Ay: Mart 2023

There used to be an advertising slogan a long time ago, those who are old enough will remember it. It said “Image is nothing, thirst is everything”; as you can guess, it was a beverage commercial.  This slogan, which was very popular at the time, was perhaps one of the first advertisements to tell the consumer “don’t be satisfied with what is offered to you, what is imposed on you, be yourself”.

This approach has grown in importance from those days to these days. Advertisements that did not give the customer his/her due, that directed him/her to “be something and therefore to buy” with the bombardment of images, and that put the product or brand at the center, have been replaced by a marketing approach that puts the customer at the center.

Nowadays, especially when messages for consumers are taken into account, the fashionable message is not “create an image for yourself and be loyal to it”, but rather “be yourself and be loyal to it”.

But don’t let this outlook fool you! After all, networks of interaction are still, and increasingly so, built on images – more sophisticated images. We all live in the era of hair that “looks messy and natural, but it takes hours to make it look that way”! Be natural but leave nothing to chance… That’s how to be natural!

In short, it is very important for both individuals and brands to create a well-thought-out image, but to present it in a very natural flow, free of compulsions.

One of the main resources for brands to present their image to their target audiences in a consistent way is the “Corporate Identity Guide”.

A corporate identity guide is one of the most important documents determining the brand’s image, including instructions on how to use the brand’s logo, colors, typography, language, marketing materials and other brand elements. Reflecting the brand’s essence, personality, values and target audience, this document helps the brand maintain its consistency and build a strong image.

In order to convey the importance of the corporate identity guide more clearly, it would be appropriate to briefly mention the following issues:

The importance of word of mouth is often emphasized. It works most of the time and is often much more effective than other methods. But the question today is: does the ever-increasing development of digital technologies diminish the importance of word-of-mouth?

In fact, people don’t really need to rely on word-of-mouth anymore – with voice, with language, with face-to-face conversations. They can do it on social media platforms and other digital platforms, and they can do it not “one-to-one”, but by reaching a quantity of “one-to-one followers”.

Therefore, it is naturally much more costly for brands to direct consumers to “word of mouth” communication than “word of mouth to thousands of word of mouth” communication.

But there is a point to note here. The character of communication also develops through some basic trajectories, like – not like, but like – the laws of nature. Therefore, while the main character remains constant, the stops or methods change.

So what is that main character? Making your customer your volunteer…

Yesterday, your customers became your communication volunteers by talking; today they become your volunteers by following, sharing, liking.

In short, the widespread use of social media has led to significant changes in word-of-mouth. In the past, word of mouth was often individual and limited. For example, if someone had a good experience with a product, they would share it with their immediate circle. But today, thanks to social media platforms, one person can tell millions of people about their experience with a product. Therefore, social media has changed word-of-mouth strategies and created an environment that requires brands to be more proactive in customer satisfaction and brand management.

First, when television became widespread, the question “Is radio dying?” came up. This was, of course, a long, long time ago. However, we faced a similar question relatively recently: when people started to be equipped with smartphones and tablets. This time the question was, “Are newspapers and magazines dying?”

Even before that, during the tension between computers and television, we asked the question “Is television dying?”

“Everyone uses paper now, are clay tablets dying?!”

This question may also have been asked at one time…

It seems that humanity is so in love with its new inventions that it is quick to label previous, outdated inventions as “dying”.

Similarly, shortly after the internet and social media platforms came into our lives, we suddenly thought that offline marketing channels were close to death. “Digital marketing” suddenly declared its independence. If you remember, advertising agencies claiming to produce only for digital marketing channels were popping up like mushrooms.

However, time showed that none of the above-mentioned channels were dead. Yes, cyclically and periodically, some channels have always been and will continue to be ahead of others. However, this does not mean that other channels have completely disappeared.

In any case, the inclusive arms of communication and marketing are far, far too long to encompass only one medium or format.

As a result, at this point, the marketing world has realized the situation. In a way, the concept of “metaverse”, which has recently entered our lives and has quickly become the first item on the agenda, is the result of this understanding: Marketing strategies should be holistic, supporting and complementing each other with different channels, connecting offline and online, and projecting a projection that will create interaction on both sides.

The declining influence of any medium does not mean that it is dead or obsolete.

Think of it this way: Let’s say you have built a house on a dried-up riverbed. On the surface, you may think you are in a safe area, in your home. But the fact that this medium has dried up does not mean that you are safe. Even though it has dried up, it is still there, and when the right conditions come together, the flood waters will flow through it with all their might.

It’s a cheesy example, but it may help to illustrate the point.

The options for advertisers on social media are increasing every day. Two new types of ads offered by Instagram for businesses are among the alternatives that will enter our lives in the coming days: Reminder Ads and Ads in Search Results.

The first of the new ad types offered by Instagram allows your target audience to receive notifications about your upcoming launch or similar events 1 day before, 15 minutes before or during the event.