says: “AMFI is a brilliant example of a great advertising campaign (Mutual Fund Sahi Hai), which has helped to create category confidence
with a potential investor. And using a series of focused digital videos and blogs, this narrative has been bought to life, to address very specific investor queries and concerns. This is a great example of an umbrella narrative being bought to life by digital.”
As for Karan Anand, SVP – Strategy, Interactive Avenues, influencer marketing and social media have helped in balancing the creative and digital marketing world. “Social media platforms, influencer marketing, and emerging technologies have significantly impacted the balance between creative and digital marketing techniques. These elements have provided new and innovative ways for brands to reach their
target audience and convey their brand story. In order to leverage these elements, brands need to keep up with the ever-evolving digital landscape.”
Anand further says that emerging technologies such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the metaverse can be used by brands to create immersive virtual experiences. “For instance, Patrón Spirits created a virtual pop-up event in the metaverse for a summer campaign that allowed users to visit three pop-up events dedicated to the brand’s three summer cocktails. This strategy not only helped to promote the brand, but also created a memorable experience for customers.”