Any big launch in marketing is preceded by what I like to call a Launch War Room. Brands today want to be disruptive in order to attract their target audiences with speed, intention and agility. ‘Kuch naya karna hai’ is the top-of-mind ask for any marketer operating in the post-pandemic paradigm. And since we’re talking post-pandemic, we’re talking digital. The digital space has become indispensable for marketers when it comes to putting together a memorable experience, and platforms like Twitter provide a unique opportunity for brands to add the much needed velocity (speed x direction) to their launches for accelerated results.
Here are the top four ways how brands can create velocity with their launches:
1. The audience: For a brand to create impact, it is important for it to reach out to its customers where they’re most receptive. People on the Internet have a language of their own - they float memes, inspire a billion laughs and also get the conversation going in a matter of minutes. These conversations have pushed brands to adapt to this culture, and adopt a tone that audiences understand. An audience that is quick to react, has the ability to make content go viral and create moments that lead to impact, is the kind of audience that is critical to your launch. By gauging the consumer’s pulse, brands can pivot their strategy quickly (if needed) and thus deliver a more impactful launch.
2. Tools to enhance experience: Using the right formats and digital channels, and considering the visibility that tools on those channels provide is instrumental in successfully delivering the intended message. Especially when it comes to launching new products, the seamlessness of the experience can make a massive impact on its success. Digital tools that make your event discoverable and easy to join attract a lot more conversation. Personalisation communication helps to cut through clutter and offers immersive experiences that can significantly scale the impact of your launch.
3. The campaign flight plan: Research by Bain & Company shows that only 15% of brands are launching effectively and meeting their desired KPIs while 85% are dis-satisfied. Therefore, it is critical for brands to devise a strategic flight plan that gives them the breakthrough that is necessary for launch. The roadmap to this lies in 3 steps - the 3S: 1) Spark interest, get audiences excited and build anticipation. 2) Surge: garner a high share of voice and get people talking about your campaign in those crucial hours. 3) Sustain: make sure your consumer continues to engage with you and drive lift on key metrics like message association, ad recall and brand awareness.
4. Measuring impact and success: As crucial as it is to craft an impactful digital launch strategy, it is also critical to amplify the noise that your launch campaign makes across channels. How quickly your campaign becomes the talk of the town - and moves across towns to different channels, whether that’s virtual or offline - is a crucial element of measuring success and planning better for the future.
The thrill of launching something new never gets old. But it does get challenging. A competitive landscape, changing consumption patterns, as well as the plethora of media vehicles available makes a marketer’s job a lot more difficult than before. But with a clear audience strategy, a flight plan that is designed for participation, creativity driven by technology and measurable impact metrics can make this job easier. In the Launch War Room, the brand that isn’t afraid to #DoSomethingNew will always emerge victorious.
