At Pivot 2010, Deb Schultz pointed out (rightly so) that over time, we’ve seen a gradual “death of the grand gesture.” The "gesture" refers to BIG campaigns that are launched for a limited window of time and then there is silence until the next campaign. Because social media empowers consumers to call-out when brands seem unauthentic, the web requires brands to truly ‘commit to’ and ‘do’ what they say. Today, consumers increasingly see episodic communications as unauthentic and expect brands to remain engaged before, during and after scaled communications. Living up to the expectations set by slogans and offering inclusive programs can help brands foster discoveries, insights, collaborations and moments of inspiration over time and in unexpected ways.
GREAT QUOTE: “You can’t have radio silence all year long and then flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day.” - Deb Schultz, Altimeter Group
THE TAKEAWAY: Think about online communication as less campaign-centric and more about platforms that offer ongoing, constant, long-term creation of value for a target audience. Commitment to a message is not difficult if you live and breathe what you say you are. While increased obligation to commit may be an added responsibility, the web actually facilitates relatively affordable means for maintaining lighter, on-going brand experiences.
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