The Digital Marketing Avengers Will Assemble in 2020
by Sandy Fleischer, Pound & Grain
“There’s no I in TEAM,” “We’re only as strong as our weakest link,” “United we stand.” The clichés expressing the importance of teamwork are endless, and for good reason. But through the lens of digital marketing, this concept of collaboration has always felt a little empty.
With budgets being stretched and egos needing to be fed, the idea of achieving a collective goal for a client has felt more like a race to see who stands out versus the overall success of a project. Specifically, we’re talking about the typically divided efforts of data, creativity and media.
We’ll be the first to admit how this business can be cut-throat at times, but as digital agencies have matured, so has the vision of what digital marketing is and can be. It’s time for a hot take—2020 will be the year data, creativity and paid advertising will stop competing and finally assemble as equal parts. If a client presents a Thanos-sized business problem, 2020 is the year we assemble The Avengers of digital marketing.
This is the year we recognize data and analytics as the Captain America of digital marketing. Similar to Cap, it’s about taking a stand for what’s right, planning for the best possible outcome and inspiring the team. From an agency standpoint, data is no longer thought of as lifeless numbers in a spreadsheet. The truth is, data makes creative teams better because it eliminates the guessing game. Data literally tells us what a target audience wants, needs, prefers and where they exist online.
2020 will be the year data, creativity and paid advertising will stop competing and finally assemble as equal parts.
Last year alone, marketing was highly driven by data-backed research captured along the user journey because we knew where users would be, and how we should talk to them. And if we know a user’s goals, challenges, and pain points, the work can cater to their specific needs. The key is focusing on insights, not facts. Because if we’re too dependent on the data it can create gaps and missed opportunities.
2020 is also the year we see creative teams as Thor. When guided along the right path, creative solutions will be powerful, they will change the way audiences see the world, and let’s be honest, name a creative who doesn’t have even the slightest bit of a god complex. All kidding aside, the creative aspect of digital marketing is what allows brands to make an emotional connection.
There is something special about the relationship between creative and data. Having both analysts and creatives look at data together can impact the way its interpreted. Creative teams can focus on human truths and pain points whereas data analysts can match different sources to interpret the truths. They can then pull their own observations and look for connections. Creative needs to be unleashed, but it should always be pointed in the right direction.
Which brings us to the third member of the 2020 digital marketing Avengers, paid media. In this scenario we’ll attribute paid media to Iron Man, the Avenger who best demonstrates promotion, controls the majority of the budget and captures attention. Media is so important to the future of digital marketing because without it, nothing really matters. Not to get too existential, but if the data inspires a creative and groundbreaking digital campaign, but nobody ever sees it, did it really happen?
2020 will be the year digital agencies see media budgets as opportunities. Spends on location-based marketing is expected to grow to $24.4B globally, while 17% of all brands will spend more than half their marketing budget on influencers. Facebook and Google will still dominate search and social spends in the foreseeable future, but TikTok is on the rise as they’ve seen in-app sales increase 500% in a year. All this is to say, it’s a pay-to-play environment and media teams will navigate the rocky terrain.
…if the data inspires a creative and groundbreaking digital campaign, but nobody ever sees it, did it really happen?
The digital marketing Avengers formula for 2020 will be some iteration of the following: Data tells us who and where the right audience is. Media guides us to the audience. And creativity makes a connection with the audience. But in order for any of this to work, all three need to have significant buy-in. Moving forward, data, creativity and media will be very dependent on each other for any type of true success.
VaynerMedia CCO Steve Babcock once said, “Creativity without data is just art. But data without creativity is neglect,” and for 2020 we’re going to add, neither will matter unless paid media guides us to the right place. And with that, digital marketing Avengers… assemble.
Sandy Fleischer, Pound & Grain