One of the biggest challenges to creating good/effective interactive marketing is that so many of us have no experience with which to judge our ideas against. We know, within reason, what makes a good TV spot or print ad. But what makes a good interactive idea?
The biggest thing to remember is not to judge interactive the same way you judge anything else. In TV and Print, a single simple idea clearly communicated is all you want. And to an extent, online should be the same. But there must be a consideration for the interactive nature of the internet. What is the user going to get out of the idea? How will they engage with it?
A good friend of mine sums up the requirements for a good interactive idea with three questions:
1) Why would the user interact with your idea?
2) Would they send it to their friends?
3) Will they return to experience it again?
Answer honestly and you'll help ensure your interactive ideas are as strong as possible. Answer with a bunch of bullshit and you'll have a really expensive glory piece that does nothing for your client and hurts your and your agency's rep.
PS About the image accompanying this post. It's amazing what you find by doing an image google search of "bad idea."
Wonder what's it's like to be the guy that wrote this in Newsweek back in 1995:
“The truth is no online database will replace your daily newspaper…”
“…Nicholas Negroponte, director of the MIT Media Lab, predicts that we'll soon buy books and newspapers straight over the Intenet. Uh, sure.”
“Internet addicts clamor for government reports. But when Andy Spano ran for county executive in Westchester County, N.Y., he put every press release and position paper onto a bulletin board. In that affluent county, with plenty of computer companies, how many voters logged in? Fewer than 30. Not a good omen.”
“Then there's cyberbusiness. We're promised instant catalog shopping--just point and click for great deals. We'll order airline tickets over the network, make restaurant reservations and negotiate sales contracts. Stores will become obsolete. So how come my local mall does more business in an afternoon than the entire Internet handles in a month? Even if there were a trustworthy way to send money over the Internet--which there isn't--the network is missing a most essential ingredient of capitalism: salespeople.”
“Computers and networks isolate us from one another. A network chat line is a limp substitute for meeting friends over coffee.”
And the ultimate irony of this ancient article is that can be found, wait for it, online. Ah the good old days. Can’t really say I blame the guy. I was there myself not too long ago. The lesson to be learned here is that judging the world by yesterdays knowledge makes you look pretty silly when you get left in the dust. Just ask Ptolemy.
(CEO not pictured here. These are other Ad Tech heroes. Or not.)
Nick Brien, Universal McCann CEO, gave the keynote address at this years Ad Tech and spoke truth to power. His comments are a must read. In sum:
1) It's not about new media, it's about new marketing.
2) Legacy thinking is bad. Bad for clients, bad for agencies.
3) Brands need to be destinations and experiences, thus consumer insights must be better.
4) Consumer generated content is a powerful thing
5) New model calls for collaboration between media companies, agencies, and brands.
6) New model is scary. Don't fear it, love it.
From Brien's mouth to the ears of clients and agencies everywhere.
See the summary of Brien's address in AdAge.
NOTE: Here's the podcast of Brien's keynote address.
