“What Year Are You Marketing In?” Asks OpenText CMO
“If you’re a CMO and you’re reliant on somebody else to tell you about technology, you’re seriously disadvantaged,” that’s the core message OpenText’s global CMO Adam Howatson drove home to B&T while in Sydney last week.
In town to speak at OpenText’s Innovation Tour, Howatson took time out to speak with B&T one-on-one and share his views on marketing and the marketer of the near future.
“I work with my teams and I tell them they have about five years to get off of email. It will no longer be accessible to you. Number one is that people are over saturated, number two is that it’s going to be legislated away from you. By the same token telemarketing will be less effective as well as time goes by,” he says.
“So how do we leverage digital marketing? In the future it will be less about pure advertising, although it plays an important role, and more about delivering something of value to your target audience.
“So from a marketing technologists perspective, if you’re not capable of talking about a marketing automation system, leveraging an analytics system to gain insight from the huge amount of customer information that every organisation has these days, you’re massively disadvantaged. You just are!
“Why would any CEO or president be seeking a marketeer who isn’t conversant in the tools of their trade, which are becoming and will become almost exclusively digital tools? If your putting things like you’re proficient in Microsoft Office, you may find yourself disqualified for the role.”
In tomorrow’s marketing organisation, teams go beyond creating digital assets that describe and persuade consumers. They should be creating and delivering content-driven channels that shape how products and services are digitally experienced.
Content, the king for the last decade, is now dethroned. Contextual customer experiences – the merging of digital content, interfaces, technology and even physical spaces – now reign.
Take the next steps in your marketing transformation.
OpenText’s Howatson says time, relevancy and the value of the content are the determining factors for whether someone will engage with you or not. Doing something that is meaningful for your target demographic.
“We’re in a period of great change. We’re seeing the emergence and commercialisation of extreme automation, predictive analysis and artificial intelligences along with cognitive computing. What excites me every day is that the best Sci-Fi I’ve read (I’m a big fan) is now becoming reality, and it’s organisations like OpenText that are paving the way!
“The digital world is about digital engagement. Automation, integration and experience. If you’re not digital, you’re simply going to be left behind as we have seen in many prolific industry examples over the past five years. The digital world is exactly as it’s described; taking the best business and services available to our society today and ensuring they are fully equipped and transitioned to be key players in the future to come.”
Howatson talks of his own experiences as a marketer. “In our game, if you get to me in a way that engages then you’ll get my attention,” he says. “And a couple of them have done it, and they get a phone call directly back from me. . . I’ve even had telemarketers call me and say I understand you did X and Y yesterday, I also understand your strategy for the next five years is precisely this. I have four recommendations for you . . . and it hits home. You’ve done your research, you understand me. You’re not wasting my time.”
While email will remain as a communications tool, it simply won’t work in marketing, says Howatson.
“Email is going to remain the primary communication mechanism for work for quite some time, but as an advertising tool, I think it’s losing its impact. “We’re all becoming immune to it,” he says.
So if you don’t have a major marketing automation play implemented as an organisation in the near future you’re not going to survive?
“Yes. It is that. I know that’s very binary, but it’s not immediate, it’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, it’s probably not in the next 12 months. Today I think B2B enterprise marketing are email and events as your number one and number two tactics. That still persists, but it’s changing and we can see it changing.
“I think those CMOs, those marketing organisations who are able to get to that level of personalisation whether that is through social API integration paid placements, martech/adtech integration . . . … those organisations are going to be more successful.
“If I can do some predictive analytics on you based on the data that’s available to me I can understand where you are online and I can position some very pointed messages that are relevant to you. That’s going to become more and more important. I think tailoring offers and promotions by using cognitive computing so they’re not just customised to a particular demographic, industry or segment, but to you as an individual human being, those are what are going to work.”
So his advice to marketers?
“Get educated and don’t rest on your laurels. What worked yesterday, may not work tomorrow. What is your plan for the next five years to get off of email? What is your plan to supplement that? What do you need to supplement that? Tools, talent etc.
“Stop looking at your consumer bases, segments, demographics etc as targets, but as individual human beings. What is your experience with the organisation? Not just did you get an eyeball on the ad, do you know what my brand is and are you going to buy something from me. Have I manufactured demand in your own mind?
“To what was your experience from the time you first engaged, whatever mechanism or channel that may have been over, to the end of your buying cycle, post sales support and the next time you’re looking for a solution, was it overwhelmingly positive? I just had the best experience, it was amazing.
“We all have those experiences. This is true today, and it will always be true: there’s no higher converting tactic than a customer reference. If someone you trust in your life and you’ve developed a personal relationship with says ‘you’ve gotta get one of these things, it was an incredible experience, you will not be disappointed, you’re going to trust that recommendation more so than you’re going to trust any advertisement that’s placed in front of you. It’s pretty fundamental.”
Being digitally adept doesn’t start and stop with a responsive website or media play. Achieving ongoing customer experience excellence requires a combination of robust digital platforms and systems, smart use of content and rich media assets, an evolving focus on personalisation and optimisation, and a healthy dose of analytics.
Attend OpenText’s FREE WEBINAR and we will help you navigate The Road to 2020.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Adam Howatson Advertising Standards Bureau Collaboration OpenTextLatest News
The Mars Agency Announces Latest Findings Of Retail Media Report Card
The Mars Agency has developed a scorecard that assesses the capabilities of leading platforms across key criteria required to optimally plan, execute, and measure effective retail media programs. The scorecard aims To help brands efficiently evaluate their spending options across retail media networks in Australia (and New Zealand). With spending on retail media advertising in […]
‘It’s The Lesser Of Two Evils’ – NRL Eyes US Betting Market As Aussie Regulators Circle
US betting firms will be delighted by the circa 50,000 Americans who could soon watch the NRL on their favourite app.
A-League In Deep Discussions With New Partner To Keep Games On TV After Production Company Enters Administration
The A-League's insatiable appetite for scoring own goals continues.
TV Ratings (27/03/2024): Jungle Members At War Over Concealed Lipstick
A heated argument between two jungle members did the numbers for Ten last night, with I’m A Celeb obtaining a total national reach of 1,282,000. Fans were delighted as Candice Warner and influencer Skye Wheatley got into it over a stick of lipstick, leading Warner to dub the Instagram star “selfish.” Wheatley, best known for […]
Is The Australian Music Industry In Trouble? Inquiry Launched Following Splendour Cancellation
Earlier this week, an inquiry was launched into the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Australian live music industry in the wake of multiple festival cancellations. On 25 March 2024, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Tony Burke MP, asked the Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into and report on the […]
Liana Dubois, Leandro Perez, Aimee Buchanan & More Gather For Inaugural Compadres Leadership Event
Didn't get the invite? Perhaps you're not as important as you thought.
Cathay Captures The Unforgettable Thrill Of Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Via Publicis
Nobody does rugby like Hong Kong, apparently. Certainly nobody does it as badly as Australia.
Cocogun Nabs Christine Watts, Kirsty Reynolds & Shev Tan Bolstering Management & Creative Teams
Cocogun bolsters its team with new hires. Committed to purchasing a bigger sofa, too.
The Media Store’s Jacquie Alley & Sam Cousins Take The Plunge With Pro-Bono Work For Cure Cancer
B&T chats with The Media Store bosses about their great pro-bono work and sponsored swim.
Hawke’s Brewing Co. Taps Rocket Comms For PR Agency Following Competitive Pitch
We're expecting Rocket Comms productivity to crash in spectacular fashion following this win.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Patties Serves Up A Taste Of Home For Olympians & South Sydney Rabbitohs Recommit To Gambling Reform
While the Rabbitohs commits to gambling reform, B&T reckons the team should commit to a decent auto sponsor.
Google: “Inevitable” That Bad Actors Will Abuse Ads Platform As Advertiser Account Suspensions Double
Google maintains it's simply impossible for it to entirely stop bad people placing & paying for ads using its service.
Quantcast Expands APAC Sales Team With Appointment Of News Corp Account Manager
No pressure at all when you are appointed as a client success manager.
Publicis Sapient Tests Microsoft-Powered Gen AI Search Tool With Homes & Villas By Marriott Bonvoy
Given Gen AI's record for mangling stuff, B&T cannot see the problem with letting it decide your next holiday digs.
Volkswagen & DDB Group’s “Roo Badge” To Reduce Kangaroo Related Road Collisions
Watch out for RooBadge as Cannes Lions' most debated campaign this year.
Twilio Launches Unified Profiles & Agent Copilot Features To Boost Productivity & Engagement
Agent Copilot sounds like James Bond's less interesting cousin.
Reebok & Honda Among New Clients For onetwo agency
OneTwo finally lives up to its name with this double billing.
Ogilvy Report: Throw Out The Social Strategy Rule Book, The Rules Of The Past No Longer Apply
B&T was puzzled that all 'influencers' aren't, effectively, 'virtual', but here we are.
WhiteGREY & AKQA Merge In Australia, Lee Simpson Departs
Fortunately, the combined agencies aren't opting for a trite portmanteau for the new name.
Splendour In The Grass 2024 Music Festival Cancelled!
Music fans all over the country reportedly relieved they can pack away their rain coats and gumboots for another year.
TV Ratings (26/03/2024): “Fairy Bread, F***ing Disgusting”: Gordon Ramsay Slams Aussie Food In Food Stars Launch
Ramsay not one for mincing his words, even when it comes to minced meat pies.
Paramount+ International Boss Doubles Down On Aussie Content, Says Ad-Tier will Grow Audiences And Revenue
Good news as Paramount will not be binning I’m A Celebrity for re-runs of Frasier.
Brent Smart: Telstra Pushing For 50-50 Brand-Performance Split But Warns Numbers ‘Won’t Look Great’ Initially
The old brand vs performance debate continues. But here, Brent is firmly sitting on the fence.
Crowded House, Tones And I & Dom Dolla Win Big At The Shure Rolling Stone Music Awards
B&T staffer reports back with humdinger of a hangover & feeling seriously uncool after mixing with music types.
Opinion: Dyslexia “A Hidden Gem” For Brands & Agencies
Dyslexics offer underappreciated benefits in the corporate field, according to this op-ed.
David Jones Taps Criteo To Power Online Retail Media Arm
Want to see ads for things you probably can't afford? David Jones has got you covered with new retail media play.
oOh!media Sets Up Team To Target Business Audiences Across Airports & Offices
oOh! wants brands to harass you every minute of your next business trip.
QMS Launches Australian First DOOH & TV Partnership With Samba TV
Samba TV, of course, is not a channel dedicated to dancing. Much to our dismany.
Slew Of New Hires At Amplify
Four new faces join the Amplify offices. Team say desk scarcity becoming "acute".
Adobe Announces Content Authenticity Initiative Expansions To Counter Deep Fakes
Try as they might to enlighten them, we suspect Trump supporters will continue to watch and believe Fox News.
The PR Group Appoints TechCrunch Senior Reporter Catherine Shu As Director Of Content & Media
Catherine Shu makes the bold leap from journalism to PR. Says inevitable pay bump was "unrelated".
HERO Nabs Ebony Santin From AMPR
Rumours Santin cleared out the stationery cupboard before departing are as yet unconfirmed.
Karena Noble Checks Out Of EVT Hotels & Resorts To Launch Comms Consultancy
Noble still managed to squeezed in a continental breakfast before departing.
Canva Acquires Design Platform Affinity To Bring Professional Design Tools To Every Organisation
Canva & Adobe face off continues. We're not picking sides but keenly aware that Canva's office is next door to ours.
“Lean On Our Team To Help You Find An Audience”: Why Understanding Audience Engagement Is Essential In Journalism
Engaging the audience is critical to journos, apparently. We'd thought self-loathing & alcoholism were key.
Adobe Summit: Major Gen AI Developments, Data Concessions & Partnerships
What happens in Vegas stays there. Unless it's the Adobe Summit and then you get to read about in B&T.