Thoughts from Stream 2010

Two weeks ago, I attended WPP’s Stream Conference, which brought together a collection of creative, technological and digital minds across the WPP network to talk about what’s on the horizon for digital media and how we can best continue to leverage it for our clients.

Here are 3 key trends that were widely discussed:

Simple Metrics & Methodologies Win The Day
While agencies in attendance debated the next great metrics, clients emphatically expressed a desire to receive simple metrics that can be adapted across business units. Further, clients also expressed a need to understand what is defined as success, noting most agencies provide the figures but not the analysis into what they mean and what can be learned from them.

Suggestion for Implementation: Before executing a program, benchmark success based on similar treatments and what competitors are doing. Once the program has ended, provide context into what the quantitative results mean through what was initially defined as success and how the numbers have changed over time.

Example: Despite the heavy investment Pepsi has put into the Refresh Project, they’re not interested in total # of fans/page views but focusing their attention on relationships with consumers, social media activity and sales lift.

“Sandbox Environments” Allow Social Media to Enter Marketing Plans
Throughout several of the panels attended, multiple clients expressed their rigidity with increasing business for one particular agency in a project that involves multiple agencies, noting frustrations when agencies attempt to landgrab throughout the course of a project. That said, many clients are beginning to establish “sandbox environments” where social media programs are experimented on with minimal funds to gage effectiveness before a greater scope is approved. The “sandbox environments” are becoming ripe areas for new business opportunities among agencies interested in increasing their scope with a client.

Suggestion for Implementation: Assume the sandbox exists on the client’s end and present experimental ideas on a monthly basis that can be trialed and expanded should they become successful (e.g. implementing a monthly “Ideastorm” with the client to discuss one new idea to implement each quarter).

Example: Tide’s “Loads of Hope” event last year brought together P&G’s marketing teams and several social media influencers to help raise money through a firestorm of social media activity

Digital Held to a Higher Standard Outside of the "Big Idea"

Traditional (and some digital) advertising agencies discussed their adherence to the "big idea" in spite of the continuing trend of multiple touchpoint strategies. Although this method is still being widely adapted, digital is being positioned as held to a higher standard of results, and thus, more flexible to shape itself to a strategy outside of the brand's "big idea" advertising campaign.

Suggestion for Implementation: Think beyond the “big idea” that is already in place on the client’s end which can often put a damper on what is possible from a creative standpoint—new digital strategies can augment the existing big idea to new heights.

Example: Levi’s created an online community around their “It’s About Shape, Not Size” ad campaign called “Shape What’s to Come”, asking women to contribute their ideas on advocacy and entrepreneurship.

I thought the insights shared were valuable as public relations, advertising and marketing agencies all compete for what is essentially the same piece of the pie. What will differentiate us as social media professionals, however, will be an increased understanding and attention into how all of the aforementioned facets of communications work with, and not against one another.

For content from Stream 2010, be sure to visit their social channels:

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