Breaking down digital silos

(Posted on 23/11/17)

It’s time to stop talking about having a separate digital strategy, according to L’Oréal’s new chief marketing officer Stéphane Bérubé. Marketing Week has reported that he believes that the UK is ahead of the game in terms of digital in comparison with many other countries in Western Europe. Our market is so far evolved in terms of digital technology, we need to stop thinking about separate offline and online audiences. When interviewed, Mr Bérubé said, “We need to stop talking about digital – it’s all part of marketing.”

Here at Zebra, we couldn’t agree more. Digital is a vital part of every brand’s overall marketing strategy and should not be allocated to a silo. ‘Other’ kinds of marketing – TV, radio, press, outdoor – all now embrace digital technology, so it should no longer be seen as any kind of separate entity. If you think about it, although you may think you are firmly sticking to ‘traditional’ channels, you are likely to be promoting your website, your social media, and hashtags. Even if you’re not, potential customers will check you out on your website and social media anyway. To be prepared for this, an integrated approach is essential. By sharing your message in multiple places and providing your audience with a consistent experience across channels, you will strengthen your branding, while saving time and money as well. As far as your customers go, the lines between different channels are already completely blurred anyway. How many consumers are ‘meerkating’ in the evening - watching TV while scrolling through their phone at the same time?

Brands can learn a lot by looking at retailer success stories. As long as shoppers have an integrated seamless experience across stores and online, customers don’t care if they are shopping in store or online. Making online and offline channels work seamlessly together saves time and money. The question you should be asking is not, “offline or online?” but “how should we reach out to our customers, engage with them and build relationships with them most effectively?” 

To talk to the Zebra team about an integrated marketing strategy, give us a call on 01978 437070 or drop us a line at info@zebra-comms.co.uk.