Technology Changes, Good Marketing Does Not

Life can be simple if equipped with the right perspective. It may seem that marketing and advertising today are becoming overly complex given the technological advances society continues to incorporate. Although this may be overwhelming given the pace of incoming information, these tools ultimately exist to facilitate and amplify communication. As marketers, it is essential to understand that even with this new technology, advertising comes down to the same fundamentals it has since the beginning: intelligence, strategy, and amplification. To verify this, we sat down with the founder of Dixon Schwabl + Company, Lauren Dixon, to discuss the impact technology has had on the world of marketing.

As an industry mogul, what is the first thing that comes to mind regarding the evolution of technology within the past 30 years? 

It certainly has sped up the pace of doing anything and everything. When it comes to data, what 30 years ago took days to compile now takes us literally seconds.  

Has technology shifted the intention of marketing, or do you think the same marketing fundamentals apply today as they always have? 

I believe the fundamentals still apply. As marketers, we can never forget what we do is tell stories–be it through digital or traditional media. That hasn’t changed. Now, we have a plethora of ways in which to do it. The biggest change is now marketers have so many more ways in which to market a product or service. Plus, it’s incredibly more efficient because through the use of technology you can now only market to a finite target market–thus minimizing wasted dollars.

Do you think technology has benefitted marketers and businesses?

Absolutely! The greatest thing technology has provided is a way to track the results. We can learn from each campaign and improve the results going forward. I would encourage marketing professionals to take calculated risks and not do what always has been done simply because it worked. By changing things up and trying new strategies the results could even be better.

What is the biggest pitfall for businesses when it comes to investing in new tech?

Although it’s increased productivity and as a result, profitability, many companies are finding that they have invested in several software programs that don’t talk to each other. In order to maximize all of the technologies, they must invest more in getting all systems aligned and working together from the start.

How valuable is audience research for brand communication? 

Brands evolve very, very quickly, so it’s more important today than ever before to conduct research. To operate on your gut is dangerous. You need to hear from customers firsthand to really understand their feelings about the brand at that moment in time and continue to conduct research to monitor if the brand is shifting positively or negatively. This allows for creating the soundest brand strategy moving forward.

What 2022 trends do you see withstanding the test of time?

I think [corporate] social responsibility is tremendously important today for the obvious reason of “doing the right thing,” but also for pure business reasons. More and more employees and clients are looking to work or do business with organizations that are committed to social responsibility. It’s a great talent attraction tool and a smart client acquisition tool.

Do you have any favorite brands and why? 

My favorite brand is Wegmans. It’s the feeling I get when I walk into any store. I trust them implicitly because of how they behave every single day. Will I pay a little more shopping there? On some items, yes, but it’s worth it to be greeted with a smile and have an amazing shopping experience. You can tell why they are always ranked a great place to work. They’ve built trust with their employees and customers alike. Every time I travel and go into another grocery store, I thank my lucky stars for “My Wegmans”!

Understanding Lauren’s perspective gives clarity in a fast-paced world. Although it may appear as change, technology is simply accelerating ideas and communication. Advertising still comes down to properly dialing into a target audience, establishing a narrative and promoting this through a choice medium. Instead of asking for the latest technology as an easy solution, the question first should be: how is my brand demonstrating value? Technology is the easy part, but emotion is what will define a brand. Interested in learning more? Contact DS+CO so we can help you tap into this emotion and plan with purpose.