Creative Marketing and Branding Concepts for 2020
Walking in the footsteps of other brands will only get you so far. You have to get creative with your marketing concepts. Obviously, creativity starts with your Marketing Strategy. So, what creative marketing concepts will get your brand in front of more customers in more places in a more memorable way?
As we all know, marketing is measured by increased awareness and, ultimately, by sales. As a marketing tool, effective branding differentiates your business from any other. A strategic brand becomes easy to spot when in a line-up of contemporaries.
So what does 2020 suggest for creative marketing concepts?
5 Trending creative marketing concepts
Let’s take a look at some concepts that can inform a more creative marketing approach.
1. Let them be
Gone are the days of encouraging consumers to come to you. The old model of luring consumers to your brick and mortar store is outdated, a trend accelerated by pandemic lockdown and caution. Now brands have to go to the consumer and meet them wherever they are on the internet.
In light of this, it’ll come as no surprise that behavioral segmentation is trending to help drive creative marketing concepts. By segmenting your audience based on their actions, you can pinpoint common pain points and design marketing solutions that promise the best relief.
Give visitors a customized experience based on their behavior rather than on their demographics and you’ll increase the likelihood of a return visit, referral, or conversion. The customer persona has come into its own.
2. Mingle
There’s a new twist on the marketer’s mantra, test, test, test. It is research, research, research. A great way to find out more about what your customers want is through a branded online community forum. Interact with consumers to pick up tips and insight by discussing topics related to your brand and your products.
A word to the wise: there’s only one way this strategy will work to get authentic feedback. Do not try to sell anything to the audience.
3. Be authentic and ethical
Consumers choose brands that care about the same social causes that they do. Consumers are wary of ‘greenwashing’ and other cheap marketing tactics. They also know that artisanal isn’t synonymous with authenticity. It’s not just heart that they are looking for. They want brand hearts to beat with theirs.
To increase trust and loyalty among consumers, especially amongst millennials, your strategy must define your true reason for being in order to drive genuine creative marketing concepts.
4. Tell it like it is
Podcasts provide a perfect platform for authority marketing. They’re easy to access format has made them increasingly popular with consumers, allowing them to function as a useful outreach tool to increase brand recognition.
Appear as a guest on established podcasts or to start your own podcast. The best bit: you can build an engaged audience by repurposing content that you already have on your blog and website with little to no additional investment.
5. Don’t manipulate
Even after all these years, contests and giveaways remain a fun, low-cost way to get attention. But social media has taken opportunities to a whole new level by giving you exposure to a seemingly unlimited marketplace. But, the last thing you want is to dilute your efforts by having random consumers snatch giveaways. So, once again you must be clear on the customer you want to attract.
An effective creative marketing strategy is to look less at what you’re giving away and more at how you’re asking people to participate. Leverage their natural behavior. It could be that they love sharing (that’s word of mouth right there). But if they don’t, you’re wasting your time trying to get a conversion you never will.
Remember that consumers are highly attuned to marketing concepts that gives-to-get. In 2020 they are wise to this tactic and refuse to be manipulated.
Value add marketing
The short story is that consumers are drawn to your creative marketing concepts by how your brand shares their lifestyle and values. Traditional features-to-benefits marketing strategies are unlikely to be effective with consumers who are choosing to buy from brands that genuinely care about them.
