Marketing Association's annual Digital Day Out conference took place on November 2 at Cordis in Auckland New Zealand's best marketers and innovators came together for a jam-packed day of collaboration and creativity. Here's a glimpse into what went down.

The digital marketing ecosystem is a hot topic at the moment, with the growth of new media channels, marketing in an age of privacy, and pursuing digital innovation high on every business’ list of priorities. So, what did the 25 experts speaking at DDO have to say on some of these issues?

E-Commerce: The new name of the game at L‘Oréal

Timo Raab, Global Head of E-Commerce at L’Oréal, kicked off the summit and delivered an international keynote. He discussed L’Oréal’s latest e-commerce and social commerce initiatives, such as partnering with Amazon and Alibaba, entering the metaverse, and using Voice.

Raab touched on what it takes to transform an international retail brand digitally and how brands can embrace new technologies and channels to engage a new generation of consumers.

Leveraging Tik Tok in your marketing strategy

When it comes to new media channels, all marketers have an opinion on where TikTok fits. Incorporating this channel into marketing strategies can be key to a strong campaign, but as Hayden Skelton, Head of Digital at ZURU Group, says, marketers need to know how to leverage the platform and successfully retain viewers to make it work.

Sam Stuchbury, Creative Director & Founder at Motion Sickness, cites TikTok as a channel that allows brands to move away from a stuffy corporate role into something more relatable. Stuchbury also explains that it is essential for businesses to understand the algorithm in order to be a “TikTok Titan” and to retain viewership in the app.

“The algorithm is different to other platforms in the sense that it delivers your content that you're going to watch for the longest period of time,” he says.

Leveraging social media creators on TikTok can also help brands promote a product with a great reach in an organic way.

Solving the post-cookie puzzle

Navigating the challenges that will arise post-cookie was a top priority for digital marketers at the Digital Day Out. With Google phasing out cookies in 2024, there is an inevitable sense of urgency creeping in.

Apple's iOS14 update gave consumers the choice to opt out of data sharing, and Timo Raab, Global Head of E-Commerce at L’Oréal, says that this has caused consumers to become more conscious about the data they share, as well as company activity and how brands are using their data. Allowing consumers to opt out of sharing their cookies has made it more difficult to engage consumers and check their data.

As Raab explained, consumers are becoming more conscious of their data and want a benefit in exchange for giving it away. He adds: “Research shows 61% of consumers would only share data if it's really necessary for the functionality of what they want to do.”

A panel debating Privacy in the age of Performance agreed that cookies and data collection need to provide a holistic experience to consumers and instil trust in a business. In a separate talk with CX leaders, Meghan White, Tribe Lead Consumer Digital, Westpac, says: “Communicating with consumers and constantly having that one-on-one understanding is crucial to make sure that we are giving them the information that they need to have trust in us.”

Understanding your consumers’ needs

While most marketers would agree that a strong digital marketing campaign combines creativity with technology, doing so is easier said than done. In fact, 87% of APAC digital leaders say that they're facing even more challenges in earning customer trust than before the pandemic (Adobe Trust Report 2022: APAC). White adds that marketers need to know and understand their customers to be able to take them on a journey.

“You need to have the data, you need to understand your customer, and you need the tools to allow you to have continual conversations and put that information contextually in front of consumers so that you make the right decisions,” says White.

Another panel of tech entrepreneurs agreed consumers can be incredibly vocal about what they like - and what they don't - and this means more fear for businesses to manage a constant temperament. This ties in with what Raab said earlier: “You need to have a very, very strong brand that consumers are actively searching for and that meets their social needs.”

For more content from the Digital Day Out 2022, visit the Marketing Association Resource Hub. 

Written by Tifaine Ellis, Clear Hayes Consulting