Digital Marketing; a recent phenomenon as far as marketing is concerned. With the invent of social media on a large scale, using the available tools for marketing purposes was a sure banker, sooner or later, but faster for some countries than others. This, of course, is largely due to the growth of ecosystems in various parts of the world. I’m a sucker for digital, and brands using digital to meet KPI’s and convert customers and users, so there is indeed need for this article, and I hope every marketing manager gets to read.
Reading digital stories is a pretty amazing sight. Some of the most amazing brand stories have been told digitally. Brands are also throwing a large chunk of their marketing budget into digital and it makes so much sense. Not to undermine the importance of traditional media, but by far and wide, digital marketing seems to be the in thing. Every tom, dick and harry is on one form of social media platform or the other – hence the need to pay keen attention to the digital side of marketing.
Over the years, we’ve seen loads of amazing digital campaigns from the world’s best brands. I’d highlight a few:
The Ice-Bucket Challenge:
It’s not every day that a social media campaign entices 17 million people to post videos on Facebook and also generates $115 million in charitable donations within 6 weeks. The Ice Bucket Challenge was a game-changer. In the summer of 2014, it compelled millions to dump water on their heads, post a video of it online and challenge friends to do the same in lieu of a $100 donation to the ALS Association. The funny thing is, this campaign wasn’t put together by ALS but they were quick to jump on it.
Airbnb – #LiveThere
Airbnb really shook up the hospitality sector in the past year or so. “Live there” focused on encouraging people to live like a local in their countries of destination. In truth, it was much more than just a social media marketing campaign with the accommodation giant using 3D technology to deliver a new style of visual advertising. The campaign video received 11 million views on Facebook, 56,000 likes and 5,200 comments. With smart design and a message that spoke to their audience, Airbnb really hit the sweet spot on digital and beyond.
Coca Cola – Share a Coke, Taste The Feeling
From time, Coca-Cola has been dishing us with some of the most amazing and heartwarming digital campaigns. Sometime in 2015, they definitely won the online space with their Share a Coke campaign that had everyone searching for their names on bottles. This of course started on digital and went offline. Towards the end of 2015, there was Share The Feeling – bottles with smileys that conveyed diverse emotions and messages. Hands down, Coca-Cola has served some of the best digital campaigns ever seen.
These are just a few of some significant marketing campaigns to have hit the digital space. The question is, are Ghanaian brands leaving digital footprints for the populace? And if they are, which agencies are spearheading these efforts.
Are Ghanaian Brands leaving footprints?
Writing this article was quite difficult due to the lack of data on digital, but I still conquered the odds and did my best writing this as articulately and accurate as possible.
Ghanaian brands are really trying. I’ve encountered marketing units from some of the biggest brands and seen how they want XYZ delivered with a budget of 3000 GHs. It sounds funny I know, but it’s true, hurtful and disappointing. And this is not good for the growth of Ghana’s digital space.
Some agencies are, however, doing some of their best work regardless of the daily hurdles faced. I’m particularly a fan of Ringier Digital and some of the good work they’re doing. Of course, they’re of Nigerian origin with offices in Ghana. They’re behind some of the digital efforts for brands such as RUSH Energy & UT Bank. One of the few agencies that do full digital marketing and not one of those social media trend agencies.
In the middle of my research, I came across a company of young enthusiasts, WebTek digital. From their website, they seem to be empowering SME’s with their top of the line solutions and I must admit, they’re doing some really good work. They even go as far as SEO and user content generation with their services. Young team also!
Can’t go without giving 3rd-floor digital a nod for their valiant efforts in the Ghanaian digital space. With clients like Imperial Leather, Nourish Lab Smoothy’s, Peak and Thermocool, they must be doing something right. They also seem to be a full-service digital firm, offering the full 360 digital services. Good one guys!
I also have to give Now Available Africa a huge nod! They’ve executed some of the most innovative digital campaigns and taken so many companies digital. Some of their clients include Nescafe, Access Bank, CFAO, Tigo etc. They’ve won numerous awards at Ghana’s premier advertising award show, Gong-gong awards, for some of their outstanding work!
The above-mentioned brands seem to be leading the pack when it comes to digital. It’s also important to give a notable mention to InnovaDDB, Ogilvy & Mather etc. They’ve also put in some good work over the years.
One problem lingers on though – Documentation!!
Some of the campaigns run are poorly documented. A quick search of coca cola’s campaigns, or oreo’s or Airbnb’s’, produces loads of results. That goes a long way to show the effect they had on the populace and across all platforms distributed on. Digital marketing agencies in Ghana need to do better with documenting the footprints of the brands they work on. Not only does this help for posterity sake, but it helps in measuring the growth achieved over time.
With time, the number of users on digital will only rise, it’s up to the digital agencies to rise up to the occasion and document better! The time is now!
The time is now!
