Angelique Hernandez discusses the rise of content marketing as a trend in the marketing industry. She cites three main reasons for its growth: 1) consumers are overwhelmed with advertising messages so content marketing allows brands to connect without speaking at consumers; 2) it changes how brands spend resources by focusing on owned and earned media in addition to paid media; 3) data from content marketing gives insights into what type of content resonates best with target audiences so brands can improve future content. Hernandez predicts content marketing will continue growing exponentially as it becomes the standard for brands to have more control over their messaging and relationships with consumers.

1. Interview about the content marketing trend
Interviewee:AngeliqueHernandez
Bio:
Angelique Hernandez graduated from Fordham University Gabelli School of Business in 2006.
Since then, she has continued her career at Zenith Media developing holistic media strategies for
clients such as Verizon, Longhorn Steakhouse & The Capital Grille, and the entire Nestle Waters
portfolio. She has also worked on new business initiatives that have included Darden and The
Home Depot. Currently, she has gone back to her roots, planning strategy for Verizon (except
this time on Hispanic Initiatives)
Why do you think content marketing is an emerging trend in the marketing industry?
Content marketing is such an emerging trend because consumers live in a world where they are
constantly being bombarded with messaging everywhere you look. Messaging that is blatantly
advertising (a good number of them that serve the purpose of mass awareness) that does not
speak to them in particular. The marketing industry as a whole is constantly searching for
innovative ways to connect with consumers, to speak to them and not AT them, and to fight
through all the clutter. Content marketing enables brands to do just that. Content marketing
continues to emerge as a trend due to the impact it has already had on the industry as well as the
consumer/brand relationship.
How has content marketing impacted the marketing industry and the relationship with
consumers?
Content marketing is currently changing how brands and media agencies (me!) spend their
resources, how they portray their brand, and what their media strategies look like. So instead of
brands being solely interested in a print ad or a TV ad... They are now looking inward, looking at
how they can utilize any owned media and how they can attain "earned media" AND how that
relatively fits or works with their paid media. I like to say that it allows a brand to spend their
dollars more wisely. You no longer have to throw all your money towards TV. You can take that
TV ad, incorporate it into a Facebook post, and make it speak to your target. BOOM - you now
have a platform where that target can respond back to you and even share the content you just
put out. - It allows for a complete 360 plan.
What is the main pro and con of content marketing?
A pro when pushing out content on Twitter, Facebook, etc - it is easy to track the success of your
message based on likes, number of comments. Networks like FB give brand clients access to the
back end where they can track everything in real time - something absolutely helpful and
essential to the brand. They are able to see any trends occurring based on most popular posts, etc.
A con - some forms of content marketing are harder to track - things of an editorial nature or

2. when utilizing blogs. While it is absolutely and completely likely that you are speaking and
connecting to your target audience, it's not as easy to prove with hard data as you would be able
to with number of clicks or the number of completed video plays.
Can the data obtained from content marketing lead to actions for marketers?
Data obtained from content marketing can definitely lead to actions for marketers. Think about it
as having a conversation with someone and being able to determine which one liner really hit it
off with that person and which ones really tanked! Content marketing IS the conversation that
allows brands to build or reinforce relationships with consumers. With that direct line, brands are
quickly able to determine what consumers respond well to and what they don't. So if there
consumers respond more to videos than say a blogger, a brand can most certainly decide to
produce more video content and push it out.
How is data utilize and how does it help in obtaining a competitive edge?
Knowing what your consumers most relate to definitely gives you a competitive edge - you're
basically talking to your target more effectively than the competition if used correctly. The age
of content marketing also allows for brands to merely observe what the competition is doing
(since highly successful content marketing receives mass appeal and recognition so quickly - it's
easy to realize what works. For instance, when Oreo took full advantage of the blackout during
the Super Bowl on twitter, you better believe brands were chomping at the bit to be THAT ready
for anything they could harp on with such perfect timing)
What are the current opportunities or challenges of content marketing?
Current opportunities of content marketing include being able to directly connect and build
relationships with your target. This allows a brand to communicate with consumers in a very
engaging way; Where they are able to hold consumers' attention or effectively communicate a
message to the point where a consumer has committed it to memory (much like hearing a song a
few times and already knowing the lyrics without actively realizing that you did). Challenges
still include tracking how they directly impact awareness or sales much like click through rates
and video completions prove the effectiveness of a digital campaign that includes display or pre-
roll (unless you are using a social network where results would be based off response, etc).
Other challenges for brands include being prepared to jump on any opportunity that might arise
within a time frame that is effective - much like Oreo and the Super Bowl (Arby's with rapper
Pharrel is another example although that was easy enough) - it was just a very clever tweet. Oreo
still takes the cake for producing an image and message within a very short time.) For instance,
when I worked on nestle waters, Marc Rubio had his whole Poland spring "awkward sip" during
his rebuttal of Obama’s Union address.. Our challenge there was to produce creative and get it
approved in time for its content to still come across within what would be considered "perfect
timing" to come across as witty and clever... Timing is everything in this form of content
marketing and if you wait too long, your creative no matter how clever will be a DUD!

3. In a organization, who oversees orapproves content marketing?
Content marketing would is handled by the creative agency of a brand. They are the ones that
usually produce the content. Usually, however, the need for content marketing arises if we as a
media agency discover or are presented with opportunities that we deem a good fit for the brand,
be it a digital opportunity or a print editorial of some sort.
What are you recommendations for brands when using content driven data?
My recommendation to brands when using content driven data is to primarily use it to learn more
about their target - take advantage of the platform that is allowing you (the brand) to basically
learn from every individual with each interaction. A brand should then use those learnings to
evolve with their consumers simultaneously - enabling them to continue to reach them within
pivotal moments, to perfect their attempts at "perfect timing," and to maybe become more
adaptive as the changes in time require.
What do you think is the future of content marketing?
I believe the trend is only going to grow exponentially. Just yesterday I met with a native
advertising vendor who catered to the Hispanic market (which by the way brands are only now
starting to really push through Hispanic only initiatives to the point that they have entire teams
solely dedicated to it. They finally got the memo that Hispanics possess the biggest buying
power.) While native advertising doesn't necessarily equate with content marketing, it can be
interwoven, as I was sitting in that meeting, I actually thought of you and this last question. We
are already existing in a cyber world where brands can feed a consumer a native ad that LEADS
to content that they have created themselves.. There are so many options that currently exist, so
many innovative ways that brands can control the conversation with their consumers through the
content they put out, that the future is endless. I believe we will come to an age where content
marketing will become the standard simply because it so seamlessly breaks through the clutter by
either entertaining and/or connecting with their target - with the added bonus of total control over
their image... Since it also allows for a more concise 360 plan (remember the whole commercial
connected to a post a brand puts out on Facebook that I mentioned in an earlier answer), there is
no way content marketing is a passing trend. It's definitely here to stay.