Digital landscape? We remember when all this was fields…
2015 marks Happy’s 10th birthday. It’s been one heck of a decade, over the years technology has transformed the way we work and the mother of all economic hangovers forcing marketing agencies – and the people in charge of company purse strings – to work very differently. Happy’s Simon Brooke takes a sepia tinted trip back to a world when a responsive website was one that loaded in less than a minute, to explore the 10 changes that have made the biggest difference to our, and probably your, marketing world.
The rise of social
When we started ‘social’ was a round of drinks in the pub. Now Facebook, Twitter, Instagram et al is where target markets live – and grabbing their attention has transformed branding and marketing. And yet…
Traditional still works
More than ever, it’s all about the right medium for the right market. And if that means a powerfully composed brochure or piece of direct mail, then it can still pack a punch.
Next generation digital
Once upon a time businesses contacted us to build their online presence. Now (almost) everyone has a website, and many are showing their age. So those requests have changed from “I need a website” to “I need a new website that engages/is mobile friendly/reflects our growth.”
Greater budgetary freedom
The global recession saw marketing budgets slashed and/or cocooned for the best part of a decade. But as 2008 becomes more of a distant memory and confidence improves, we’re seeing the dustcovers coming off long mothballed marketing budgets.
The power of a well-developed brand
It’s like hitting a 6 in cricket. When the ball of branding connects perfectly with the bat of public consciousness, things can fly like never before. We’re looking at you, Apple.
Content matters more than ever
Words. Images. Video. Because in a digital landscape built for sharing, you have to have something to share.
The new SEO
Remember when SEO consisted of spammy pages of content landfill and link-farming? Nowadays what works for Google is what works for human beings too: responsive sites, great, original content and clever PR.
Launching lifts off
Today’s brand leaders have turned product launches into an art form. Ah, you ask, but do they work? We’d suggest that midnight queues round the block and a growing pool of insatiable ‘new adopters’ says yes.
Clever tech
It’s mobile, geo-targeted and wearable. It tracks the things you buy, the sites you visit and the places you go. The question is, are you using it to its full potential?
Daringly different
Something happens when budgets are squeezed. The world becomes a more careful, conservative place. Happily, we’re now seeing brands prepared to flirt with dangerous ideas and a newfound confidence in daring to be different. And that’s a trend we hope sticks around for a while.
