Digital Marketing

            From the onset of the class, I was expecting a repeat of Principles of Digital Marketing from my time in the undergrad business program. Maybe a little bit of Digital Literacy sprinkled in for continuity’s sake. To my relief, I was wrong. The in-class simulations have been the main earner of the class for me. I have been able to take advantage of the subject matter from each phase of the simulations. From there, I further enhanced my sales approach to multiple coporate systems at once.

            I also found value in the lynda.com suggestions from the GoTo Sessions. The video on marketing and monetizaton on Youtube brought up a number of points that apply to much more than just the digital platform. For instance, during the video, Anson Alexander discussed the importance of authenticity among content creators (Alexander,2014). This isn’t just in reference to what they post, but also who they affiliate themselves with via sponsorships or affiliated marketing agreements. Taking into account the psychological makeup of the current generation, Anson is absolutely right. Millenials are a “show me” generation, primarily. The immergent consumer is more inclined to buy a product that will benefit them in more ways than one. However, the primary focus for this group remains: “Prove to me what you’re saying is real.”

            On the other side of that sentiment, popular Youtube personalities are commonly associated with brands by the public, at mere mention of a brand or service mark in their videos. This could be attributed to a number of factors, all of which are host to the accountability of the people.

• ·      Co-branding “alliances” between companies and content creators may not be publicized in every case, leading to confusion of the public as to the connection between company and personality.
• ·      Content creators, most of whom maintain some level of celebrity, are still private citizens and are under no obligation (civil or contracted) to divulge personal information at the request of the public.
• ·      The possibility of misinterpretation on the part of the public is everpresent. The drop of a brand name or product in a video is commonly taken out of context by consumers and viewers.

The Knife and the Maul

Anyone who aspires to conduct business in a professional setting will eventually learn the importance of having the right resources available for a job. Seasoned recording artists may enlist the services of a certain producer based on the message he sends in his work, or on the consumer base he has access to. Event coordinators may align with different promoters and venue managers based on a number of factors congruent with executing a live event. Regardless of the context, having the right tool for the job is often times the difference between a project ending in resounding success or a slow-motion train wreck.

            Producing and coordinating live events, I’ve worked with a number of marketing professionals shopping and licensing content. I’ve always suspected that the reason we’re able to function so seamlessly together is simply: both of our industries are inextricably dependent on each other. Simply examining the mechanics of each industry lends legitimacy to this assertion.

            “Live events” in the applicable context, refers to any and all public or restricted-access events and/or ploys that stand to yield economic, demographic or psychographic information beneficial to the event’s producer(s). Think of this as a science. Live events are the experiments that yield data. At the conclusion of any concert or branded party, analytics are done with respect to accounting, safety, allocation of assets and customer service. These reports (data) are usually sent to upper mid-level management personnel for a decision as to how the information will be re-implemented into the standard operating procedure. Among those privy to this information are representatives from the Marketing Department.

            Marketing is the intelligence community of business. A sound marketing department ideally takes in more information than it puts out in reference to their respective consumer base. The analytical data extracted from live events commonly becomes the basis for new product lines, albums, films, music videos, festivals, etc. It is essentially the distinguishing mark of a company that pays attention to the customer and gives them what they ask for.

            Still need evidence that marketing and live events are tied together? Two words: TRADE SHOW. (drops mic)