POINT OF view

When Interactive Expands

Nigel Vaz, managing director of SapientNitro, discusses the

impact of new media channels on consumer interaction

The rise of the tablet computer, 3D TV and talk of holography and skinput are all
testaments to the expanding spectrum of consumer facing media. For marketers in
particular, this growth signifies a new way of working as interactive marketing has
become more than just ‘online engagement’. Yet, with so many more opportunities
emerging for brands to engage with the general public, there is a new challenge to
ensure consumers experience a consistent brand message wherever they are.

Playing with new toys

Marketers are more adventurous than ever when it comes to experimenting with
new channels to engage with consumers. You only have to take a quick look online
to see just how many brands have launched apps for the iPad in recent months.
The Financial Times is a great example and boasts its success with 400,000
downloads and 10% new digital subscriptions since its launch in May.

Such experimentation and expansion is crucial for consumer engagement given the
rate at which media consumption continues to fragment. With so many avenues now
accessible to consumers they get bored rapidly and move from one platform to another
at a terrifying speed. Even preferred access to established forums like Facebook
changes on an almost annual basis as consumers move from the website to the
iPhone to the iPad to interact with their ‘friends’.

Since there’s likely to be even greater fragmentation in the months ahead, brands
need to engage with more consumers than ever. This is hugely exciting but adopting
an ‘all over the place’ scenario is hugely challenging as not only do brands have to
be everywhere consumers are, they have to work harder to engage with them while
promoting the same overall message.

Keeping it in the family

It’s because of this that marketers need to avoid seeing ‘interactive marketing’ in the
narrow ‘online only’ sense and instead consider the ‘real-life’ application of technology

© Sapient Corporation 2010

 POINT OF view

to build valuable long-term relationships with consumers. For example, it means

launching apps that offer geo-location functionality to provide consumers with a
valuable and useful service as well as allowing them to interact with a brand on the
move. The app we developed for Auto Trader is a good example of this. It allows
users to search for vital vehicle data on the go and locate their nearest showroom.
Ultimately, it ensures Auto Trader is engaging with consumers on their terms.

Crucially, successful marketing strategies will be those that manage to integrate

and expand their consumer offering across new channels without diluting the overall
message. Coca-Cola’s Happiness Factory campaign is an example of how this can
be done well. The brand has created a rich story around the idea that their vending
machines have a whole world existing within them, known as the Happiness Factory.
Feeding off this single concept sits a whole range of campaign activity – everything
from a website, TV ads and even a co-created music track. This integrated cross-
channel approach means however consumers choose to engage with the brand, they
will experience consistency and familiarity, which are both essential for building a
long-term relationship.

Ensuring clarity
The growth of new technology has made a marketer’s job significantly more complex.
It’s no longer just about having a Facebook page or using Twitter. There’s the new
challenge of trying successfully to engage with the target audience in all the right
places, on their terms, while keeping the brand message strong and consistent.
Succeeding in this requires some ‘joined-up thinking’ to ensure that however a
consumer decides to engage with a brand, they enjoy a homogenous and positive
experience.

This article first appeared in Figaro Digital on December 3rd, 2010.

Nigel Vaz Managing Director SapientNitro

In his role as Managing Director, Nigel is
responsible for driving forward SapientNitro’s
vision of delivering excellent customer
experiences by working closely with
SapientNitro’s clients and global teams.
In addition, Nigel oversees SapientNitro’s
media, telecommunications, travel, retail
and utilities clients across Europe and is a
member of Sapient’s global leadership team.
Since joining SapientNitro in 2000, Nigel has
held a number of key management positions,
including leading key engagements for
SapientNitro’s clients across North America,
Europe and India.
Prior to SapientNitro, Nigel was the co-founder
and Managing Director of a public company with
interests in telecoms consulting and connectivity
solutions. He has also consulted to and worked
with a number of companies including AT&T/
Cingular, McKinsey and Company, Orange,
Siemens, Telkom SA, Verizon Wireless and
Vodafone.

For more information, please phone +44 (0) 207 786 4500,
email info@sapientnitro.com or visit www.sapientnitro.com

© Sapient Corporation 2010