Taking the message to the target group is getting more challenging than ever before. There are many reasons: competition is getting fiercer, customer expectations are reaching new heights, and people are trying to avoid experiencing advertisements deliberately. Unofficially, an average person experiences 10,000 ads in a single day. That’s why traditional marketing tools are being questioned about their ability to be leveraged. So, there is no wonder that marketing would try something out of the box. In Bangladesh, we are experiencing several disruptive marketing initiatives by giants with high stakes!
By definition, disruptive marketing involves using experimental tactics. It is all about trying new techniques to get better results than usual. Measuring each activity’s ROI in Bangladesh is challenging, so marketers still depend on gut feelings to some extent. With little data and research findings, we must be extra careful while picking up anything out of the box. Who doesn’t know that fusion can create confusion?
The risk is there, but the necessity of doing something disruptive cannot be avoided. It helps a brand stand out in a crowd amidst clutter. It creates a lasting impression since viewers are experiencing something new. A well-chalked-out campaign can even help establish or reinforce brand identity. A culture of doing something out of the box nurtures creativity among brand managers. With some calculated risk, ROI can be much higher than in traditional campaigns.
Disruptive marketing is more familiar than we think, but nowadays, its stake has gotten higher. Previously, companies tried out-of-the-box activities “in addition” to their traditional stuff, and usually, exceptional projects were low-budget. Management could afford to “drain” some budget to try to get something new, and they were okay with the failures. Now, it’s a different ballgame altogether. Upon failing to get the expected results with the given budget following regular activities, marketers are putting a more significant portion of the budget into trying new things, and the portion is too substantial to remain comfortable with failure. Some marketers are even forced to try out disruptive initiatives to generate quick success and try out half-heartedly. Considering all this, I believe the time has come to accept disruptive marketing initiatives as the new normal. We will be experiencing more and more initiatives and a bigger budget. We can no longer deny doing things out of the box. So I believe we need to take it seriously, and hence, I would like to propose the following:
Firstly, we must acknowledge the basics. Even though creating disruptions may mean going out of the box, we cannot go too far! We cannot just make some disruptions for the sake of doing it. We must know our customers, identify segments to focus on, design products and services to cater to their needs and communicate with them. A brand may initiate a controversial discussion on social media with a big budget, and the issue may go viral. Big “numbers” were achieved in terms of impressions & clicks, but the campaign might fail to generate business in the end. Creating disruption is okay, but eventually, it has to deliver the actual message the marketer wants to give. In the last few years, several disruptions have been created. Not all campaigns delivered the brand message, and not all delivered a reasonable ROI.
In that case, simulation can help, be it using software or a soft/test launch. Even if the plan is pre-tested, we can go step by step if the modality allows. After every step, we can assess the outcome. Since trying to do something exceptional is becoming a requirement or trend, having some checkpoints is better.
Now, I’d like to counter my proposal in the above paragraph. While we need to be cautious and assess the outcome of our investment in every step of our selected program or campaign, we should also have some trust in the decisions we make. Sometimes, backing up our convictions is also needed. Numbers should not always justify creativity. We can’t be too cynical. There has to be a balance between cautiousness and decisiveness.
As we are trying to do something disruptive, it might go wrong. Then what? We better plan a course of action if our campaign backfires. If a campaign fails to deliver the expected result and negatively impacts the brand, we can’t just say, “Whatever! We have got big exposure on social media, everyone is talking about us!” Generating interaction is fine, but through the campaign, customers need to get the message, and the brand needs to generate revenue as well.
Usually, brands with a broad TG and long heritage would be less likely to initiate large-scale disruptive marketing campaigns. Instead, they can identify some niches and try to capture those markets with disruptions, keeping the regular customer base and communication intact. Big players also need to assess whether their brand is rightly poised to run any disruptive marketing campaigns. They need to read their audience properly and identify a suitable niche (if any) for their brand to take disruptive initiatives. On the other hand, newcomers can take a chance and go all in. With a reasonable budget, the right plan, and consistency- they can really “disrupt” big players and claim their fair market share.
We often hear about campaigns involving pranks, mimicking others, or something more disruptive. In that case, we suggest marketers and viewers get used to it. Technology is changing rapidly, and suddenly, marketers will find themselves nowhere but to do something disruptive. Gen Z is getting prepared to become our next big target group. They pass through thousands of advertisements every day. They are more independent-minded and vocal. To be future-ready, better marketers should start getting oriented toward disruptive marketing. The market and media space are getting saturated; we need to break the clutter regarding both creatives and media mix.
Over time, marketers will continue to watch for more disruptive marketing initiatives. Brands will continue adapting this technique more efficiently for a more extended, deeper, and meaningful connection with the target group.
Author: Faisal Mahmud
