Real-Time Marketing: The Agility to Leverage ‘Now’

Spring 2014Rebecca Lieb, Industry Analyst@lieblink

AGENDA• Defining RTM• Benefits & Risks• The Six Primary Use

Cases• 12 Steps to Prepare for

RTM

DEFINITIONThe strategy and practice of

responding with immediacy to external events and triggers. It’s arguably the

most relevant form of marketing, achieved by listening to and/or

anticipating consumer interests and needs.

Customers now expect brands to respond in near-real time

• Over half surveyed want a response in <1 hour.

• 38% feel more negative about the company if no response received.

Source: Lithium Technologies 2013

Source: GolinHarris, The Promises and Pitfalls of Real-Time Marketing. http://golinharris.com/#!/insights/real-time-marketing-research/

Real-time marketing makes a difference

Impacts marketing outcomes Turbocharges other marketing

BENEFITS OF RTM• “Surprise & delight”• Right message at the right time• Brand relevance• Always-on

Oreo: The RTM Poster Child

This year, Arby’s rocked RTM at the Grammy’s

Meanwhile, other brands jumped on Arby’s bandwagon… in real-time!

At this year’s Superbowl, JC Penny planned fake drunken tweets…

All in the name of promoting their new “Team USA” mittens ahead of the Olympics

CHALLENGES OF RTM• Plotting strategy & analysis• Requires intensive preparation,

training• Potential for risk & reactivity• Shift in mindset• Risk of “culture-jacking”

Kenneth Cole’s RTM #fail

The Six Primary Use Cases of

Real-Time Marketing

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Use Case #1: BRAND EVENTS

Planned & Proactive• Conferences, product

launches, media events, customer events, etc.

• Advance prep of content strategy and execution

• Staff available to engage, react to anticipated posts

• Few surprises

Salesforce Live, the app and dedicated

microsite also integrate social feeds

to drive (and monitor) event conversation.

Salesforce uses Facebook app to stream live brand events

Use Case #2: ANTICIPATED EVENTS

Planned & Proactive• Major media events,

tradeshows (e.g. SuperBowl, Emmy’s, etc.)

• Like brand events, “locked and loaded” approach to content strategy & execution

• Staff available to engage, react to anticipated posts

• Showcases brand voice, relevance

HBO prepares content for real-time relevance during Emmys

“We know we need freedom to develop content on the fly,

but we also need to know the guardrails if anything should be escalated. There are built-

in parameters for each campaign.”

-Sabrina Caluori VP Social Media &

Performance Marketing at HBO

Starbucks promotes a warm nudge towards coffee during Blizzard Nemo

Starbucks targeted Facebook and Twitter conversations around the blizzard, specifically rending ads for viewers

clicking on the hashtags #Nemo and #blizzard and testing different copy.

Use Case #3: LOCATION/OBJECT-BASED

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Planned & Reactive• GPS, NFC, or other sensor-based reaction to location, action, or

request• Taps into location-based triggers which prompt an offer or action

in real-time• Internet of Things brings endless possibilities with uncanny

relevance in real-time• Right person, right content, right time, right place

Taco Bell leverages several brand integrations into the Waze app: promoting

branded pins of locations, destination-specific targeting, custom campaign

messaging (if tapped), etc.

Taco Bell partners with Waze to entice nearby drivers

MGM Resorts serves up recommendations based on guests’ location, interests

MGM Resorts sends notifications for nearby restaurants, shopping, show

deals, coupons, etc., via guests’ smartphones, based on geo-location,

loyalty member status, and preferences.

Use Case #4: PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS-BASED

Planned & Reactive• Branded actions occurring as a result of predictive analytics

(e.g. recommendations based on browsing history)• Sometimes combined with other marketing solutions’ data sets

(e.g. Marketing Automation)• Accessibility will grow as data solutions become easier to

implement

Walgreens responds to in-store Foursquare check-ins with scannable coupon

Marketo tracks and scores engagement to automate relevant content for lead nurturing

Use Case #5: CUSTOMER INTERACTION

Unplanned & Reactive• Customer service, handling

complaints, community interactions, crisis management, CRM, etc.

• Requires both reactive and anticipatory work• Triage workflow• Crisis communications plan • Determining what will be responded to

and where• Empowering staff• Coordination across functions

PretzelCrisps listens for those in need of a snack, rewards them with a sample

JetBlue aims for response times of <1 hour, engages both positive and negative mentions

USA Network interacts with fans in real-time with Character Chatter

Use Case #6: BREAKING NEWS

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Unplanned & Reactive• Reacting to unanticipated

events (e.g. news) with a legitimate, relevant message

• Difficult to prepare for, often emotionally charged events; acute sensitivity required

• Risk of ‘culture-jacking’• Established creative,

collaborative, and approval processes key to agility

Coca-Cola suspended ad spend, donated instead to Typhoon relief

Eurocontrol responds to environmental crisis via Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter

Eurocontrol used #euva and #ashtag to monitor and respond to conversations about the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud. Followers adopted Eurocontrol’s hashtags, including

them in stories and tips shared.

Epicurious found itself backpeddling after Boston Marathon #RTMFAIL

Poll:Which RTM use case does your

organization find the most

challenging?

Twelve Steps to Prepare for Real-Time Marketing

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1. Listen & LearnLay the foundation of customer understanding, goals and content strategy• Real-time listening for customers, competitors,

industry, buzz, events• Analytics tools to track and benchmark

2. Define RTM Business Goals

Define the goals RTM will serve at the business and program level

• E.g. brand relevance, favorability, consideration, purchase intent, conversion, loyalty

• Results serving these goals help justify program expansion across functions to executives

3. Integrate with Content StrategyAlignment is foundational to creating guidelines around what, how, when to respond, publish, listen• Provides reference point for rapid

decision-making• Content strategy includes training for

all stakeholders around goals, brand voice, POV, tone, messaging, values, and content

• Aids in the creation of “locked & loaded” and evergreen content

“Develop a brand compass if you don’t already have one, and apply it to real-

time marketing. Set the boundaries around what does and does not make sense for you to participate in, so that every time something is trending, the

team isn’t asking: ‘Is this appropriate?’”

-Sabrina CaluoriVP Social Media & Performance Marketing at HBO

Pepsi lives its “Live for Now” slogan with Pepsi Pulse, integrating real-time content into evergreen content hub

4. Integrate with Channel Strategy

Channel strategy dictates the where of RTM• Consider where is target

audience found; where conversations are occurring; changing media habits

• Consider appropriate content assets for channel

• Consider how top RTM channels relate to content strategy as well as temporal and cultural differences

Most Critical Channels for Real-Time Marketing

Mini Cooper tapped into existing

conversations with content geared

towards Facebook followers in the

Northeast

Results: +2,000 likes 1,200 shares

Mini Cooper listens to social buzz to instruct content targeting

5. Define “Time” Element & Expectations

Define what RTM means for your unique programs and channels

∙ Let this guide expectations for responding and publishing based on organizational capabilities

∙ Consider temporal expectations for different RTM use cases and scenarios

∙ Not all companies can or will operate 24/7

Halo BCA averages three-minute turnaround in >90% of customer inquiries

Dell’s SLA: Respond to all inquiries within 2 hours in the channel in which it was received

Dell aligns its customer support around their policy to respond to 100% of inbound customer interactions within a 2-hour time period, through the channel in which it was received.

“Real-time lasts as long as volume of conversation is still there. If you can

ride that wave, push it out as much as you can. It can be anywhere from two

days to a couple weeks, so long as your customers are still talking about

it.’” -Jason Miller

Senior Manager of Content & Social at LinkedIn

6. Establish Guardrails & TrustPre-define guardrails and streamline processes

• Simplify legal approval to Yes/No response

• Have the necessary teams on deck• Create a ‘mini-playbook’ to build

confidence

Symantec’s three questions all employees must ask before posting

Ask yourself:• Am I creating

unneeded risk to the brand?

• Could this impact the company or myself negatively?

• Would I want my grandmother to read this?

Symantec’s ‘mini playbook’ helps build confidence and empower employees to act autonomously on behalf of the

brand. ”Ultimately, it’s all about common sense and what feels right.”

- Charlie Treadwell, Director of Social Marketing at Symantec

7. Anticipate Negative RTMPreparedness help mitigate risks, but brands must be actively and proactive ready for anything

• There is an imperative to respond in real-time to negative brand events as they unfold

• Coordinate with corp. comms to establish reactive and proactive guidelines:Reactive Proactive

Create plan for action: apology, response, improvement

Monitor social buzz w/ listening tools

What, how, where to respond and message

Set alerts for suspect keywords or mentions

Act human Stay agile

Listening helped one company avoid crisis in the face of the Boston Marathon Bombing

Even before the news of the Boston bombing hit the airwaves, the company detected mentions of it on Twitter and quickly pulled infographic from the queue, sidestepping what would have come across as insensitive and promotional in the face of the tragedy.

After racist ad blunder, Mountain Dew amplifies apology with promoted tweet

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8. Assemble Teams & ToolsSuccessful RTM requires constituents be available, informed, educated, and empowered

• Ensure streamlined execution by taking a “war room” approach

Teams ToolsSocial Listening

Creative, Copywriters AnalyticsBrand Design

Corp Comms/PR Digital assetsLegal Publishing tools

Measurement Collaboration

Apply the “War Room” technique based on the RTM use case

Unplanned & Reactive Anticipated Events Planned & Proactive

Existing content hub or social media

teamOR

Pre-identified and trained virtual

team

RTM hub drives approvals, design,

triage, and publication

ORBrands without

existing RTM team assembles the equivalent for special events

All stakeholders involved in RTM

assemble for regularly scheduled meetings to discuss

opportunities, guidelines,

strategy, etc.

Adobe assembles key stakeholders weekly to discuss real-time strategy & execution

Real-Time

Marketing Execution

Corporate Comms/P

R

Creative

Social

Measure ment

Legal

Brand

Discusses RTM’s role in: • Newsworthy events• Upcoming campaigns• Brand events• Alignment with

strategy

“At Adobe, we operate a creative newsroom that meets on a regular basis to identify upcoming items to plan for (e.g., news, events, etc.) and talk about what is relevant, what we could do more of, where we could take certain ideas. We have the right people in the room on an ongoing basis so that we don’t need a lot of levels of approval and everyone understands their role — this helps us go from ideation to action much more quickly.’”

-Chad WarrenSenior Social Media Strategist at Adobe

Although Oreo’s famous tweet during the Super

Bowl captured the limelight

it was the fully staffed Super Bowl “war room” (uniting all brand and agency

stakeholders) that enabled the rapid design, approval, and

publication of that tweet.

9. Establish TriageConnect certain cues or events to repeatable workflows• Consider how users may respond, identify what

warrants brand response• Train all stakeholders, especially community

managers, to: Identify threatening language cues & brand risks Know who/how many will respond and how to do so in

a human way [When/How] to escalate to legal, PR, etc.

Build workflows based on positive and negative interactions

10. Train & Test All PartiesThis step is critical to enabling trust and empowerment needed to act in real-time• Training must occur across all stakeholders

and include both strategic & tactical elements• Community managers (i.e. those posting and

responding)• Those creating, approving, distributing,

monitoring• Internal & external stakeholders (incl. vendors

& agencies)

Training must include strategic AND executional elements

Strategic Executional

RTM’s integration with larger content & brand strategy

Guidelines, guardrails, roles, triages, response time requirements

RTM’s role across the org. (e.g. Customer Service, Sales, HR etc.)

How to manage workflows based on RTM’s role across the org; when to triage to other functions

Deep training around brand identity, voice, vision, risks, affiliations, and programs

Sample scenarios of how customers, the crowd, and media could respond to RTM

Which channels will support RTM, which will not, and why

How to leverage measurement and reporting to plan and act in real-time

How RTM program will be measured and optimized

Best practices using technology supporting RTM

The role of agencies & technology vendors (if applicable)

Resources (e.g. contacts, phone numbers, vendor support, etc.)

11. Identify Analytics & KPIsMeasurement instructs effectiveness of current efforts and where to focus more deeply• Establish RTM metrics and align with overall

brand metrics• E.g. Increased non-branded referral traffic• Engagement• Increased lead quality

• Performance measurement of real-time engagement, content, and activities should tie to [converging] POE media

Leverage RTM to drive the convergence of Paid, Owned, & Earned Media

Paid

Owned

Earned

Provides clues or fodder for developing catchy ads and promotions

Support hub/contact point for driving customers to owned properties or helpful content

Testbed for larger content initiatives & investments

12. Evaluate Scale PeriodicallyScaling RTM carries a host of risks to address– especially for large enterprises• Evaluate for scale frequently (i.e monthly,

quarterly)• Headcount, talent, roles• Tools • Regional variation, language

• Scale must be evaluated on a foundation of benchmarking against KPIs, and always aligned with business goals

Q uestions?

Thank YouRebecca Liebrebecca@altimetergroup.comrebeccalieb.com@lieblink

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Altimeter Group provides research and advisory for companies challenged by business disruptions, enabling them to pursue new opportunities and business models.

With assistance from Jessica Groopman, Senior Researcher