Some thoughts on the IAB Interact Conference: let’s do it!

Looking at the content, it stroke me that the most striking presentation came from ABInBev. One of the biggest advertisers in the world showed us how they are implementing digital into their organization. They’re doing it at great pace. During the next World Cup in South Africa: 75% of their budget will be spend to online media, 4 years ago 90% was spend on TV advertisement. Next to this huge budget switch, they created a global dashboard to monitor all results of their actions. The KPI is no longer reach, actually they don’t care about it anymore. No, their KPI is brand health because they know brand health creates growth for their brands (13 1-billion dollar brands, btw). They organize three day courses for their top management at Kellog’s University about digital marketing. In short: it is very serious business for them. An eye-opening story of a great advertiser.

What is really striking is that most presentations by agencies or mediaplayers were less innovative than this case. Whereas the industry is always blaming advertisers that they are not moving. Well, I’ve got news: big advertisers are moving fast. It’s not just ABInBev, look at some of the work Unilever and P&G are doing these days… For me, that was a wake-up call. The digital industry: media, agencies, researchers, consultants, … all of us. We need to re-invent ourselves faster. In my opinion, the digital industry is living in their own past sometimes, still using KPI’s from 10 years ago. Today, it’s not that much about clicks anymore. Overmeasurement of consumer behavior is turning against the industry.

A suggestion: let’s work together! All of us! And let’s create KPI’s that work. KPI’s that are relevant for advertisers. Let’s talk more about the consumer and a lot less about technology. The goal is not to show off what we can do with technology, the goal is how can we engage with consumers. How can we help brands to increase their brand health. A good exercice would be: what can we keep of the last 10 internet years, what should we say goodbye to and which new elements do we need. Looking forward, not looking back is the idea, isn’t it.