While the media landscape is changing globally, the forms that are growing the fastest aren't the same in different parts of the world, according to an ICOM global survey of its agency members.
In three regions--Europe, North America and Asia--blogs/e-mails/group sites came out on top as the fastest-growing. But in North America, viral marketing is equally strong; and in Asia, so are new formats of outdoor and program development with product integrated into the content. In Latin America, SMS and guerrilla marketing topped the list.
The results are based on data from 58 respondents in 25 countries from 34 different ICOM member agencies. In the survey, ICOM, a leading global network of independent advertising and marketing communications agencies, set out to explore whether changes in the media landscape are occurring globally, and, if so, in what ways as well as how clients may be changing the way they communicate with audiences and how these changes are affecting the way agency businesses are run.
Many of the top 10 avenues used to reach audiences named globally come under the broad umbrella of the Internet, but not all. The top 10 cited as the fastest-growing are:
- Blogs/e-mails/group sites
- Viral marketing
- Internet (interstitials/message embeds, etc.)
- Commercial messages on hand-held devices
- New formats of outdoor
- Brand experience (brand-sponsored games, etc.)
- Guerrilla marketing
- Search engine marketing
- SMS
- Program development (with product integrated into content).
Some 92% of respondents said their clients are incorporating new media choices into their advertising and marketing programs, and well over half said that is occurring frequently. Only 3% reported never.
Their responses to what are the key differences in how clients communicate with audiences today vs. five years ago were not surprising. According to respondents, today clients are using more online, more integrated campaigns with more components („no longer just talk‰), segmenting audiences more, targeting more narrowly and expecting measurements to meet return on investment objectives.
Internet is key to every plan," said Jeff Silverman, COO of The Morrison Agency/ICOM, Atlanta. "All activities are now measured against ROI or at least attempted to be. Unless communication produces a return, it is not acceptable."
According to Delia S. Saguil, VP-media, Adformatix/ICOM, Manila, "Five years ago, it was easy to convince the market on the goodness or usefulness of a product or service advertised. Today with the information glut and so much competition, the game now is bringing that Œbrand experience‚ close to the heart."
As a result, the agency business has been and continues to undergo a transformation. "We are continuously reinventing our business to stay on top of market trends," said Esdras J. Maciel, executive VP, Rino Publicidade/ICOM, São Paulo.
One key aspect is hiring people with new and broader skill sets. "We are switching our emphasis from advertising to marketing and are recruiting people with new skills to offer broader services," said Pirjo von Hertzen, chairman and partner, Incognito Oy/ICOM, Helsinki. Klaus Kitzmueller, managing partner, Move Communications/ICOM, Munich, said his agency too is doing much more integrated communications.
Agency principals say they also are adding much more complex technology. „We have a growing database and IT group,‰ said Kelley Haas, president, Weyforth-Haas Marketing/ICOM, Overland Park, Ks.
The survey also asked whether any traditional media choices were on the decline with no chance of recovery as a result of new ways of reaching audiences and, if so, which ones. Almost half (42%) named newspapers, followed by radio and television (20% each), magazines (18%), cinema (16%) and outdoor (6%).
Executives from ICOM agencies are available for further comment.
About ICOM: Rollinsville, Colo. (USA)-based ICOM has members in more than 50 countries, representing US$2+ billion in billings and US$300 million in gross income annually. ICOM offers a full range of integrated marketing and media communications services and is an alternative to the huge and increasingly similar agency groups.
Contacts:
Nancy Giges, nancy@icomagencies.com
Gary Burandt, burandt@icomagencies.com 1-720-261-4829
P.O. Box 490, 1649 Lump Gulch Road, Rollinsville, CO 80474; 1-303-258-9511, www.icomagencies.com