Strategy

With nearly 80 percent of the U.S. population online, it is a given that advertisers need to take a stake in the digital space. While the digital marketplace offers a plethora of opportunities, it’s important to invest in the right opportunities. The key for advertisers is to ensure their online campaigns are strategically set up for true success, which translates into increased ROI.
Read on for five ways to ensure advertisers get the best return on their digital investment…

Read the Entire Story on Local Media Insider 

Last month, Centro’s very own President and Founder, Shawn Riegsecker, led the Retailers Play Small Ball panel discussion at the Digiday: Local conference in New York. The discussion focused on the importance of local and brand marketing particularly from a large retail brand perspective.
Read on for two key takeaways from the discussion…

Brands should grab your attention, invoke an emotion and drive you to want more. Good advertising should not only be creative, it should also spark creativity among its audience. A powerful brand starts with an amazing brand experience that lasts well beyond a first impression. It should move consumers through various stages and touch points. The key is to tell a story that is thought and action provoking.

Consumers spend more time with digital vs. traditional media. Digital is magnetic. In the last five years, internet usage has risen by 121%, while offline channels (TV) either declined or remained constant. Key contributors to this growth include increased usage of mobile and social media as well as a shift to more online shopping experiences (nearly two-thirds of consumers shopped online in 2010).

I recently attended a MRCC (Media Research Club of Chicago) event with special guest, Bill Tancer, author of “Click: What Millions of People are Doing Online and Why it Matters.” Mr. Tancer provided a very entertaining and insightful look at online consumer behavior. Read more for a few highlights:

AdAge - ANA Survey: 52% of Marketers Will Ask Agencies to Lower Internal Costs
This article accurately highlights many of the market challenges that agencies and advertisers face today. This quote is very telling: “Though the industry outlook is trending toward stability, marketers need to be careful not to simply rely on short-term answers to solve enduring budget issues.”

As the media landscape evolves and new competitors arise, advertisers are continually fighting through clutter to ensure their voice is heard among consumers. So, how do advertisers develop messages that resonate with consumers?

Last week, I attended the MRCC (Media Research Club of Chicago) “State of Media Today” seminar. I had the opportunity to network with many digital research experts. One interesting conversation that I had was with a former Media Director who excitedly told me she switched her career after working more than 10 years at an advertising agency. She was very candid about challenges she faced in regards to increased pressure and stress, limited resources (she was often a team of 1), higher client expectations and unbelievably large workloads. Simply put, she said, “I got burnt out.”