Marketing executives have had to adapt in a world driven by social media writes The Economist. Here’s how they’ve done it:

• When a blackout interrupted the most recent Super Bowl Tide tweeted “”We can’t get your #blackout, but we can get your stains out.” – marketers now have to be quick on their feet and use spot events as a marketing opportunity.
• At the same time marketers also have the opportunity to use data to be more targeted in their advertising. Kleenex targets its ad spending in areas where people are more likely to suffer from colds, and Wall’s ice cream sends ads to phones that are located in warm areas.
• Ads must also be about more than just the product. SpecialK isn’t just a breakfast cereal. It also helps teaches customers about diet, exercise, and overall health.
• The distinction between advertising and content is disappearing. A mobile game can serve as both distraction and advert. A documentary could explore the origins of a product simultaneously giving the product air time, and providing a history lesson.

Read more about how Asia will alter advertising techniques, some of the more creative campaigns that have rolled out, and why marketers are outside of their zone of comfort over here.

Source: The Economist