Mediaboss Marketing

In 1985, just shy of the turn of the centuryand several decades before the internet, as we know it, came to beNeil Postman took a guess at what the future might hold. The result was a book called, morbidly enough, Amusing Ourselves to Death, the crux of which was something Postman described as the information-action ratio, a kind of input-induced paralysis where were handed too much information to know what to do with it.

Whether it was prophecy or providence, its time to admit Postman was right. Todays consumers are increasingly turned off by the overwhelming amount of digital content they encounter daily. This phenomenon, frequently called digital fatigue, not only poses a challenge for brands striving to engage their target audiences, but produces a tangible negative impact on bottom lines.

Some believe that this fatigue or shift in consumer mindset stems from the pandemic when brands emphasised immediate conversions. The findings in Deloittes recent Digital Consumer Trends survey back this up, showing a significant deceleration of smart device adoption and remorse among users regarding time spent on devices. While weve begun to put pandemic-era approaches to digital marketing behind us, we may have inadvertently neglected the importance of long-term thinking in the process, leading to budget cuts primarily affecting brand awareness initiatives and a heightened emphasis on short-term sales activation, especially prevalent in the B2B sector.

Les Binet and Peter Fields latest research, Effectiveness in Context - in which they dub short-term activation campaigns and sales programmes short-termism - demonstrates that, although often highly profitable and efficient in the short-term, over a longer period of time, this tactic rapidly deteriorates the overall impact of marketing, limiting brands ability to capture consumers imaginations and maintain their attention.

There are pros and cons to each mindset, and, as with most strategies, its all about striking the appropriate balance between them. However, prioritising short-termismespecially when its coupled with extreme content overload, as it so often is today could push consumers to tune out the noise, inoculate themselves against overstimulation, and actively avoid engaging with digital media. This means that, despite brands investments in their digital-first advertising and content efforts, it may fall on deaf ears.

Overcoming digital fatigue

Whether digital fatigue is a symptom of consumer disengagement, a consequence of poorly designed digital experiences, or a combination of the two, treating it begins with a shift in mindset. Only then can we hope to open up new opportunities for brands to connect with their audiences effectively.

The first step is for brands to acknowledge their responsibility in creating engaging digital experiences, rather than considering digital fatigue an inevitable consequence of existing on the internet. Once acknowledged, brands can consider adopting strategies to combat the immunity consumers have built against disengaged digital experiences:

Look at Liquid Death, the premium American water brand that does anything but play by the rules. With their independent spirit, heavy metal aesthetic and edgy brand storytelling, theyve served up a refreshing change to an aisle saturated by indistinguishable brands. It serves as a compelling case study in how a disruptive, unconventional approach that challenges industry norms can create a strong brand identity that resonates with its target audience and achieves remarkable success in the marketplace.

Sony does this exceptionally well, using experience, community and education to build its brand with a fervently devoted fanbase. Take the Sony World Photography Awards; designed to elevate the careers of photographers to the next level, the Awards champion inclusivity and access by being free to enter and spotlighting photographers storytelling. This kind of campaign ticks all the boxes in terms of metrics, but has nothing to do with product or sales; it's all about Sonys target audience. Only focusing on paid performance and not understanding the larger cultural impact a brand has can actually backfire on you over the long term. But value is what breeds loyalty.

However, vanilla is not to be completely overlooked, its important to consider your industry. Some things are technical and niche for a reason its about knowing your buyer and their limits, but also pushing those to find new niches. When marketing to your consumer, obsess over what theyre being bombarded with on a daily basis, and focus on fresh ways to break through. Make it easy to answer so what?, and dig deep to find the oh, wow moment, as opposed to killing them with generic USPs, jargon, tired templates, or placeholder creative that feels like stock or filler.

One brand setting the tone here is Nike. Its marketing strategy encompasses various elements, including brand storytelling, product innovation, athlete endorsements, social media engagement and experiential marketing. They focus not only on promoting their products, but also on inspiring and empowering their target audience through compelling narratives and authentic connections. This has allowed them to try and take their business in more of a D2C direction by tightly integrating various elements of their brand and digital experiences.

Harness your consumers response to further develop your brand

As you begin to incorporate these strategies, its important to evaluate how consumers respond to digital advertising and content experiences. By understanding the impact on customer acquisition, conversion and retention, brands can identify what works well and what doesn't. That means thinking about acquisition with all of the brilliance and emotion of brand building. And, while short-termism has its obvious appeals, investing in brand awareness campaigns, even if they don't directly impact sales, has long-term benefits and even better supports the power of activation.

By focusing on building communities, industry recognition and celebrating like-minded individuals, brands can establish a strong foundation of loyalty and engagement. Personalisation, authenticity and creativity all play key roles in recapturing consumers' attention and establishing deeper connections across all marketing activities.

Digital fatigue is a challenge that appears set to stay - but by adopting a broader perspective and considering the value of brand image and awareness, it can be overcome. If youre able to understand consumer responses, embrace holistic design processes and avoid generic content, your brand can create meaningful digital experiences that cut through the noise and engage your target audiences effectively.

Find the soul of your business and create a spark.

The rest is here:
Navigating the internet of (too many) things: contending with digital ... - Transform magazine