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.