Brands have a better chance of keeping the attention of a goldfish than their targeted consumer.
Our minds are being constantly bombarded by messaging from brands and social media. The 24 hour news cycle, “reality TV”, political candidates and pundits, DVR’s, Netflix and binge watching are just a few things that have infiltrated our daily routines. We have to make a concerted effort to form an original thought.
According to Time.com, the average person looks at his/her phone 46 times every day (up from 33 looks per day in 2014). Our new-ish -“always on” culture, complete with the enormous pressure of the expectation of instant responses, effects everything from the quality of our sleep to the depth of our relationships.
Kenny Chesney’s performance of the song (written by Kenny, Jon Nite, Shane McAnally, and Ross Copperman) “Noise”, really captures the issues of having too much communication in our lives.
Twenty-four hour television, get so loud that no one listens
Trapped in our phones and we can't make it stop, stop
Sex and money and politicians talk, talk, talk
But there really ain't no conversation
Ain't nothing left to the imaginationAll this noise
Can't take the noise
Can't take the noise
Can't stand the noise
Can't take the noise
Given the new dynamic in communication and the redefining of how we interact as humans, how do brands effectively tell their story to the right audience, through the right channels?
Five Ways To Break Through the Noise:
1. Get to the point…you have 8 seconds!
The average American is exposed to around 4,000 to 10,000 messages per day and less than 100 of those messages will be remembered. It’s important that your message is being heard through all the ad clutter. Human attentions spans are at an all-time low dropping from 12 seconds to 8 seconds. Brands can’t spend a lot of time trying to explain who they are and what they offer. The key to cutting through the noise is short messages and great visuals.
2. Visual content wins.
It’s important to combine visual messages with short bursts of information to maximize the chance of a brand message being heard and processed. Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text. Over 65% of people are visual learners and marketers who use videos grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users. Brands can no longer rely on just words to get their message heard. Consumers need to be able to visualize your product or service in their lives before they buy. Shoppers are 85% more likely to purchase after watching a video on the product.
3. Be where your audience is.
Nearly everyone seems to be connected via a social channel. Each channel requires content that is delivered to their specs.
1. Facebook users by Age
• 82% of adults ages 18 -29
• 79% of adults ages 30 -49
• 64% of adults ages 50 - 64
• 48% of adults ages 65+
2. Instagram users by Age
• 23% of adults ages 18-24
• 26% of adults ages 25-34
• 19% of adults ages 35-44
3. Twitter users by Age
• 18% of adults ages 18-24
• 22% of adults ages 25-34
• 20% of adults ages 35-44
4. Know where culture and values play in your consumers lives.
If you were marketing to the New Heartland, you would know that 60% of consumers live in the New Heartland. Their cultural touchpoints such as music, food, sports, outdoors, tech and fashion are an integral part of their culture. Core values (faith, community, family) play a large role in what brands they support.
41% of New Heartland consumers said they are more likely to buy products and services if the advertisements appeal to their core values. It appears that advertisers aren’t yet hitting the mark here as in the same group of responders, only 4% said advertisements “often” appeal to their core values, while 42% said these ads “rarely” appeal to their core values. This type of knowledge allows you to see what resonates and connects with your consumers. From this information, you can create messages that speaks directly to their culture.
5. Don’t ask for anything. Provide value to your consumer first.
They say the best path to a happy relationship with your spouse is to be the giver, with no expectations; same thing with your consumer.
Examples of Brands adding value to their consumer first:
1. Pepsico
• Pepsico’s #HowWillWe campaign seeks to create a sustainable future through sharing innovative ideas that spark change. Pepsico has a vision to better the future for not only their consumers but for the world.
2. Dove
• Dove’s Real Beauty campaign has been investing in the self-confidence of women for over a decade. Dove offers programs and advertisements that embrace the “real women” in hopes of creating a more confident lifestyle for their female consumers.
3. CVS Health
• After taking a two-billion-dollar loss in 2014 by deciding not to sell cigarettes, CVS has mastered the idea of providing value to their consumers. In attempt to promote healthier living, CVS created the Project Health (free health screening, connection to doctor’s that take customer’s insurance) initiative.
4. Nike
• Nike’s Better For It campaign was created to empower female athletes. Nike says the campaign is about “powering them [ women] to be better through services, product innovation and athlete inspiration, motivating each other to push to the next level.”
This digital noise is a real barrier for brands who don’t understand the needs and expectations of their consumer. For brands that can get into the flow of this communication tsunami, with messaging that is valuable and delivered in a consumable way, success will be measurable and sustainable.
