HOW DID THE DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM CHANGE LAST YEAR?
While becoming a part of the community is every social media company’s dream, last year put that whole thing on steroids. The audience sent a clear message: their attention was not for sale anymore. Galvanised by real-time events that unfolded on the world stage, they demanded what they want to talk about – and why.
Influencers had to change their material; brands had to pause their content calendars. There’s a new kid in digital town: the community.
WHAT WORK ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM LAST YEAR?
Bleach. You read that right, bleach. So why am I proud of it? We put the ‘Unboring’ spin on a mundane category, with ‘I didn’t know Clorox can do that’. We knew we had to be brave because with Gen Z on social you’re not competing with another bleach, but with Joe Rogen and Elon Musk chatting with stand-up comedians, with gorillas dancing to Flash Dance. ‘Unboring’ is the only way to stop the thumb.
WHAT CAN BRANDS DO DIFFERENTLY TO ACCELERATE THEIR DIGITAL STRATEGY?
Brands were once encouraged to be consumer centric. Now they have to be community centric. The audience is the alpha in the room, and they’ve activated their BS radar. They decide which brands make it into their communities.
Brands can get an entry-pass by sharing beliefs, un-boring storytelling, and becoming authentic personas. Big brands better pivot fast or they’ll miss the bus – the one that the audience is driving.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES BRANDS CAN GEAR UP FOR THIS YEAR?
The biggest opportunities are often hidden in the biggest threats. A seismic transformation is underway: the audience are dictating how brands and influencers ‘behave’ on the digital square.
Brands have an opportunity to move from just manufacturing products to ‘manufacturing movements’; adopt a proactive strategy to align brand purposes with community beliefs. But, of course, this is not a change of costume, it’s a change of conviction. You can’t become a priest overnight.
WHAT DIGITAL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION SHOULD PEOPLE MAKE THIS YEAR?
Don’t let history repeat itself. A decade and a half ago, a swathe of people missed the social media bus. Now there’s a new bus – or rocket ship if you will – in town: AI. Don’t miss it. Make 2024 the year to embrace AI’s transformative power.
Recognise it as the new electricity and actively integrate it into your professional life, if not, even in your hobbies. Just become familiar with AI in any way you can, it’s a sure-fire way to stay ahead of the curve.
-By Fadi Nakhle, Managing Director and Partner, YouExperience
