asi conferences

The 2008 European Effective Communications Symposium
‘Towards a digital dividend’ - 23 April, Barcelona

At a time when what we used to refer to as ‘media agencies’ con-tinue to expand their role, their influence and the services they offer, how should advertisers set about choosing a communications agency partner? Are the traditional agency selection methods appropriate for an era containing so many communication channels and so many options? To what extent should cross discipline working practices form a part of both the agency offer and advertiser selection criteria?
How much credence should be given to claims made by media owners that their media propositions truly differentiate their products? Are they really as selective as they claim? Looking at radio and magazines, recent research challenges some of these entrenched assumptions and offers practical insights into how wastage can be reduced.
How are digital technologies changing the way video is consumed? What new advertising platforms and formats are emerging and which of these works best for brands? What is it that makes an ad go ‘viral’? Above all, what should marketers be doing differently?
These changes, driven at a furious pace by the rapidly evolving technology, require not just structural but cultural change in most organisations. For the agency, this will involve moving from a silo approach to one that disperses digital expertise throughout the company. This will help ensure that the senior leadership is involved in the client relationship.
Meanwhile, as the Internet continues to grow, it is ever clearer that websites - and more especially brand websites - are becoming a central point where all media and engaged customers are converging. It is becoming increasingly important to measure and integrate brand websites in marketing and media strategy. It is all about the quality of contacts rather than the quantity and it is satisfaction and engagement that are the keys to driving buzz and business.
Yet, for all the excitement surrounding digital communications, the spend on the internet is such as to suggest it is scarcely being taken seriously as an advertising medium. Or is this point of view about to be seriously challenged?
 

The 2008 European Advertising Effectiveness Symposium
‘Emotional Engagement’ - 24-25 April, Barcelona

An uncertain economic climate always increases sharply the focus on marketing’s overall performance. What are the risks when cutting the budget, especially at a time when many manufacturers are being forced to raise prices because of the rising cost of commodities? The cost of cutting budgets in such circumstances to brand value, brand equity and, ultimately shareholder value, could be catastrophic.
Many of the pressures relating to accountability are counter-productive to advertising effectiveness. In the main this is because much accepted wisdom about what works is mistaken and therefore much common practice is inefficient. Our keynote paper examines 880 case studies to identify key areas where accepted wisdom is found wanting and no areas are spared: the setting of objectives, communications strategy, media, budget setting, evaluation and payback are all found wanting. We also need to gain a clearer understanding of advertising’s long-term effects as these are what deliver real brand asset value.
Sophisticated modelling techniques are enabling us to factor the effect of word-of-mouth, social media and viral activity alongside traditional channels. Meanwhile, as progress is made towards real single-source data we are gaining a deeper understanding of marketing mix variables - in home, out of home and in store. In particular, we are gaining a deeper understanding of consumers’ response to promotional activity.
Advances in neuroscience seem to suggest that emotional engagement is essential to marketing effectiveness. But is this true for all advertising, or simply certain categories? And, if it is true, how can we measure emotional involvement in a meaningful way? Maybe measures need to be developed that don’t depend upon rational consideration. Is emotional involvement the same as likeability? Perhaps a more useful concept is ‘personal meaning’.

Details of  conferences held during November 2007; European Radio Symposium and European Television Symposiums are below:

The 2007 European Radio Symposium
'Radio in the digital age' - 7th November, Barcelona

The 2007 European Television Symposium
'Towards Convergence : the pace quickens' - 8th-9th November, Barcelona

Papers from the November 2007 conferences are available from asi on request.