INLINE Communications: your guide to creating campaigns that generate advocacy
In this evermore fragmented media environment, how do marketing communications directors know they are deploying their resources appropriately to reach effectively and influence their target audience? How do they decide how much emphasis to place on digital versus traditional activity, without re-inventing the wheel, or throwing good money after bad?
Weber Shandwick has designed INLINE Communications to provide a simple and straightforward solution to planning and executing 21st Century public relations. INLINE Communications are not independent offline, online and experiential activities – but rather are communications that tell a consistent story across the spectrum of media that most influence the audience targeted.
INLINE is a state-of-mind and a methodology, with a data-driven process that offers a clear-cut framework for delivering communications campaigns that are focused, measurable and offer best possible return on investment. Weber Shandwick believes it is the key that opens the door to next generation marketing communications.
A recent Weber Shandwick study that examined the media habits of 4,692 consumers across six major European markets (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) found that online advocacy – defined as online user reviews and recommendations – has replaced recommendations from friends and family as the most influential channel for European consumers. It is the most influential source of information with every market surveyed citing online advocacy as their principal source of information (26%).
The reviews and recommendations of friends and family (20%) was cited by all markets surveyed as the second most influential communications channel for European consumer purchase decisions. Similarly consistent is the importance of traditional media (television and radio, newspapers and magazines) in its level of influence across all markets, with 23% of European respondents quoting the mainstream media (broadcast and print) as their principal source of information. Specifically, it was found that newspapers and magazines are more influential to French and UK consumers than those in other key European markets.
With just 9% of European consumers citing its relevance, mainstream advertising is found to have the least influence from all communication channels on European consumer purchase habits and buying decisions.
However, while online research is referenced as the most influential channel, the continued importance of traditional media is apparent with 40% of European consumers not believing what they have read online until they have checked the facts in the traditional media. Further, contrary to popular opinion, traditional media was found to be a major influencer across all age groups, including young people (under the age of 35).
The survey also found that one in three of (35%) of European consumers stated that they would be interested in interacting with their favourite brands via social networking sites, while 34% were opposed to the concept.
