Interactive is imperative

We need to completely banish the idea of above and below-the-line in agencies. We need to think in terms of 'connection points' wherever they are. Classically it was the creative team that conceptualised the campaign concepts, but now these concepts are being driven by where you can connect and interact with the consumer.

Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide CEO Kevin Roberts believes that all media will be interactive within five years and Saatchi & Saatchi is leading the field in the race: It is the first agency to have appointed a worldwide interactive creative director.

Departure from status quo

This change in focus is quite a radical departure from the status quo. At the moment when you look at a piece of communication, the traditional agency focuses on what it needs to say. Interactive thinking considers communication points instead and how to create experiences and engage people to get them talking about the client’s brand or product – honest and sincere dialogues can then eventually lead to trust.

Blogs have been described as micro customer relationship managers because most people trust people like themselves and will ask about a product with people like themselves online. The website is not as important in this process as are the people who are willing to support the product.

We build patterns and connections around the product. Everyone knows word of mouth is the best form of advertising, but it is important to give these people something valuable to talk about because customers are smart and people who are blogging online are insulted when advertisers offer fake experiences - honesty is the key to success.

Saatchi & Saatchi took the Peugeot 107 to the communities where the youth are – Mxit and MySpace for example - and offered them opportunities through interacting with the brand. The idea is simply to make the car ‘cool’. Even if some of these people are too young to buy a car – ages 14 - 25 – they certainly influence what their parents think and will eventually purchase cars themselves .

Consumers in control

Advertisers are no longer in control of their brands. Consumers have taken over. The ability for companies to cover bad products or service with great television ads and national branding campaigns has disappeared.

The one true thing about word of mouth is that the truth always rises to the top. Using deception to influence consumer opinion will not work. Today’s consumers have the power and the tools to say what they feel and if you don't live up to that honesty expectation, you are finished.

The advertiser needs to make people a part of the process; to create opportunities where people can connect, create and share. Ultimately it is the consumer’s choice to interact and you can facilitate this interaction and develop a relationship with the consumer or you can ignore it and they will go elsewhere.

Developing media content for market segments is currently the most difficult thing in the business and many companies are still trying to figure out how to do it and remain relevant.

While adults can only manage 1.7 media channels at a time, the youth are currently paying attention to an amazing 5.4 channels at the same time. They are more demanding of brands and are more connected than ever before. These are the consumers who will decide the fate of your brand: Best you interact with them.