A discussion addresses balance and maintaining a unilateral perspective for a successful integrated campaign.
Integration is perhaps the most overused, least understood, yet most sought after discipline in interactive marketing. Everyone wants it, though precious really understand how to launch a truly integrated initiative.
Richard Coughlin, account director with Crispin Porter and Bogusky, outlined process and best practice for advertisers in the space for integrating online and offline initiatives. Coughlin's experience includes launching over 140 integrated initiatives in everything from packaged goods to automotive for ubiquitous brands like Volkswagen.
Coughlin began with an idea borrowed from a recent publication-- "the greatest punishment is isolation." His first piece of advice became a running theme for the session with suggesting interactive marketers should avoid the victim mentality. All too often, marketers focus on a battle cry for interactive marketing without thinking about balance and integration.
Another stumbling block to integrated efforts falls within the category of pursuing one's own agenda. Coughlin explained that falling in love with a project and maintaining a unilateral perspective would spell disaster for successfully launching an integrated initiative.
Coughlin discussed placing an emphasis on getting the job done correctly and abandoning one's personal agenda in the creative delivery process.
A case study in integrated delivery included the Volkswagen GTI configurator-- an online tool that allowed users to build their own custom configured vehicle video. Users were then invited to take a ride with "Helga" in their custom vehicle. The wildly popular "Helga" character has since developed a personality and presence of its own. While television creative focused on the narrative aspects of generating awareness of vehicle, the online experience put site visitors in the driver's seat with a personalized video experience.
One of the biggest barriers in delivering an integrated initiative in a timely manner includes delivery of creative so that media initiatives can synchronized for both online and offline launches. Clearly there is no easy solution to this problem, but audience members suggested that over communication with vendors and internal constituents significantly increases the likelihood of meeting deadlines and coming to market on time.
When Volkswagen launched the Rabbit, multiple touch points were used in a consistently focused creative theme. A very popular gypsy cab project was launched in New York City in which a vehicle was followed and filmed around the city and user experiences were recorded. A microsite and DVD was launched that maintained a consistent theme and creative focus for users.
At the end of the day, brand marketers want an answer to perhaps the most important (and most frequently asked) question in the advertising world. How many widgets did your sexy integrated initiative sell? Well, judging by Volkswagen's record sales, I think you have the answer.
Kevin Ryan is the chief executive officer of Kinetic Results, and iMedia's search editor. Read full bio.
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