As senior director of marketing, Stockfield finds the capability for real-time media planning to be the net's killer app.
Mindy Stockfield brings over 12 years of experience in brand marketing and new media from the top entertainment companies. Currently, as senior director of cause marketing at Cartoon Network, Stockfield heads up community-based initiatives and multi-cultural marketing. This includes overseeing a variety of campaigns to inspire kids to do something positive for themselves and others, and managing the network’s Get Animated campaign and outreach programs promoting health and fitness as well as partnerships with non-profit organizations. She previously was director of marketing for the kids-based programs at Cartoon Network.
iMedia: With P&G's recent announcement that it's pulling some dollars from network TV, and ZenithOptimedia's new predictions showing internet advertising increasing, it seems "spray and pray" is starting to feel some pressure. Is this a good thing for interactive marketers? Has it opened some budget for you?
Mindy Stockfield: More marketers are recognizing that consumers' eyeballs are in multiple places more than ever before, and in many cases, multiple places at the SAME time as they multi-task between media each day. This is the reason why I have never seen interactive media competing with traditional media. I believe they work together as a communication tool and marketing campaigns need to be built with that in mind. What does this mean for those involved in interactive marketing? The same as it does for those in "traditional" based media. Consumer behavior is changing and we need to realize that each media vehicle cannot stand alone in communicating a message.
iMedia: Following up on that, how has the media mix changed for you over the last few years?
Stockfield: The media mix hasn't necessarily changed but rather evolved. We are using our placements in new ways and pushing the envelope when it comes to creative. For example, print campaigns for our network are no longer just an advertisement. Print is now a distribution vehicle for us as we look to insert DVDs, posters and other unique elements to our consumers that will outlast the life of the magazine itself. We look for new ways for kids to experiment with the Cartoon Network brand and our characters.
iMedia: What was your most successful online or integrated campaign recently and what made it successful?
Stockfield: Last year, our New Media division launched a new website called CartoonNetworkYA.com. In reviewing our traffic on CartoonNetwork.com, we saw a strong flow of traffic coming to and from our Spanish-language Latin America site. With the growing number of Hispanic children coming from bi-lingual homes, we recognized that there was a need and opportunity to outreach to this expanding audience. CartoonNetworkYA.com was built and with no advertising, the site immediately grew a base that now extends to over a million users a month. To our knowledge, it is the only U.S.-based, Spanish website for kids.
iMedia: What do you think is the greatest benefit of online advertising? The ability to measure? Precisely target? Gather data? Something else?
Stockfield: My personal favorite aspect of online advertising is the ability to do "real time" media planning. What I mean by this is that you can see how people are interacting with your ad immediately and make adjustments as the campaign is running. If you feel the campaign is not performing the way you would like, adjustments can be made. That is why I don't see ROS as a bad thing. Often you will learn more about your brand in ROS placements than any other targeted campaign you can develop. It is one of the best ways to gain insight to undiscovered consumers and/or fans of your brand or product. Imagine you are a packaged goods company targeted to moms, and you begin to notice the campaign you placed on a certain mom-focused site is driving its best response from the music area of the site. As you delve further, you find that the music area specifically which is driving an extraordinary amount of traffic is country music. You now have a better picture of your consumer and possibly a consumer you never considered before. It is truly an incredible anedoctal research tool.
iMedia: Is there a "killer app" for you? What is it (email, search, advertising on certain sites, integration of advertising)? Why do you believe that works for your company/product/service?
Stockfield: This might seem elementary, but the killer app for us in many ways is the internet community itself. It is the buzz that is generated online that often creates the interest in a specific television show. This is very true for shows more targeted to adults. However, it is becoming more prominent in kids' lives as playground talk has now extended to online chat rooms.
iMedia: What's the next big thing and how will it affect you?
Stockfield: We recognize that consumers are continuing to view network content outside the traditional means of a television set. Cell phones, PDAs and broadband access allow our audience to experience television viewing anywhere they want it. In addition, they now can watch their favorite program ANYTIME they want with the increasing growth of DVRs. We know this is going to have an impact in how we associate our network brand even more closely with the shows we air. It will also probably have influence over the ratings system and how we evaluate our programs. With more consumer choice as a result of these technologies, we are going to need to explore new ways to reach an even more media-segmented audience.
iMedia: Are you being affected by any consumer-generated marketing (CGM) -- blogs, user groups, etc.? Are you using any blogs or other social networking tools to market?
Stockfield: Word of mouth can either make or break your brand. You want to have a good reputation and what is said online whether it be on a blog, in a user group or chat room is very important as those conversations can lead to in-person conversations and discussions. We don't market to our audience through those tools as we truly believe in the genuine and pure aspect of those conversations. However, we do watch and view what is being said online about our shows as it is a good indication of the general perception of our brand. While it is not formalized research, in many ways it is a powerful focus group that can add new insight and direction to your brand.
iMedia: Any final words of wisdom for other marketers? Something you've recently learned, perhaps, or some advice someone has given you?
Stockfield: One of my favorite lines is "Management is doing things right. LEADERSHIP is doing the right things." I think as marketers we need to take a more "leadership" role in our jobs to build programs that truly have a positive impact for our audience. Whether it is working on a pro-social campaign or showing that your company is truly vested in its consumers and their interest, focus on the "right things" can be one of the most powerful image campaigns you can develop for your brand.