I saw the lecture “Data is the New Black” by Theresa Lamontagne. Lamontagne discussed the impact and importance of data on advertising. Lamontagne is in charge of analytics and insight, and is a managing partner at MEC Global (MECGlobal.com).
Lamontagne said that her position in analytics at MEC is about discovery, evaluation, data, and technology. She wants to understand people. Lamontagne’s job is to figure out the way consumers think and live. Do consumers look at the world in a positive or negative light? What kind of statements do they agree with or disagree with? Are they generally very busy? Knowing a consumer’s life and values is imperative to coming up with the perfect advertising strategy.
Furthermore, it is important to understand how consumers interact with media through which they could be reached with ads. When, where, and why are consumers engaging with certain media? Do they watch the morning news? Do they listen to the radio on the way to work? Do they watch TV after school? Figuring out when and where to reach a target audience is just as important as figuring out the right message.
Research aims to not only find out about the consumer, but also about the competition. Where else are consumers going? What can we do to make them want this product? Essentially, what makes people choose one thing over another? The company uses this research to develop a strategy to gain business lost to other companies. It may also find what it needs to do to set itself apart from the competition.
Research analysis provides strong insights about what type of advertising would be most effective. Lamontagne gave an example about how powerful the right message can be when she discussed advertising a tube of wax that goes on lips. She said that the way Burt’s Bees chap-stick is advertised and the way Chanel lipstick is advertised are completely different because they are appealing to different audiences with different values. Even though the products are essentially the same, the connotations associated with each brand, created through advertising, are distinct and correlate to different consumer values. I had never thought about brands like that before. Similarly, in terms of makeup, BareMinerals is considered au-natural and MAC is considered heavy and trendy. However, they are both made of the same stuff and have the same function. The thing that is the most different between the two makeup brands is the way in which they are advertised.
This lecture made me realize how critical research is to advertising. Advertising is so much more than creating a clever ad. It is about knowing the consumer and the consumer’s life. Developments in research have led to powerful and precise ads because companies are able to use consumer values to create strategies and messages that resonate. This concept can be extended to branding which attaches consumer values to a company or product. I had never given much thought to the power of branding before, but this lecture made me realize how consumers look to products and brands to align with and affirm their values, image, and lifestyle. Although it is strange to think about, brands do have statuses and values associated with them. Being able to understand consumers helps advertisers determine what they want from a product or brand, and how to frame their advertisements so as to fulfill those desires.