Dynamic Content Duo = the future of Marketing + Big Data

Even though the digital revolution is well into its second decade, the ongoing ripple effects are no less impactful than the days when websites were the new kid on the block. Of course, as all of us at USC Annenberg are all too aware: Change is the status quo because technology keeps evolving.

Now, it’s the “future of marketing,” “big data,” “engagement,” and “relevance” that command attention because new nuggets about best practice are always emerging, especially when savvy thought leaders apply a bit of creativity. Last month, for example, an American Marketing Association webinar on the future of marketing proposed an interesting question: What will the Marketing Department of 2020 look like? A post on Forbes outlined 10 reasons that big data is being under utilized.

Inbound marketers hubspot laid out the top trends of 2013 and listed dynamic content, which strikes me as a fascinating connection or link between the future of marketing and the role that big data will play. By creating dynamic content – yes, it includes video, survey polls, topics of interest, hyperlinks, expert analysis, and all the other tools that draw someone to a particular brand and keep them interested – a brand marketer is tapping into curiosity, challenging schemas, and inspiring people to action because they feel something (Heath & Heath, 2008, p. 67, 84-93, 169).  It was summed up quite nicely on the webinar:

“Marketing in 2020 will be a world dominated by intelligent content that is personalized and delivered across a digital world opening up new channels for B2C and B2B through social networks; leveraging extended teams within and beyond the firewall in driving the relevant content based upon the analytics delivered by the data scientist.” Dr. Chris Boorman, Chief Marketing Officer, Huddle.

When each and every interaction with a brand is captured, logged, and analyzed, then big data leads to insight (Moorman, 2013, para. 3). The chief marketing officer , presumably working with a data scientist, must deliver those insights and then incorporate them into campaigns. The result (if all goes well) creates or strengthens customer relationships, which in turn provides even more specific information to further improve big data and its ability to target effectively.

So what does this look like? One example is below, and I look forward to what others have come across as well. Welcome to 2020!

HP promo video – dynamic content and big data in action

References

Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2008). Made to stick: Why some ideas survive and others die. New York, NY: Random House.

Moorman, C. (2013, March 17). The utilization gap: Big data’s biggest challenge. Forbes. Retrieved http://www.forbes.com/sites/christinemoorman/2013/03/17/the-utilization-gap-big-datas-biggest-challenge/

Cathy Williams

CMGT 541