The last mile just got longer! Contd..1

1. Consumers no longer believe commercial messages. End of story.

The promises made by commercial messages are tough to digest and while they might increase recall, the consumer takes the core messages with more than a pinch of salt. Consumers need to believe in the product’s virtues to become passionate enough to demand it by name and then defend the choice over others in the category.

There has to be a two-way conversation. It must be a longish conversation – not just 30 seconds – that not only informs but also resolves a consumer’s concerns. It is a conversation that facilitates a pre-purchase hands-on evaluation, a conversation that furthers the consumer’s belief that the brand fits his lifestyle or that his lifestyle matches the brand. The fact is each customer wants a personalised experience regardless of their value to you.

Go to 2. A consumer’s source of information, research, evaluation and influence are not led by an organisation or brand.

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The last mile just got longer! Contd..2

2. A consumer’s source of information, research, evaluation and influence are not led by an organisation or brand.

The consumer seeks information from a myriad of sources that he defines and trusts. These opinion forming communities can destroy the prospect’s chance of ever buying the product or build up a frenzy and passion. The need to own “the” iPhone, for example, made passionate consumers queue for hours, although everyone of them already had a mobile phone.

There are communication and interaction opportunities that allow brands to deploy a broader set of messages, tailored to reach their audiences where they live and play. It is critical to address all these touchpoints because while the consumer undertakes his brand research through one touchpoint, he seeks affirmation of his choice through a different touchpoint and will probably make a purchase at a very different touchpoint.

3. The central idea of the campaign has become more important than the media used. The campaign idea needs to create the ripples which should take a life of their own.

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