Led Zeppelin had it right – ‘All that glitters is not gold’. More profound words were never spoken.
The digital revolution has occurred over the last three decades. Since then, businesses and brands have rushed in (some more than others), to jump on the band wagon and be part of the curve. Well, it’s time to take a breather. Business managers and those that lead brand marketing need to stop and evaluate their part in it. Just because it’s there, doesn’t mean you or your brand have to be there.
Newsflash: We are now entering the digital evolution phase of the digital revolution.
Digital technology has propelled business forward. Now, it’s time to take stock and assess. Over the last few decades, we have all ventured into new areas and channels. As business leaders, we’ve taken the proverbial plunge. Some were hits, others were not. And there were times when we hit the bottom hard. Have we learned anything from that experience?
To paraphrase Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven verse: All that is new isn’t necessarily the best. Yet the minute we hear about something new, we rush in – trying to conquer and assess all at the same time. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s time that we stop to investigate the real value of what we are doing and who we are entrusting our business and brands to.
As we open up our email tomorrow morning, chances are that we’ll be bombarded with messages that all shout as loud as possible. Out with the old and in with the new. Just remember this: Breathe. The digital revolution is upon us and we must adapt. We must embark and conform. But can we just pause for a moment? The speed of the digital space has made businesses react, rather than plan. Just because it’s there, doesn’t mean you or your brand have to be there this instant.
For marketing and business alike, many digital services and products speak about brand being part of the experience – a living organism. Here’s another newsflash: Brand marketing, if it was ever done properly prior to the digital revolution, has always been about more than just a name or brand awareness. For consumers to live the brand, the marketing and brand pillars that make a product into a ‘household’ brand still apply. The only things that have changed are the channels available and potential access points.
The new way of doing things will still be there tomorrow. Such is the future. If anything changes, taking the time to assess and do it right might have been a good strategy after all.