By Vicky Tamaru Guest Columnist
As someone old enough to enjoy playing Space Invaders when it was brand new, I’ve had the pleasure of watching digital trends emerge, morph and sometimes die off with an intense sense of wonder.
Digital marketing is incredibly fast-paced; tools and technologies seem to change by the second. Some instantly make sense and can give you that “why didn’t I think of that?” moment, others may take awhile for us to appreciate, and then there are those that just don’t cut the mustard.
Here are a few trends that have really struck me over the last few months in the realm of zeros and ones that are more than just flash-in-the-pan fads.
GREAT VISUALS
Not just good visuals; great visuals. Welcome to the Age of the Designer and if you aren’t working closely with one (or many) that really get your message, you should start now. The rise of infographics, video sharing and applications like Pinterest really illustrate how important visuals are to the online experience. They provide a pleasing format for users to consume information, while allowing them to have some amount of control over what they see. In other words, people are filtering their own content, so you had better make it a point to stand out.
Pinterest is a testament to the importance of images in digital marketing.
The advertising industry has always been pretty perceptive when it comes to the use of visuals—it’s nothing new to the world of media in general—but visuals in the digital realm have been greatly enhanced by new technology. Whether it’s cross-device compatibility or increased screen resolution, we have come a long way in offering a whole new visual experience to a massive online audience. Bland stock photos and bright, shiny buttons aren’t going to do you any favors. Images should tell a story, make a point, and have a purpose. From illustrations to animations and even something as simple as a logo, making it your own and a piece of art in and of itself will help to create a name for your brand.
INTERACTIVE APPLICATIONS
People want to see how they can affect the world around them, even in the smallest of ways. We need to know we have a choice, and have the power to make something our own. This is where truly interactive experiences come in. Visuals are a key component of our iconic memory, which has seemingly unlimited space, but only for short periods of time. Interactive experiences help to bridge that gap by reaching the long-term memory, so creating branded interactive experiences will really give you some staying power.
Sherwin-Williams uses an interactive application to spread brand awareness.
Interactivity isn’t only about being memorable; it’s also about ensuring you are creating relationships with people who will support your company through action. We live in a world overwrought with messaging. Creating something of value that users choose to spend their time on, and potentially share with friends and family, is where I really find that “sweet spot” of marketing—that place where everyone wins.
GAMIFICATION AND PLAY-CENTERED DESIGN
If images and interactivity support memory building, then play is the Elmer’s glue-stick that holds it all in place. Play is important. It has been proven to increase retention, engagement and brand loyalty. While we’ve been talking about gamification for a few years now, there is a whole new trend of play-centered design that follows the theme of gamification—bringing fun into otherwise mundane activities.
Spanning the worlds of toy making, illustration and music, Invisible Creature is an example of how these worlds can collide.
Many creative individuals and agencies in the comic book, toy and gaming worlds are crossing over to marketing and advertising, and it turns out there is quite an overlap in methodology. We will always be looking at ways to improve gamification to create experiences that bring entertainment and value to the users, so teaming up with someone that really understands the basic human need for play can bring a vibrant new voice to your campaign.
CROSS-PLATFORM ACCESS
There are so many devices and platforms for viewing digital content, sometimes it can get a little overwhelming. Luckily there are some great new tools that can help bring digital campaigns to multiple devices without affecting the integrity of the content. Thanks to the concept of responsive Web design, HTML5, and frameworks like PhoneGap, the world of Web development is a much more mobile-friendly place.
Some examples of well-implemented responsive Web design from Media Queries.
That being said, not all content is being produced in a multi-device-friendly manner. To ensure that your digital marketing efforts get the most ‘eyeball time,’ you have to plan accordingly and create mobile-friendly content. Be sure you are working with the right vendors or keeping your integrated team up-to-date on the use of these tools so that your campaign gets the visibility it deserves.
HUMAN COMPONENT
The massive Hunger Games campaign provides an example for effective use of all five components.
We are entering the Post-Digital world, and we are bringing our devices with us. People are not interested in giving up the modern conveniences that technology can afford us, but there is a certain fear we carry with us that we will lose our sense of humanity amidst the beeps and blips of cyberspace. So what do we do? Remember the human component.
Great digital marketing isn’t about creating the most advanced applications with a cacophony of bells and whistles. By creating digital experiences that are beautiful to look at, worth our time, fun to play with and easy to access, you have an opportunity to not only reach new markets, but to create something that improves the human experience even if only to make it more enjoyable for a few moments. When you take a good, hard look at your digital campaign, ask yourself: “Would I pay attention to this?”
Vicky Tamaru is co-founder and executive producer of Plexipixel in Seattle. www.plexipixel.com.
