Lecture given to advertising undergrads at UNC Chapel Hill in 2013 and 2014 on how Mars Chocolate and M&M'S use digital for advertising. Generously invited by the wonderful Professor JoAnn Sciarrino - http://www.jomc.unc.edu/directory/faculty/joann-sciarrino

1. 1
> Storytelling on the web
Building
brands
in
the
21st
century

2. today how does multi-national chocolate company
Mars Chocolate use digital advertising to sustain
momentum (and sales)?
2

3. context
method
work
3

4. THE CONTEXT
the landscape of digital advertising - our reason to exist

5. the dust is still settling
5

6. 6

7. 6
its easy to get lost
the best ‘digital advertisers’ see
the forest for the trees

8. despite the disruption...a strong
brand is still the best defense
7

9. what makes a brand strong?
8

10. what makes a brand strong?
8
great brands are great stories
great stories use archetypes to
leverage existing memory
structures
they are ruthlessly focused on
meaning

11. --video of M&M’S archetypes--
9

12. advertising is responsible for
writing the story
digital is a way we tell it:
...at the right times, in the right
ways and the right places
...part art, part science
...lots of partners
10

13. we’re going to look at
established CPG market leader
- Mars Chocolate
11

14. Mars is one lens
different business models,
industries and products call for
different approaches (this could
be a whole other talk...)
12

15. THE METHOD
the mars way - creating strategies of desire

16. laws of growth:
brands are substitutable
penetration is king
memories are fragile
14

17. law
basis
takeaway
brands are
substitutable
scale
penetration is king
physical availability
memories are
fragile
mental availability
category loyalty not brand loyalty
brand substitutability is
mathematically predictable based
upon the size of the brand and
not the positioning of that brand
Around 70% of brand growth or
decline is linked to changes in
penetration
95% of human decision making
is unconscious
memory is typically ‘lost’ after
8-16 weeks of communication
focus on looking distinctive, not
on differentiation
don’t target - reach the whole
category
penetration is a leaky bucket
focus on constantly refilling the
bucket (eg. touchpoints, reach,
pricing, distribution)
continually reinforce fragile
memory structure
be noticed, then
...be remembered
...be understood
15

18. law
basis
takeaway
brands are
substitutable
scale
penetration is king
physical availability
memories are
fragile
mental availability
category loyalty not brand loyalty
brand substitutability is
mathematically predictable based
upon the size of the brand and
not the positioning of that brand
Around 70% of brand growth or
decline is linked to changes in
penetration
95% of human decision making
is unconscious
memory is typically ‘lost’ after
8-16 weeks of communication
focus on looking distinctive, not
on differentiation
don’t target - reach the whole
category
penetration is a leaky bucket
focus on constantly refilling the
bucket (eg. touchpoints, reach,
pricing, distribution)
continually reinforce fragile
memory structure
be noticed, then
...be remembered
...be understood
15

19. inputs for digital advertising:
reach, not engagement
continuity is critical
reinforce 2-3 distinctive assets
these can be seen as primarily
listening and talking strategies
16

20. these impact everything from
planning to production
let’s look at how they play out in
the actual work
17

21. WORK

22. the brand: M&M’S
colorful, chocolate, fun
the problem: when consumers
think of chocolate, they don’t
think of M&M’S
objective: put the chocolate
back in ‘colorful, chocolate, fun’
19

23. solution
Ms Brown
20

24. --video case study--
21

25. integrated campaigns are the
result of a coalition of partners
22
creative media pr
promotions
strategic
partners
social

26. Ms Brown
Launch
23

27. Ms Brown
Launch
23
.com

28. Ms Brown
Launch
23
.com
banners

29. Ms Brown
Launch
23
.com
banners
video ads

30. Ms Brown
Launch
23
.com
banners
video ads
social
channels

31. Ms Brown
Launch
23
.com
banners
video ads
social
channels
promotion

32. Ms Brown
Launch
23
.com
banners
video ads
social
channels
promotion
custom ads

33. Ms Brown
Launch
23
.com
banners
video ads
social
channels
promotion
custom ads
emails

34. Ms Brown
Launch
23
.com
banners
video ads
social
channels
promotion
custom ads
emails
experiential

35. the ‘.com’
24
key players
creative
development
IT

36. the ‘.com’
24
key players
creative
development
IT
reach, not engagement
the website is not a destination

37. the banners
25
standard
rich media
key players
creative
development
media
partners

38. the banners
25
standard
rich media
key players
creative
development
media
partners
reach, not engagement
3rd tier media plans, mostly equal distribution

39. the banners
26
standard
rich media
key players
creative
development
media
partners

40. the banners
26
standard
rich media
key players
creative
development
media
partners
continuity is critical
media buys are generally year-long

41. the video ads
27
in-banner video or pre-roll
key players
creative
media

42. the video ads
27
in-banner video or pre-roll
key players
creative
media
reinforce distinctive assets
video neutral media-buying

43. the custom ads
28
takeovers
key players
creative
media
partners
skins

44. the custom ads
28
takeovers
key players
creative
media
partners
skins
reinforce distinctive assets
in rare custom buys, heavily enforce key assets

45. the custom ads
29
tandem placements
key players
creative
media
partners
custom

46. the emails
30
key players
creative
CRM

47. the emails
30
key players
creative
CRM
reach, not engagement
leverage partner lists to achieve reach

48. the social channels (owned)
31
key players
creative
social

49. the social channels (owned)
31
key players
creative
social
reach, not engagement & continuity
not about fans - focus on constant updates
with distinctive, emotionally arresting content

50. the social channels (bought)
32
key players
creative
media
partners

51. the social channels (bought)
32
key players
creative
media
partners
reach, not engagement
achieve reach through partners,
smart buys & distinctive content

52. the promotion
33
key players
creative
development
promotions
PR
partners

53. the promotion
33
key players
creative
development
promotions
PR
partners
reach, not engagement
promotions drive massive reach & purchase

54. experiential
34
key players
creative
development
promotions
PR
partners

55. experiential
34
key players
creative
development
promotions
PR
partners
reach, not engagement - test & learn
smart ‘test and learn’ experiments to innovate
and identify new channels for reach

56. 35
Rich Media Banner - 160x600 Expandable

57. recap
content-based
heavy media investment
broadly targeted
low ‘non-working’ spend
superbowl
36

58. repeated throughout the year
look out for:
prominent brand mark
milk chocolate
wit
37

59. 38

60. key challenges
85/15 working, non-working split
reach obsession
the combination of these two elements
limits digital efforts
39

61. a peak at year 2
40

62. one more example
snickers 2010 to 2013
one platform: you’re not you
when you’re hungry
told in many ways
41

63. 42

64. what is innovation in
storytelling to mars?
--video of snickers SEO
campaign--
43

65. thanks
questions?
marceminor@gmail.com
44