Marketers Should Approach Strategy Like Einstein Did Physics

How do you decide whether to jump in early on the new platform or take your time? Ask questions, just like a certain most influential physicist of the 20th century.

Shiny new platforms present a quandary for marketers. It’s tempting to dive straight in—and sometimes it’s a justified move, but there’s also merit in the more measured approach. The marketing industry changes fast, and if you’re serious about being strategic, it pays to be sceptical. Follow the example of Albert Einstein and question everything.

Take Instagram Stories, which was defined by its quick uptake. Although similar to Snapchat, many brands including the likes of ASOS, Net-A-Porter, and Zalando jumped on the platform instantly and pushed content out straight away. For these brands, the prompt uptake was sensible—their customers engage with them across various social platforms, so the audience was ready and waiting. But for others, where the platform isn’t quite relevant, it’s a classic case of “go fever.” And while being the first to take up a new platform can garner brands publicity within the marketing profession, more often than not, consumers care very little. They’re only interested if you have something interesting, useful, or entertaining to offer.

Purposeful Play

So what’s a brand to do? Clearly, there are big advantages to getting in early with a new platform. It’s an opportunity to explore its creative and technical potential, to play, and to experiment (often before ad formats are locked down). However, it’s important that marketers engage in “purposeful play”—with a clear view of what they’re trying to learn, and clear hypotheses on how they might turn their initial explorations into something repeatable and scalable.

The marketing questions you need to ask when approaching a new platform are exactly the same as those you’d ask for a more established one: who do you want to engage, what behaviours and attitudes do you want to shift, what value are you offering, how are you going to measure success? And as ever, it’s important to think audience first, rather than be seduced by the technological possibilities. Just because you can post live video of “behind the scenes at your office” doesn’t mean that your audience will be interested. The feed-driven world we all now inhabit means that unless your content offers immediate, tangible value, it will be consigned to digital landfill.

Go Now? Or Wait?

Sometimes it pays to be patient before you “go large” on an emerging platform. A good example is Taco Bell’s involvement with Snapchat. As an early adopter of Snapchat, it’s been able to test and learn how to engage its millennial audience. As a result, it was able to deliver a huge cultural impact with its Cinco de Mayo Snapchat lens launched earlier this year, which transformed users’ heads into giant taco shells. The company claims that it had the idea for some time, but waited for just the right moment to execute—resulting in 224 million views in one day, and smashing all previous Snapchat records.

It can also pay to be sceptical. If your core audience isn’t going to be on the platform for some time, there’s clearly no point in diving straight in. Similarly, if it’s not clear how the platform can add value to the customer experience, it’s best to hold off. It’s no surprise, for instance, that the over 50s insurance provider we work with hasn’t ventured into Instagram Stories. However, it’s an entirely different story for our sports apparel client.

Leverage Digital Natives: Step In For Strategy

Ultimately, exploring the viability of a new platform does require marketing rigour, but it doesn’t need the involvement of the CMO at every stage. It’s a chance for the digital natives in the team to come into their own. They’re the closest to many brands’ core audience and they have an intimate understanding of how people really behave in social channels. It’s a lucky CMO that has the time to experience the day-to-day joy of a new social platform. That’s why it’s so crucial to have people on your team who are literate about what a new platform offers, are passionate about its audience, and have the opportunity to actually play with it.

It’s after this crucial period of play that the CMO should step in. A decision has to be reached as to whether a new platform actually works from a strategic point of view. As platforms proliferate, each with their own nuances and requirements, it’s increasingly hard for brands to curate a tailored presence for each one. And the creative demands this presence should have a bearing not just on finance, but on operations too. Taking a new platform seriously is a full-time commitment, which means various factors have to be considered to make a genuinely informed ROI evaluation.

An agency can provide insight that’s useful in the decision-making process. They’re attuned to the bigger picture and can view the clients’ goals objectively, which can make it easier to formulate a long-term view. Ultimately, embracing a new platform—after careful consideration—can deliver significant returns. When they’re the real deal, innovative new strategies promise greater effectiveness and business growth.

There’s a lot to keep up with when it comes to emerging platforms and technologies. But, for marketers, the principles at the heart of interacting with consumers remain the same. We’ve got over the distinction between traditional advertising and new, digital-only channels. New platforms, like the old ones, are used best when they relate to real life. It’s no longer about one or the other; it’s about creating experiences that actually connect with people. And that can only be achieved through a combination of careful thought, scepticism, and experimentation.