Digital Media Planners need to get a life

vincenthaywood said:

I was reading Justin Pearse’s opening article in the NMA today and really agree with what he had to say.

The danger of working in digital media - an industry fundamentally changing people’s behaviour - is that its break-neck development and excitement can cause tunnel vision

I agree also. Too many digital media planners (and dare I say it…esp. those that live in London?) live in their own little bubble. Their life is their job and the obligatory iPhone is welded into their hands. They place FourSquare on digital media schedules, usually not because they think it ties into their client’s marketing objectives. It’s because they are using it and think their target audience also is. 

Justin also mentions that agency heads say one of the best ways to foster creativity in digital is to get people out in the real world.

 One social media agency is planning to divert all its budget for staff attending social media events to going to real-world events like gigs and exhibitions.

I’ve always been told that if you work in digital marketing (or indeed any kind of marketing), that it is very important to consume. No, not to over-eat…to consume all different types of media. Watch Big Brother, read The Sun, read the broadsheets, go to gigs, go to the Opera. Make sure you have variety and can connect with any type of target audience.

If you start thinking that everyone thinks like you, then you will become obsolete.