Bloom Marketing was in full bloom at the second annual IMC Conference. Their eye-catching exhibition stand included a lively display of real foliage, apples for everyone and a synthetic grass floor! Bloom Marketing ladies were decked in branded overalls, flowery green gumboots and bushes on their heads, ensuring the Bloom Marketing brand sprouted out from the rest.
Bloom Marketing founder and MD, Nokuthula (Nox) Luthuli, represented the agency in blooming style by hosting a dynamic workshop on Day 1 entitled, "BRAND ACTIVATION FAST FORWARD - Leveraging the Power of Social Media in Brand Activations!"
Following the workshops, Nox Luthuli joined an interactive panel discussion on the main stage with Kevin Welman, MD at Fleishman Hillard (who was the panel moderator); Chris Koller, MD of Interbrand Sampson; Gisele Wertheim-Aymes, owner and publishing editor of Longevity magazine; and Guy Kilfoil, general manager of group communications and public affairs at BMW South Africa.
The purpose of the panel was to discuss offline media vs. online media. The leading question was whether traditional media has reached its saturation point, in light of the industry being forced to reinvent itself and the media finding more cost-effective ways to reach their audiences. All the while, magazine shelves remain full of new entrants to the market...
Nox made several pertinent points during the discussion, including the importance of consumer insight and consumer understanding. As with every media channel you include in your marketing mix, you need to understand where the consumers are and how they need to be spoken to. You also need to understand the new way consumers are buying and how to activate your campaign so that it becomes an organic conversation with your consumer. Her views reiterated much of her workshop - highlighting the need for strategic, integrated marketing.
Nox added that she has noticed a lot of offline media is being used to drive online media, and feels the two work well together. If publishers go online, Nox feels there needs to be a digital value-add, as it's all about the experience and how you connect with a certain magazine.
Nox also explained that the use of social media in marketing goes beyond being a gimmick to what you are trying to achieve and that marketers need to drive certain aspects of their brand equity.
Bloom Marketing spent Day 2 of the conference being educated and entertained by some of South Africa's leading online voices and specialist media mavericks. Their communication visions, energetic branding strategies and forecasted trends motivated local marketing directors, managers and ambassadors alike to think laterally and explore how to adapt emerging strategies to specific marketing communication plans.
For more information and high resolution images, please contact Bloom Marketing on 031 303 4090/1 or e-mail az.oc.gnitekrammoolb@ofni
