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In this blog article, Arundati Dandapani of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC), discusses some of the challenges and opportunities of cross-platform audience measurement. On September 21, 2021 the CRIC is hosting a free webinar called The Future of Cross-Platform Audience Analytics, at which the ACA’s VP, Media Policy and Marketing Capabilities, Judy Davey, will be speaking, alongside other thought-leaders.

A Fragmenting Media Insights Landscape

Researchers and brands grappling with “audience measurement” are often struck by the methodological differences between self-report diaries (where consumers reported their radio listening and television viewing habits in diary entries) and the passive measurement of media consumption behaviour with devices installed in people’s homes. While the medium might be the message for most brands or insight marketers, consumers don’t really care about the make and shape of content so long as it gives them what they need.

You may have already noticed that digital marketing strategies have become more diverse these past few years. The focus has shifted toward social media, SEO, content marketing, visual marketing, and, more recently, AI or artificial intelligence. It is therefore critical for marketers to consider the role AI can play in their marketing strategies and business plans. Here are four areas in which AI can have a positive influence on your marketing plans:

1. It helps you better understand your customers

You already have tons of data, thanks to a variety of digital marketing touchpoints. You know a lot about your customers, their characteristics, what they like, and the types of content in which they engage. However, AI can take that data one step further, allowing you to process the information to improve your understanding of customers.

I recently attended a ‘global digital summit’ for marketers that was an eye-opener. Aside from the usual tech glitches, the artificial environment of having “roundtables” with no tables and trying to meet other professionals without being able to break bread together – there was a theme that ran through the conference that excited and inspired me: Purpose.

All through the three days, the “P” word was used again and again, by agency leaders, senior marketers and consultants. As though they had all caught the bug, as it were, and were spreading it around. Why? Because many at the conference recognized that today, consumers and employees alike (especially those in Gen Y and Z) expect brands to be purposeful. It is now the requirement to remain relevant in this era of social change and heightened consciousness.

Marketing experts understand that influencing is as much art as it is science; what many do not know is that there is a process to persuade others successfully. Whether you are writing persuasive copy or influencing someone internally for more support on a marketing initiative, the four steps outlined in my forthcoming book Persuade will make you more successful.

The process is as follows: Build Credibility, Engage Emotion, Demonstrate Logic, and Facilitate Action. Let’s take a closer look at each step.

Many marketers find it challenging to figure out the optimal budget they need to achieve their marketing objectives. Indeed, being able to correctly size your media budgets and determine the optimal way to allocate the money across a wide range of marketing channels is an essential exercise for every marketer. Successful businesses have always prioritized their marketing initiatives and having a robust Marketing Mix Model (MMM) is a key component. Having a well-designed MMM will give you the tools and information to avoid the risk of an under-sized marketing budget and, above all, will help you justify your resource needs.

Of little surprise, the COVID-19 pandemic will have an impact on how brand marketers should be thinking about sponsorship for the remainder of 2021, and at least into 2022, if not longer. Consumers expect the pandemic to continue to be a concern until December 2021. It will likely be between 15 and 18 months between their ‘normals’.

We expect consumers to reengage with the world around them in stages, moving from household and neighborhood to their wider communities and regions, and then to national and international travel. It is the trusted brands that are alongside Canadians on that journey that can build relevance and earn attribution.