Brand Strategy
Written By
Jennifer Voorhees
Group Client Business Director
Back in the beforetimes, I had a monthly lunch date to nosh Indian food with a colleague, who shares my love of the cuisine’s complex spice combinations and tangy, pillow-like naan. We recently grabbed takeout from our go-to Indian restaurant here in Charlotte, and as I savored my palak paneer, I was suddenly struck by the similarities of Indian cuisine and integrated marketing campaigns.
Like any good curry that combines a half dozen spices, integrated campaigns rely on a variety of tactics working in harmony. And, as any connoisseur of the subcontinent’s dals and curries knows, recipes differ by region. Similarly, marketing pros know that the best integrated campaigns are based on data and research unique to the target market and audience.
When all the elements come together, it’s magical. Join me and my Wray Ward colleagues, John Roberts, executive creative director; Dana Haydock, public relations/content lead; and Jenny Duncan, insights strategist, for a conversation about the key ingredients in a successful integrated campaign.
At the most basic level, what is the meaning of an integrated marketing campaign?
Jen: For me, integration means all marketing tactics working together to serve a common strategy. What’s in the mix will be different from brand to brand, so let’s take VELUX skylights as an example. The VELUX marketing communications plan includes a lot of what we do at Wray Ward: television spots (traditional, OTT and digital), programmatic display, paid and organic social media, content, influencer marketing, public relations, paid publisher email, content amplification and paid search.
With the continued rise of digital marketing, the VELUX program has become increasingly integrated and capable of retargeting consumers with new messages to move them toward a purchase.
What mindset do you need to make an integrated campaign work?
John: This is where account leadership really matters. Jen, you have an integrated mindset from the day we start planning through execution, measurement and optimization.
Dana: And, you insist on that mindset for the whole team, so we’re always thinking about how our programs can work better together. The photography from the influencer marketing program is a good example. It supports our content marketing and social media programs, infusing both with fresh imagery and the latest interior designs.
