IdeateLabs: Transforming Digital Marketing with a Focus on Tangible Results, says Raman RS Minhas

IdeateLabs is a full-service, digital marketing agency that is independently owned, specializing in offering end-to-end digital solutions, and has offices in Dubai and Singapore. It was set up in the year 2007 with its headquarters in Mumbai. The brand is expanding at a rapid pace and is presently opening offices across the GCC and India. The diversified client portfolio of IdeateLabs comprises of brands such as RR Kabel, Hindustan Times, HDFC Bank, Future Group, Fullerton India, Thomas Cook, and Hiranandani Communities, among many others. It provides services in the areas of branding and re-branding, brand identity, copywriting, design & art, video production, content writing, AR & VR.

In conversation with Adgully, Raman RS Minhas, Chief Creative Officer, IdeateLabs, speaks about how the agency is making a transition from the approach of conventional agency setup towards turning outcomes into currency. He further discusses utilizing AI & ML for exploration, experimentation, instituting pace, and coherence, and for acquiring market insights and data for forging a supposition, specifically in categories where data is hard to acquire.

Could you take us in brief through the journey of IdeateLabs so far?

IdeateLabs has been a fiercely independent start-up before the word caught fancy. As with all businesses, it has seen its peaks and troughs. What’s exciting is where it stands today and the promise it holds for the future.

Moving away from the conventional agency approach, IdeateLabs is pivoting itself to become The Outcome People. Not just stopping at output, it will get deeply involved with the clients’ business, and deliver on the agreed outcomes. From the thinking to the operating model, all the way to the commercials, outcomes will be the currency.

How did IdeateLabs leverage machine learning and AI in digital marketing strategies?

The first use of AI & ML currently is in the creative and production space at IdeateLabs. It helps in experimenting and exploring while bringing speed and efficiencies into play.

IdeateLabs is also using AI to validate and expand some of the strategies it has been working on. At times, it helps in getting market data and insights to build a hypothesis, particularly in categories where data is difficult to get.

IdeateLabs has icogz – a group company that specializes in Data Science – that we tap into for specific projects and needs. From deep social listening, and consumer understanding to comparing brands’ influence vis-à-vis competition, it helps in making strategies sharper.

What are the emerging trends in programmatic advertising?

Enhanced Performance Metrics – More and more use of AI & ML to optimize campaigns, improve targeting, and predict user behavior on the fly.

OTT Play – Increased presence in OTT advertising, as streaming platforms are on the rise. Hence, more multi-device and multi-channel integration.

Advanced Creative Rolling – Even more personalized experiences can be delivered to the audience based on real-time data, resulting in better ROIs.

What is the importance of hyper-personalization in digital marketing?

I come from a CRM and DM background – and love the levels of personalization that digitization offers. The most important word is ‘relevance’.

There are both qualitative and quantitative aspects to this. On one hand, data-backed comms or content make them more engaging and meaningful, hence resulting in a positive sentiment for the brand/product. At some level, even helps in building loyalty.

On the other hand, since it connects more with more audiences, it improves performance metrics – CTRs, conversion rates, and to some degree, even sales.

What is the future of voice search in digital marketing? Can you share some effective strategies for growth and optimization?

Voice search has been on the rise – or so we hear. As smart devices grow in numbers, marketers and the creative industry need to be ready to tap into the opportunities it presents.

Given how India is, the big future lies in making it local – in languages that cover the length and breadth of the country. Then, it’s a matter of making the search results available quickly and as relevant as possible.

Also, voice searches tend to get longer than text-based, and are conversational. Marketers need to keep this in mind and calibrate their content to be in sync with audience behavior. Also, there is merit in providing info such as Product details, Offers, Locations, and FAQs, in a structured manner to search engines for increased relevance.

What are some of the advanced social marketing tactics? Can you share some insights for expert digital marketers?

The tactics depend largely on the objective – reach, growth, engagement, retention, or whatever it may be.

Here are a few:

Connect & Connect: Linking up touchpoints across content, push (email), and paid advertising for an optimized ROI and offering enhanced experiences to the connected consumer.

Deep & Deep: Deep social listening to be in sync with the consumer sentiment and stay relevant dynamically. Deep understanding of consumers based on data analytics to create sharper cohorts to be able to target better.

More & More: Use of ML to create more personalized communication and content. More of co-creation and user participation, including new platforms and features.

What are the current trends in the digital marketing industry and what does the future look like?

These are exciting times to be in the BANI world. In the fast-moving digiscape, trends will keep coming and going. And some stay for longer.

UGC: Has been around, but is only getting hotter. People are looking for authenticity more than ever before.

CRM: Cause Related Marketing is evolving, and will continue to connect with the audience if done with the right intent.

Social Commerce: As more and more e-commerce features get plugged in, along with shoppable content, it’s worth seeing how much it turns audience into consumers.