The 2015 ANA Digital & Social Media Conference emphasized the importance of using social and digital media to enhance brand relevance and drive sales. Key takeaways included the necessity for authenticity in communication, the value of storytelling, and leveraging consumer data for targeted messaging. Marketers were urged to treat digital channels as critical components of their strategy, rather than alternatives.

1. 2015 ANA DIGITAL &
SOCIAL MEDIA
CONFERENCE
10 KEY
TAKEAWAYS
from the

2. Ahead are the 10 key takeaways.
“We are here to build strong brands [for the purpose] of driving business,”
said ANA President and CEO Bob Liodice in his opening remarks
at the ANA Digital & Social Media Conference in July. That idea —
not being in a space for the sake of being present, but using social and
digital media to advance the brand and drive sales — would be
a constant theme throughout the conference.
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3. “Relevancy is social currency.”
— Vineet Mehra, president of global
marketing services at J&J
Consumer Group of Companies
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1. Injecting purpose and relevancy into your brand
draws attention and consumer advocacy.

4. “It’s not just marketing that’s gone digital;
business has gone digital.”
— Andy Markowitz, general manager
of performance marketing labs at GE
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2. Social and digital media are no longer alternatives. They’ve gone
mainstream, and marketers need to treat them as priorities.

5. “If you’re not moving to e-commerce
fast enough, you will be irrelevant.”
— Cindy Chen, global head of e-commerce at
Mondelez International
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3. Brands need to realize that online channels are for more than just building
brand awareness. Digital and social media can drive conversions.

6. “You ignore the power of storytelling
at your own peril.”
— Doug Busk, global group director
of digital communications & social media
at The Coca-Cola Company
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4. Social media provides a unique opportunity to showcase
stories that drive deep, meaningful connections between
consumers and brands. Marketers need to tell those stories.

7. “Earned media has power.
You should think about earned first.”
— Scot Cottick, senior manager of
social media marketing at Nissan N.A.
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5. Consumer word of mouth can be as powerful as anything else. Look to
leverage an authentic message that will resonate with influencers.

8. “You buy crap, you get crap.”
— Randall Rothenberg, president and
chief executive officer at the IAB
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6. Viewability should be a critical concern to advertisers.
Marketers need to pay attention to where their media spend is going
and ensure it’s not funding fraudulent or wasteful businesses.

9. “Drive impact, not activity.”
— Erick Dickens, vice president of
marketing at King’s Hawaiian
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7. Highly active social accounts only prove you have
a robust publishing schedule. Don’t strive for volume, focus on
producing content that will grab consumer attention.

10. “We have to earn people’s attention,
advocacy, and trust.”
— John Bell, vice president of enterprise
digital marketing at Travelers
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8. The only way to win on social is to be authentic, relevant,
and deliver on the brand promise. This is how you turn people
into customers and customers into advocates.

11. “Being irrelevant to the
consumer is not acceptable.”
— Adam Broitman, vice president and
senior business leader of global
digital marketing at MasterCard
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9. Used properly, the amount of consumer data available can
eliminate the guess work. Use it to push relevant messages
to consumers in the moment they want them.

12. “Pumpkin freakin’ spice.”
— Sarah Hofstetter,
chief executive officer at 360i
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10. Memes and trends can be alluring, but don’t jump on things
just because they’re popular. Use social media to tell true,
meaningful stories that connect with people and improve their lives.
Emotion does more than sell, it creates long-term relationships.

13. 13© Copyright 2015 by the Association of National Advertisers, Inc. All rights reserved.
All the quotes featured in this presentation come directly from sessions presented
during the 2015 ANA Digital & Social Media Conference.
SOURCES