The document discusses various types of brand engagement in the current marketing landscape. It notes that while technologies and platforms have changed, fundamental human behaviors remain the same. Effective engagement comes down to understanding audiences, aligning with business objectives, and tapping into timeless human truths. The key is engaging both internal employees and external audiences through authentic stories that audiences find meaningful.

1. The Art of Seduction in the Age of Information

2. Hello

3. ‘Brand engagement’ is when a brand
and audience develop something which
works two ways rather than one way.
It is about developing mutual
understanding.

4. An Exploding Marketing Services
Landscape

5. Why the tech firms at Cannes
will destroy advertising
The Shocking
Truth: Customers
Don’t Want To
Engage With
Your Brand

6. • We have to stop subscribing to
any one ‘right way’ if we have
any hope of engaging audiences
• We have to remember that
much of what is true now
has always been true

7. • Proliferation
of platforms
• Digital disruption
• Increased competition
• Public facing content
• Changing
demographics

8. The comparisons don’t stop there!
20% of
relationships
start online

9. The comparisons don’t stop there!
Very close to
the 16% of retail
transactions
which are now
ecommerce
20% of
relationships
start online

10. Dear
Nicola...
All my friends keep telling me that they have the
best dating lives… but they are all in different types
relationships – how do I know what’s for me?
Signed Brand who’s confused about what
the ‘right’ kind of engagement looks like

11. 77% of
consumers
don’t want
relationships
with brands…

12. 77% of
consumers
don’t want
relationships
with brands…
True?
Or dependent
on how we
are defining
relationships?

13. “I don’t want an
emotional relationship
with my insurance
company”
Phillipa Snare,
Microsoft CMO
We are still prepared to lash out at those who
suggest that functional, efficiency driven
engagements are OK and in some cases beneficial
“Not living in real the world
of tribes and evangelists”
“Being stupid cold”

14. Longevity
Utility

15. Longevity
Utility
One Night Stand

16. Longevity
Utility
One Night Stand
Old
Comfortable
Boot
Friends with
Benefits

17. Longevity
Utility
One Night StandSharks
Old
Comfortable
Boot
Friends with
Benefits

18. Longevity
Utility
One Night StandSharks
Soulmates
Old
Comfortable
Boot
Friends with
Benefits

19. A shift of narrative?

20. Dear
Nicola...
Dear Confused Brand –
There isn’t one right kind of relationship.

21. • Is our engagement strategy aligned with the overall
business objectives?
• What is my desired price position vs. competitors?
• What is my current suspected mix of audiences vs. desired?
• What is my brands suspected audience mix vs. competitors?
Some key questions to think about:

22. Dear
Nicola...
Apparently if I stand any chance of scoring I need
to do things on my date’s terms? Is that true?
Signed Brand who wants to be authentic

24. Data

25. Data Democracy

26. Potential dates knew my preferences
Which was great!

27. Authenticity

28. • 80% of consumers say ‘authenticity of content’ is the
most influential factor in their decision to follow a brand
• Leads who are nurtured with personalized content
produce a 20% increase in sales opportunities
• 78% of CMOs think custom content is actually the very
future of marketing

30. Over
personalisation
The uninvited
partyguest
Depreciation
of delight

31. “Being a bit creepy is acceptable, being a
total creep through extreme personalisation
is not. You’re slipping into ‘uncanny valley’
- it’s what happens when machines try to
behave like humans.”
According to Verve - 60% of
consumers provide intentionally
incorrect information to brands
1. Overpersonalisation

32. By trying to become part of
a customer narrative that
wasn’t in line with their brand
or its position… they ended up
widely missing the mark
2. The uninvited party guest

33. 3. Depreciation of delight
Go Home
Real-Time
Marketing,
You’re Drunk.
Adage

34. “The secret to a good kiss
is to go 90% of the way
and then hold for as long
as it takes for her to go
the other 10”
Alex Hitchins

37. Dear
Nicola...
Dear Authentic Brand –
It is all about the rule of 90:10

38. • What are the brand attributes that I would be unwilling to sacrifice?
• Could another brand produce this piece of content, in the same way
for audiences?
• Will a piece of content have value for the brand as much as the audience?
• Has another brand spoken to audiences like this previously?
Some key questions to think about:

39. I’ve impressed my date. How do I give myself the
best possible chance of not messing this up?
Signed Brand who wants to make it work
Dear
Nicola...

41. ‘The B2
Strategy’
Business
Strategy
The B2
Strategy
Brand Strategy

42. Employees who
are engaged
with brand =
Audiences who
are engaged with
the brand
The numbers speak for themselves

43. Employees who
are engaged
with brand =
Audiences who
are engaged with
the brand
The numbers speak for themselves
Customer retention
rates are almost
20% higher on average
when employees not
marketers are
highly engaged

45. Dear
Nicola...
Dear Brand who wants to make it work –
Attraction is more than skin deep, make
sure your date knows the real you

46. • If you asked the CFO CMO to describe what your brand stands
for would they say the same thing?
• Who ultimately owns the brand? If it is marketing is that brand
playing out against other channels?
• How engaged are people in the brand internally?
Some key questions to think about:

47. When it comes to relationships, has the world really changed?
Signed Brand who isn’t sure
Dear
Nicola...

48. 76% of marketers think marketing
has changed more in the past two
years than the past 50

49. People are
still people

50. 1985 2014
People will always want to be part of
something special

51. 1800 2015
People will always publicly express their
disappointment when they have been slighted

52. 3rd century BC 2014
People will always want to hear stories

53. Dear
Nicola...
Dear Brand who isn’t sure –
Well everything has changed and nothing
has changed. People are still people

54. • What fundamental human truth is my brand tapping into?
• What activities am I doing that reinforce these unchanging
elements of people?
• How can I engage my audiences in timeless stories?
Some key questions to think about:

55. • Engagement isn’t just an emotional thing.
• As brands we need to work on customers terms, but there comes
a point where every brand has to hold their ground. Decide as
teams what part of your brand you are unwilling to give away.
• Brand Audience engagement will be easier when brand is the
business of everyone, not the few
The Agony Aunt’s final words...

56. The Agony Aunt’s final words...
• Audiences have changed but are still people. Everyone in this
room is also a person. If we aren’t excited and engaged by
what we do – chances are no one else will be (whether you are
the target audience or not)
• Believe in the magic of what we do, ultimately no one has come
close to 100% cracking how engagement ultimately works
And finally... there is no one dogma, be wary of anyone who
tells you otherwise

57. THANKS
Any questions?