Creating Loyal Brands : Themes Of The Week...

So much content, so little time...

A weekly round-up of the posts and themes I found particularly interesting or useful.

Several conversations this week explored the changes that digital technologies are bringing to the practice of marketing, both good and bad, and to the behavior of consumers.

In with the new...
Several posts looked at different aspects of how marketing is having to change.

The Funnel We Need: Follow Customers as They Actually Behave looked at today's path to purchase, and provided a practical framework for marketing to the connected consumer.
Invest in Digital Marketing to Control Your Destiny urged every organization to benchmark their approach to digital marketing against that of the Obama campaign, which set new standards for effectiveness and efficiency.
How to Make Your Brand Iconic argued that, today, branding has to start with the customer being the hero, rather than the brand.
While P&G's "Thank You Mom" is a Model Campaign in a Global World offered a useful case study for achieving synergy across multiple brands in a shrinking world.

All that glitters...
Social media may finally be going mainstream across the business world, but marketers should beware of treating it as a shiny new toy.

The Power of Social for Retail Marketing provided a useful infographic, which showed how some of the top U.S. retail brands are embracing social media.
However, Why Your Brand Should Stop Stressing About Social-Media Campaigns urged marketers to look beyond platforms and jargon, and just focus on social communication.
It's Time to Cut Back on Social Media argued for the need to focus on the platforms that work best for your brand, rather than to try and dance at every wedding.
While Social media is not your saving grace served as a useful reminder that while social media has much to offer, business success depends on understanding and exceeding customer expectations.

Changing behavior...
The connected world is enabling many changes in consumer behavior, which have the potential to disrupt existing industries.

What If Retail Us Wrong? explored how the ability of consumers to self-organize challenges the current model of retailing.
Impulse Buys, Straight to a Screen examined the changing spending pattern of one consumer, from physical to digital media.
While Airbnb And The Unstoppable Rise Of The Share Economy looked at how technology is enabling a move from consumers needing to own assets, to being able to access them when they need them instead.

Finally, Not business as usual argued that businesses need to focus on how they engage with customers and employees, if they (and society) are going to prosper in today's inter-connected world.

Have a good weekend...