Living in the moment is the new digital mantra

Do y’all remember the 2013 Oreo moment? When the renowned cookie brand - Oreo had utilized the Super Bowl blackout opportunity in the most creative way possible? It was spot on. It was the right thing to say, at the right moment, to the right audience! The message caught so many eyes that it was re-tweeted more than 15 thousand times and gained around 20 thousand likes on Facebook. Five years later it is still used as a case study to understand Moment Marketing. It was something that a lot of brands had tried in the past, but Oreo had somehow managed to nail it

Today, audiences are consuming content while they are living their lives. They are browsing when they are commuting, watching television, or just eating a meal. Basically, they are browsing all day, every day! Content marketers can either consider these content-hungry consumers as a huddle or an open opportunity. They can drive them away with cluttered content or lure them with meaningful, engaging ideas.

A traditional brand like Amul has never shied away from sharing its opinion in the most impactful way possible on any huge event. Taking inspiration from such work, Indian brands like Zomato, Flipkart, etc. have tried to up their Moment Marketing game, too. For example, Flipkart combined the nostalgic connect of Nintendo (Mario Kart) and sent out the message of Satoru Iwata’s sudden demise. Idea Cellular posted an extremely funny post on Pluto’s first image stating - NASA has found a twin Earth in the Milky Way which scientists say ‘would feel like home.’ Ready to move? #Kepler452b

When the consumer is bombarded with millions of products, cluttered content and annoying advertisements, a message that is new, fresh, in-sync with the real world and possibly interesting,  acts like a breath of fresh air. The combination of your audience’s personal needs & interests with reality is what Moment Marketing is all about.

Here’s how you can make the most of this trend and change the game for your brand:

• Act fast, act smart!

If you are an active marketer in a digital space, you cannot afford to have an offline day. Creative ideas with an insightful message are everyone’s favorite, but if it’s not at the right time, it’s as good as a generic post. So, a team that is agile, tactful and full of energy is a team that has better chances of owning the moment!

• T.G.I.F (Target Audience Is Fundamental)

Your brand is a person and your target audience is its followers. Whatever your brand says is extremely important for the followers. So it is the responsibility of the marketer behind the stage to use this responsibility smartly and tactfully. One of the biggest mistakes that brands make is to join the bandwagon without considering the interest of their audience. Being insecure about the trends wouldn’t help your brand take the center stage. If your target audience won’t resonate with the moment, it’s best to leave it alone.

• Keep it real

Sometimes when a brand tries to connect itself with an event, it subconsciously ignores the ethos of the brand. The key is to find the right balance between the originality of the brand and the message (moment) to make it interesting and impactful. So try not to get too caught up in the moment!

• Get with the times

When the world is adding gifs to their Instagram stories and “catching” non-existent creatures in parks, it’s time for your brand to lock and load with the newest technology in the industry. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality started with social media and have now found their place in science, gaming and entertainment sector. So, why not try a seamless integration of a possible moment marketing opportunity with any of the new technologies in the industry? This can possibly act as a game-changer for your brand.

Brands have come a long, long way in terms of social engagement, smart media spends and appropriate targeting. The idea of witnessing something in reality and finding content related to the same situation in your smartphone is not only smart but also very effective. So, think fast, act faster. After all, all it takes is just a moment!

(Shrenik Gandhi, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder - White Rivers Media, is an entrepreneur passionate about solving business problems with insightful digital marketing).