As mundane as it may seem, genius most often begin by asking questions — lots of them. To paraphrase Thomas Edison, marketing genius is 99% inquisition and 1% inspiration. For from those questions comes understanding. And from that insight comes “the big idea.”
At our recent roundtable discussion on integrated marketing communications, featured on our cover this month, the importance of that sequence was a recurring theme. The three brand marketers in the room, each representing a very different industry (automotive, financial services and packaged foods), were in complete agreement on how imperative it is to establish and continually finetune communication between a brand’s constituents and the team fostering that relationship. Once those lines are in place, then the genius ideas can bubble up. (Turn to p. 24 to learn exactly what Volkswagen North America, Fidelity Investments and Tyson Foods have learned lately, and how that knowledge is guiding those brands.)
While the last few years have seen an increased emphasis among marketers on campaign metrics (“test the work in the field, then apply to the next wave…”), broader consumer research has regained ground in marketing budgets more slowly since the cutbacks of three and four years ago. Has research become a luxury for some brands? In our story on p. 11, we look at marketers and analysts who are developing new, innovative ways to get the data they need with maximum efficiency.
We hope one of the ways you plan to gain insights this year is by attending PROMO’s Marketing Conference and Expo later this month at the Navy Pier in Chicago. Our editorial and event teams have recruited experts for 53 seminars, panels and discussion forums. They will be presenting their own research, as well as case studies that are sure to provoke a few percentage points of inspiration to serve your brand. Hope we see you there — be sure to come with lots of questions!
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