Didn’t get to watch the Digitas NewFront? In addition to the blogging we did during the event, we’ve also got a bigger recap from one of our employees, who won a company social media contest to attend the NewFront live in New York. Check out photos from the event on Flickr, as well as our live blog.
This year, with a little bit of luck and social media savvy, I won the chance to attend the ultimate anti-conference, the Digitas New Front, hosted in New York City for its fifth consecutive year. The event brought together brands, marketers, media leaders, and A-List celebrities alike to discuss the newest trends in digital content. The day’s line-up showcased everything from introducing new distribution channels into a brand’s marketing mix to leveraging content to drive a business forward. Here were some of my favorite insights and observations that I took away from the event:
First up, Piers Morgan took the stage moderating stars of both television and digital screens, Kristin Chenoweth, Felicia Day and Michelle Phan. Each one of these lovely ladies had an inspiring story to tell and did so through the simple form of social media. These powerful women weren’t always household names but they took their story and found a way to make it relevant and accessible to their audiences. The biggest takeaway here was simple: Find your voice and make sure it’s unique but authentic. Everyone will see right through gimmicky brand pushes or falsities of character.
Next up, CMOs from world-renowned companies Xerox, J. Crew and Buddy Media discussed social content within their organizations. These folks had some pretty powerful things to say, and it soon became apparent that success is born from a clear and defined strategy. Social Media and Owned Content may be represented in your marketing plan; but if you don’t have a clear message for your audience and engage the right tools in the right way, you have no business dabbling in the social space. I was particular inspired by the brand video from Xerox - it summed up their mission of working hard to give each consumer everything that they uniquely need to do their jobs better in the simplest way possible.
Another presentation that caught my attention: the Fowler sisters (Elle, age 24 and Blair, age 19) who became YouTube superstars and promotion hot spots for brands looking to capitalize on the immense spending power of the 15-30 year old female market. Again, the crucial thing to remember is authenticity. The girls only promote approximately 10% of the brands that come their way because ultimately, it is about what their audience wants, not what the brand wants.
Towards the end of the day, Rashida Jones took the stage with encouragement from Andy Cohen (Bravo Executive Producer), Pete Cashmore (Founder, Mashable) and Krista Smith (Vanity Fair) to join Twitter in an intervention-style discussion. While celebrities have been successfully leveraging Twitter for some time now to gain superstardom and reach a vast amount of viewers, Rashida brought up some valid concerns such as privacy invasion, potential for negative attention, and fear of letting the platform take over her life. Finally, and with fears aside, Rashida made her first tweet live at the NewFront. Just a little over a week later, she has reached over 60,000 fans!
In short, the New Front confirmed that content is key and that the audience is the new executive producer. Create something authentic that people want to see, hear, read, experience, share… and you have the potential to grow your brand, audience, and your ROI. Thank you, Digitas, for the chance to attend!
- Ariana Sinacore, Manager, Marketing, Digitas
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 01:40PM