7. Do integrate activity, but don’t complicate things
10. Do protect from disruption, but don’t complicate your model
Increased consumer engagement creates chatter, leading to higher
customer involvement and a better return on investment. British high
street retailer Marks & Spencer beautifully illustrated this point with their
Follow the Fairies Christmas campaign for 2014: the retailer used the
social media hashtag #followthefairies to create goodwill awareness
for the festive period, resulting in 28,000 new social media followers.
Disruptors in the form of start-ups are p otential threats to major corporate structures in today’s business world. Preparing for and adapting
to challenges in the digital space through involvement, evolution, and
improvement will ensure businesses don’t meet the same tragic fate as
former video rental giant Blockbuster—overthrown by Netflix’s simple
idea to improve a service.
8. Do amplify your assets, but don’t share lolcats
Businesses are ultimately defined by what they put out into the social
media landscape, so it is crucial that content is not just meaningful, but
appeals to consumers in the way it is intended to. Successfully leverage
digital business by creating value exchange that consumers want.
9. Do measure, but don’t forget to change
A recent survey revealed that 56% of companies rate data analytics
as extremely important to their annual strategy, and rightly so. But
even though these data pockets are crucial to business improvement,
flexibility in the face of major change or adversity should always be a
top priority for any company.
Ben Hart
Professor of Marketing
BSc, University of Auckland
Professor Hart is a digital thought
leader with a track record of helping
brands and organizations realize the
potential available to them from leveraging digital opportunity. Alongside
running a successful consultancy,
Atmosphere, Ben has worked with
high-profile clients including AMEX,
Adidas, and Procter & Gamble, and
produced the first interactive commercial broadcast in the U.K.
hult.edu | 15