How should we reinvent the way we do marketing?

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How often do you reinvent yourself? Sometimes we do it automatically and sometimes because the environment forces us. The COVID-19 pandemic was undoubtedly one of those times when we had to restart various systems and paradigms that we were used to.

And, although, little by little the reactivation begins, we can still find events completely online that we can attend from anywhere on the planet and hybrids that combine the best of both worlds.

In this context, on October 13 and 14 the hybrid version of Social Media Week Mexico 2021 will be held , which seeks to generate dialogue between digital leaders and the audience around the theme “REINVENTION”.

^{Image: Courtesy of SMWMexico.}

Right now we are in the midst of a great reinvention of both society and business and ourselves personally. Importantly, systems undergo a stress test.

“All the systems come from public health, education, government infrastructure, business and, also marketing, and in 2020/21, many of these systems failed or collided with their own arrogance,” the experts explain.

According to the spokesmen of Social Media Week Mexico, some of the failures of the marketing system are:

• Focus on the tactic and forget the strategic truths
• The short-term view of looking at short-term profits
• Exalting any trend or the most striking thing in social networks
• Don’t think of smart data more than big data
• The inability of marketers to put themselves in the shoes of their customers and lead with empathy.

During the pandemic, many brand messages were inconsistent and many leaders, completely out of their comfort zone in the way of marketing, and there was a disconnect vacuum with their audience.

According to experts, some of the brands that did stand out in this situation were Postmates, P&G, Clorox, Aviation Gin and Airbnb, since their brand values, their leadership, and their messages were previously aligned to something bigger than themselves. .

So we ask ourselves: how should marketers reinvent themselves and respond to the challenges of our time?

Crises bring inventions and this is achieved through constructive resilience. But what should be invented and what should be reinvented?

In her October 2020 article ” The ABCDE of Marketing Re-Invented “, Rishad Tobacawala addresses this question by developing a framework on how marketing has changed and how it is changing in the future.

• A = Audience
• B = Brand
• C = Content
• D = Data
• E = Company.

By adapting to the ABCDE framework for reinvention, the organizers of Social Media Week Global drew up a list of questions that represent priority areas that we can or should focus on:

• Audiences: How can we think of people and not consumers?
• The brand: How should experience and purpose influence brand strategy?
• The content: It has always been the key to marketing, but now there are trends in TikTok and IG Reels minute by minute, there are new ways to do it, faster and cheaper, so how do we break through the noise?
• Data : How can we focus on quality versus quantity?
• Company: A current company that wants to survive must show transparent information and decision-making and its leaders must be responsible. How do we empower people and inspire leaders?

Where does this reinvention begin?

Of course, like many change processes, reinvention begins with recognizing what does not work, asking ourselves difficult and important questions, and willing to accept the transformation, no matter how expensive or uncomfortable it may feel in the first place. This will allow anyone to survive and walk into the future.

It is time to reevaluate and rebuild systems that lead to a less divisive, more transparent and just world.

To participate in #SMWMexico during 2021, check their Social Media Week Mexico City page or follow them on social networks where you find them as SMWMexico Fanpage.