Online advertising channels are the biggest growth driver in the advertising market.
In the future, this development will continue and possibly intensify, probably at the expense of some classic media Marlon Braumann explains why online alone is not everything and why offline touchpoints in the form of pop-up and promotional events will become increasingly important in the future.
Today, it is becoming more expensive and difficult for many companies to address their target groups exclusively online than it was just a few years ago. With Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple (often abbreviated as GAFA), a few market participants control access to the customer and ensure rising prices in the advertising market. Especially those companies that have built their business model to a large extent on customer acquisition via the GAFA channels are now realising that acquiring new customers online at reasonable acquisition costs (CAC) is hardly possible anymore.
To make matters worse, we consumers are becoming more resistant to online advertising messages. The rapid rise in adblocker user numbers is the most tangible metric to capture this weariness shown by consumers. Finally, there are now more than a few companies that realise they have exhausted their online-only customer potential and are now going offline to target new customer groups. The “first wave” of successful e-commerce companies in particular is successfully exemplifying this trend under the buzzword online-to-offline. About You and Zalando with their pop-up concepts are certainly among the best-known examples.
“Nowhere else can experiences be created as well as at brand-owned offline touchpoints such as pop-up and promotional events.”
Marlon Baumann
In addition to these observations, which speak against a purely online strategy, there is also the fact that brand and product experiences are increasingly coming into focus. The experience is becoming a value proposition. Nowhere else can experiences be created as well as at brand-owned offline touchpoints such as pop-up and promotion events. Well-known examples of offline promotions whose primary goal was to create brand experiences are the Amazon PopUp Store in Berlin or the Facebook Shop-in-Shop Pop-Ups at Macey’s. If implemented correctly, the reach of a pop-up or promotion campaign is amplified, as the people addressed not only become customers, but also authentic brand ambassadors. People create content in the space, share their experiences on social media and extend the reach of the campaign.
It is way more fun, to be with friends in a brick and mortar store, than sitting on the sofa in front of your notebook or with you smartphone in your hand. I have written about fun shopping in another post.
Offline touchpoints should be viewed more as a marketing channel and not as a classic sales channel. The development is moving away from the point of sale and towards the point of experience. Viewing offline touchpoints as a marketing channel means that these contact points can be booked quickly, easily and precisely for the target group — ideally via a platform that bundles all promotion, pop-up and promotional spaces and advises brands and agencies on where to reach their target group in the offline world. Our company Store2Be was born out of this consideration. At the same time, such campaigns must become measurable. The offline touchpoint must not only deliver sales, but also reach, contacts, interactions and customer engagement.
But if sales are taking place, why not let the people pay online on a tablet? People can pick items and try them on. The shop asistants actually assist and consult. And if they are really good, they show some items to combine. I have experienced, that if and extra piece (like a scarf, a belt, a tie, a necklace) is really looking good, most people will buy it.
Below I have posted some videos as additional content forthis post.
Experience-Driven Commerce
Online advertising channels are the biggest growth driver in the advertising market.
In the future, this development will continue and possibly intensify, probably at the expense of some classic media Marlon Braumann explains why online alone is not everything and why offline touchpoints in the form of pop-up and promotional events will become increasingly important in the future.
Today, it is becoming more expensive and difficult for many companies to address their target groups exclusively online than it was just a few years ago. With Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple (often abbreviated as GAFA), a few market participants control access to the customer and ensure rising prices in the advertising market. Especially those companies that have built their business model to a large extent on customer acquisition via the GAFA channels are now realising that acquiring new customers online at reasonable acquisition costs (CAC) is hardly possible anymore.
To make matters worse, we consumers are becoming more resistant to online advertising messages. The rapid rise in adblocker user numbers is the most tangible metric to capture this weariness shown by consumers. Finally, there are now more than a few companies that realise they have exhausted their online-only customer potential and are now going offline to target new customer groups. The “first wave” of successful e-commerce companies in particular is successfully exemplifying this trend under the buzzword online-to-offline. About You and Zalando with their pop-up concepts are certainly among the best-known examples.
“Nowhere else can experiences be created as well as at brand-owned offline touchpoints such as pop-up and promotional events.”
Marlon Baumann
In addition to these observations, which speak against a purely online strategy, there is also the fact that brand and product experiences are increasingly coming into focus. The experience is becoming a value proposition. Nowhere else can experiences be created as well as at brand-owned offline touchpoints such as pop-up and promotion events. Well-known examples of offline promotions whose primary goal was to create brand experiences are the Amazon PopUp Store in Berlin or the Facebook Shop-in-Shop Pop-Ups at Macey’s. If implemented correctly, the reach of a pop-up or promotion campaign is amplified, as the people addressed not only become customers, but also authentic brand ambassadors. People create content in the space, share their experiences on social media and extend the reach of the campaign.
It is way more fun, to be with friends in a brick and mortar store, than sitting on the sofa in front of your notebook or with you smartphone in your hand. I have written about fun shopping in another post.
Offline touchpoints should be viewed more as a marketing channel and not as a classic sales channel. The development is moving away from the point of sale and towards the point of experience. Viewing offline touchpoints as a marketing channel means that these contact points can be booked quickly, easily and precisely for the target group — ideally via a platform that bundles all promotion, pop-up and promotional spaces and advises brands and agencies on where to reach their target group in the offline world. Our company Store2Be was born out of this consideration. At the same time, such campaigns must become measurable. The offline touchpoint must not only deliver sales, but also reach, contacts, interactions and customer engagement.
But if sales are taking place, why not let the people pay online on a tablet? People can pick items and try them on. The shop asistants actually assist and consult. And if they are really good, they show some items to combine. I have experienced, that if and extra piece (like a scarf, a belt, a tie, a necklace) is really looking good, most people will buy it.
Below I have posted some videos as additional content forthis post.
Experience-Driven Commerce
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