CMO Council Study Audits Variance in Digital Experience Among Global Brands; Only 21 Percent of Marketers Say They Are Very Good at Captivating and Engaging Audiences

Global marketers see the value of making their digital interactions with customers and stakeholders richer, more personal and predictive. But most are still struggling to make their mobile, social and web channels work together to provide a more enriching and engaging experience.

A new study from the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council—entitled “Brand Attraction from Enriched Interaction”—reveals marketers still lag in creating multi-channel, digital marketing campaigns that reach and resonate with diverse, micro-audiences worldwide. Only 19 percent said they are extremely good or very good in this area. In contrast, 45 percent gave lackluster grades on their ability to captivate and engage customers, partners and employees through fully integrated mobile, web and social channels. This compares to just 21 percent who said they were very proficient.

The latest study, sponsored by IBM Digital Experience, was designed to assess the degree to which marketers are embracing new digital channels and content management technologies to realize the full value of rich media engagement, crowd-sourced content, and mass-customized commerce through higher levels of personalization and tailored interaction. Most notably, the study reveals that only 5 percent of respondents have highly or tightly integrated content and commerce compared to 64 percent who say they have plans or existing programs to improve this.

“Digital marketers are challenged to create an end-to-end, multi-channel experience that engages and enlivens customer, partner and employee audiences with more compelling and relevant content-driven commerce and conversation,” noted Donovan Neale-May, Executive Director of the CMO Council, which has nearly 10,000 members in 110 countries. The council’s research was based on input from 287 marketing leaders across all regions of the world. A free strategic brief summarizing research findings and highlights is available for download from the CMO Council website.

A critical area of insight from survey respondents centered on what technology transformations are most likely to impact how companies market, operate and engage with customers. Topping the list was the advent of the smarter digital enterprise, with its automation of marketing execution and customized interactions at scale. Next was the new API-driven economy, where partners and ecosystems share mobile/web links, information and insights to add value and further monetize transactions and interactions. Not far behind this is the disruptive potential of the “Internet of things” and the ability to gather real-time data and intelligence through pervasive, sensor-based tracking of behavior, intention and satisfaction.

“Driven by the forces of cloud, mobile and social engagement, businesses and brands are experiencing a digital disruption that is revolutionizing every interaction with their diverse audiences,” said Gary Dolsen, Vice President of Digital Experience software for IBM Systems. “When marketers create a personalized and tailored interaction for a specific audience on the right platform, businesses and brands will create emotional engagements, which will grow relationships and encourage loyalty while influencing behavior or purchase decisions.”

The CMO Council believes content has become pivotal to the way companies and brands attract attention, entice engagement, acquire and grow relationships, encourage purchase and further word-of-mouth. In addition to its thought leadership studies, the council operates the Content ROI Center, which shares best practice innovations in content marketing.

Areas of exploration covered by the study included:

·       How brands rate their ability to captivate and engage customers, partners and employees through evolving mobile, web and social channels of interaction and digital experience

·       How effective brands have become at creating, executing and tailoring new multi-channel digital marketing campaigns to better reach and resonate with diverse micro-audiences worldwide

·       Which mobile apps, analytics, tools, solutions or cloud platforms have been embraced (or are being considered) to create richer, more meaningful, relevant and persuasive interaction with key stakeholders

·       How companies believe they are achieving competitive advantage and business impact with more enriched, personalized content and digital interaction

·       Where and how digital experiences are shaping and influencing the attraction, acquisition, conversion, monetization and retention of customers

·       To what degree brands are becoming more proficient at integrating content and commerce to increase the value of customer touchpoints, experiences and relationships

Addas are and have been an integral part of Bengali culture. Bengalis are known for their uncanny propensity towards spending endless hours in such adda sessions, be it in coffee houses, college canteens, parks or at tea stalls.

To connect with the viewers in Kolkata, HISTORY TV18 announces its brand new campaign ‘Entertainment’er Adda’ aimed at positioning itself as the ultimate Adda for Entertainment. Starting 17th August 2015, Kolkata will wake up to see the campaign across outdoor, radio, print and cable television.

Speaking on the initiative, Sangeetha Aiyer, Vice President & Head Marketing, A+E Networks I TV18 JV, stated, “Kolkata has always been a key market for us. With the launch of our ‘Entertainment Ka Adda’ campaign, we at HISTORY TV18 want to connect with our Bangla viewers on a larger scale. The core thought behind this initiative is to speak to the viewers in a language that best exemplifies their lifestyle, making the channel and characters more relatable. With a slew of exciting international and local content across an array of subgenres like artifactual, magic, food and core & contemporary history, the channel aims to position itself as the definite hang-out destination for viewers.”

The campaign will showcase popular series like Pawn Stars, Counting Cars, Dynamo: Magician Impossible, Mankind and Vice. Moreover, to mark the 70th anniversary of the disappearance of Subhash Chandra Bose, Indian nationalist and prominent figure of the Indian independence movement, HISTORY TV18 will be airing a special one hour program on the iconic figure titled ‘Between Gandhi and Hitler’ on 18th August at 8pm.

•    Announces the appointment of Rohit Gandhi as Editor-in-Chief – English News Broadcast and Related Content

Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) today announced its intention to enter into English News Broadcasting with the appointment of Rohit Gandhi as Editor-in-Chief – English News Broadcast and Related Content. Rohit will be heading the operations of all initiatives in this space, working closely with the Business Head & Revenue Resources. Rohit will report in to Mr. Punit Goenka.

Speaking on the new initiative, Mr. Punit Goenka said, “Venturing into the English News Space allows us to extend our presence in the overall News genre across geographies and even in the international arena. We want to launch a news network for global audiences with an Indian point-of-view. With Rohit on-board to spearhead this initiative, we are confident that we will be able to showcase a world-class product. We welcome Rohit to the ZEE family and wish him all the very best.”

Rohit Gandhi commented on his joining: “It is a phenomenal opportunity for me to work with ZEE and Punit to deliver world-class coverage to viewers at home. We want to continue on the path of providing in-depth, textured coverage across platforms to address the ever-changing needs of the global audiences.”

Rohit brings with him over 23 years of rich experience across forty countries and has managed the complete gamut of the News business. He has won many international awards including the Edward R. Murrow, Dupont Award, Emmy, Golden Cine Eagle, Gracie Award and the Headliner Award. In his previous assignment, he was the International Correspondent & Communication Strategist for South Asian International News, prior to which he worked with CBC, CNN, BCTV & Global TV, Canada, and NDTV. He has covered many war zones including Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003.

Rohit is a multi-skilled journalist who has extensively worked on various international field projects in the areas of international relations, politics, socio-economic empowerment, human rights, environment, civil rights and social action and highly sensitive terror investigation, amongst others.

Rohit has done his Bachelor of Arts (BA) Hons in Sociology and Anthropology from Delhi University, Masters in Communication and Media Studies from Pune University and Masters in Broadcast Journalism from Carleton University, Canada.

Rohit Gandhi’s appointment is with effect from 17th August, 2015.

Discovery Turbo is back with a brand new season of EXTREME CAR HOARDERS, featuring custom car guru Rick Dore and former wrestling superstar Chuck Palumbo. Together, Rick and Chuck continue the hunt for neglected classics in the last untapped frontier of classic automobiles – car hoards.

EXTREME CAR HOARDERS will premiere on August 23 and will air every Sunday at 9PM on Discovery Turbo.

But transforming cars for hoarders is a risky proposition: finding buyers for rust buckets is never easy, and the restoration and customization business is full of unexpected pitfalls that can sink their partnership. Chuck and Rick are all in, and it is going to be a wild ride.

After finally getting the hang of working with hoarders and dealing with the deeply personal issues that drive their obsessions, SLAM came to a sudden and crushing halt when they were evicted from their shop. A year later, Rick and Chuck have their top-notch team of auto fabricators back together for another shot at turning SLAM into a custom car powerhouse. This could be the last chance for SLAM to rebuild the lives of the hoarders they work for, and to find the type of success that eluded them the last time out.

Both captivating and incredibly experienced in restoration and customization, Chuck and Rick bring a different vision, skillset and attitude to each build and each hoarder, giving the series a unique and intriguing mix of car culture and hoarder habits.

Each episode of EXTREME CAR HOARDERS features the duo helping car hoarders – in more ways than one – by offering the deal of a lifetime. They haul off the hoarders’ aging stash, sell what they can, and use the money to build the one-off car of the clients’ dreams. Not only does the hoarder receive a kick ass ride, but it also helps them shift gears and start fresh. The crew works on a fantastic range of American automotive icons this series, popping the hood on a 1936 Ford Coupe, a 1957 Ford Thunderbird, a 1937 Dodge Pickup, a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr and a 1958 Chrysler 300D Coupe.

Get set for a crazy ride through the world of EXTREME CAR HOARDERS, only on Discovery Turbo!

The Team:

Rick Dore: Rick Dore is an American custom car builder, prominent in the field since the 1990s. A classic car legend known for his vivid imagination, has been in the custom car building game for more than two decades. He’s been inducted into numerous automotive halls of fame and his one-of-a-kind creations regularly grace the covers and pages of hot rod magazines, including Rod & Custom, Rodder’s Journal and Custom Rodder.

Chuck Palumbo: A 6’6” athlete and wrestling superstar who holds numerous world wrestling titles, including two WWE Tag team titles and four WCW World Tag Team titles. He left WWE in 2008 to pursue his passion for cars and motorcycles. As a longtime hot rod purist, Palumbo is in it to win it.

Lowe Lintas has named Shayondeep Pal, Executive Creative Director, to head the Creative offering of its New Delhi office.

Shayondeep takes over from Shriram Iyer, who was recently named NCD, Mullen Lintas. Pal will report to Arun Iyer, Chief Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas.

Shayondeep Pal has been part of the creative team in Delhi for more than 6 years and is involved in the creative execution of a number of notable campaigns for prominent clients in the region. Some of these include OLX, Micromax, Hindustan Times, Maruti Suzuki, Google, and Pernod Ricard.

Commenting on his appointment, Arun Iyer, Chief Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas said: “Delhi has been surging ahead with creative offerings that are top-notch and Shayondeep Pal has had an integral role to play in its success. With a creative firepower that’s palpable and the thirst to do more, I cannot wait to see what he has in store to drive the office in Delhi. I wish him the best in his new role at the agency.”

Pal has worked on a number of market leading brands over the years. He has been the creative lead on Micromax for the last four years and has worked on campaigns like Sliver 5 with Hugh Jackman, Qube (3D Interface), Canvas HD (Colours Can Come Alive) and Canvas 2. In fact, he has also directed a few commercials for Micromax. On OLX, he has done work on the ‘Womaniya’ campaign along with their current ‘Keemat Bhi, Keemti Bhi’ campaign. On Maruti Suzuki, he has worked on Ertiga, the LUV car and Ciaz. For Hindustan Times, he did a campaign on ‘You Read, They Learn’ which went on to win an award at Cannes Lions in 2013.

Sharing his views on the new role, Shayondeep Pal said, “I am lucky enough to be part of a great team in Delhi. The opportunities are endless and I want to approach it with an open mind. The great thing is that the mandate is clear: how to make our brands famous and therefore, how to make our people famous. I want to make this place a talent magnet where people would line up to join us. One clear approach would be to look at the creative output from a holistic angle – through new media, unexplored media and not just 30-second commercials.”

Shayondeep is a student of journalism and it was during his stint at IIMC that he ended up taking a trainee writer’s job at McCann-Erickson. It has been 16 years since that he has kept his passion with advertising intact. From McCann he moved to Grey and spent 7 years at their Delhi office. A film commercial for Halonix landed him a job at Lowe Lintas in the year 2008. He joined as Creative Director where he learnt a lot more about advertising than what he was exposed to. He has handled a host of clients across categories including FMCG, automobiles, mobiles, e-commerce, food and beverages, apparel, media, consumer durables and technology space.