Use existing insight to bolster creativity
In some cases the insight needed to inform strategy and creative is already available, but it’s about knowing it’s there and using it effectively.
Brands are already using social media insights to steer campaigns by gathering real-time data. Earlier this year, MTV targeted ads based on what content its fans were sharing around shows such as Geordie Shore and Catfish. At Cannes Lions last week, Beats’ CMO Omar Johnson told attendees in his keynote how the brand uses real-time to “find events and find conversations to infuse the Beats voice into”.
Ogilvy has also announced the launch of its an inspiration lab to take advantage of real-time content creation for its clients, using social and technology to source, develop and test new ideas.
In partnership with content marketing company Percolate, Ogilvy’s labs will be turning content produced by consumers, publishers, and brands into a source of intelligence in developing new creative work and to influence the creative process.
Although the launch of the labs relate to content strategy, the overall principle of using the intelligence within organisations, which enables it to keep up with the pace of change on consumer wants and needs and also the pace of change in technology, is a valuable insight.
Harnessing existing intelligence is something that brands should consider. Social media comments and posts from consumers is one example of readily available insight that can be incorporated into informing brands on what they’re doing right and wrong and what they could do to change it.
The launch of the labs comes after Social@Ogilvy released a global research study into why and how consumers share branded content at Cannes Lions last week.
The study reveals that three quarters of consumers rate the quality of branded content as low or average and also highlights the differences in the mature and emerging markets, particularly that informative or educational content is shared more frequently among mature markets, while emerging markets across the globe drive conversation via funny or entertaining content.
These findings were all gained from analysing the social media profiles of over 6,500 consumers in 16 countries.
A brand could keep up with the pace of change, in terms of its consumers and in other aspects affecting the business, by looking inwards at what it already has, whether it’s brand buzz on social media or performance of past campaigns.
