Read what this director of internet strategy has to say about metrics and research.
As director of internet strategy at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Jens Thraenhart oversees the company’s public websites and in-room guest portal, including the maximum utilization of current capabilities and identification of new functional enhancements, and establishment of third party partnerships to develop appropriate presence, optimization of electronic distribution and linkage to the website. He is responsible for the development of marketing strategy vis-à-vis using the web for building customer loyalty and enhancing the brand attributes, by provision of information relating to online customer behavior and target markets.
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?
Jens Thraenhart: I think it is not about doing advertising online or offline, but more importantly to understand the different mediums and what they can deliver -- i.e. brand awareness, sales, loyalty, data acquisition, et cetera. In the end, the owner of online advertising lies in the ability to target and measure effectively, and that has resulted in better ROI. However, I feel that there needs to be a healthy balance between online and offline advertising.
iMedia: Following up on that, how has the media mix changed for you over the last few years?
Thraenhart: Definitely online advertising spend has increased as we have been able to prove to our hotels as well as owners that we can drive great ROIs through online advertising.
iMedia: What was your most successful online or integrated campaign recently and what made it successful?
Thraenhart: Fairmont has done a big summer campaign this year, consisting of online advertising, print, radio, partner marketing (i.e. American Express), as well as email and direct marketing. The campaign exceeded expectations.
iMedia: What do you think is the greatest benefit of online advertising? The ability to measure? Precisely target? Gather data? Something else?
Thraenhart: All of the above, as well as engage the consumer -- so interactivity.
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?
Thraenhart: I believe all of the above are key components of online advertising, however, I believe that measurement and metrics -- if executed in the right way -- could be the most powerful killer app. The biggest CRM opportunity out there today is the implementation of a solid metrics tool, such as Coremetrics, Omniture or Websidestory. That way, the consumer behavior on the website is tracked, and can be overlayed with other marketing analysis, and even integrated in the company's guest data warehouse. Taking this concept to a next level is to integrate the metrics tool to the search marketing program technology and affiliate marketing, as well as competitive information such as Hitwise.
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iMedia: What still frustrates you most about online advertising? What can be done to improve the situation?
Thraenhart: I love online advertising, but it is still frustrating that organizational structures still make it hard to integrate online and offline advertising. In the end it is all about customer touchpoints.
The biggest shift in online marketing is convergence -- it is not about the internet anymore, but about touching customers via different ad mediums and via different distribution channels. A total integration of offline and online marketing and distribution leads to a strong brand and strong customer relationships -- a strategy that should be driven by a focused CRM mindset. Remember, again, that technology is only the enabler that should not drive the strategy but execute. However, marketing executives that don't understand the power of the internet and technology will have a hard time to succeed. This requires, in many instances, a change in organizational structure in many companies -- a step most hotel companies are not ready to undertake.
iMedia: What’s the next big thing and how will it affect you?
Thraenhart: I believe online trademark protection will remain important and will get even more complex. I also believe that a lot of developments will be made as it relates to wireless.
iMedia: Speaking of wireless, have you done much with wireless, iTV or other emerging mediums?
Thraenhart: No.
iMedia: Are you doing any behavioral targeting? If yes, please describe.
Thraenhart: We haven't been very active, mainly due to resource and budget issues. However, I believe that there is a tremendous opportunity.
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?
Thraenhart: At this point we are not using any blogs, but we are watching CGM very closely.