Each day, whether we realize it or not, we participate in strategically planned encounters. From the mundane activities – such as sitting in traffic – to the more exciting – like seeing the latest movie in theaters – we’re constantly facing a barrage of advertisements, brand mentions and product placements.
The level of daily interactions with various brands is thanks to the carefully orchestrated plans of those in the marketing industry. CMO’s are the conductors, and the skilled teams that surround them are like the classical musicians in the orchestra. Drawing parallels between the two industries is easy, as both require expert-level planning, execution and continuation of a shared experience between creator and consumer. Plus, a marketer’s dedication to strategy, impact and experience mirror a musician’s journey from conceptualization to rehearsal and performance.
Strategy
Dedication and commitment is critical to crossing the finish line in any endeavor – whether performing a concert piece, running a marathon or launching a new marketing campaign – that can only be achieved with intentional planning and preparation. A high-quality, finished product is largely determined by those initial, preparatory efforts.
Even before a musician’s fingers touch keys or use a bow to glide over strings, a specific plan is formulated. While it is important to envision and prepare for the final performance, the roots of success only grow after dissecting each element of the piece. Music is a collaboration among composer, performer, audience and instrument, all of which may have been in place for a very long time.
Marketers take the same approach. By using research to form a strategy to reach your target audience, a blueprint for success is developed. Specific tactics or campaign elements can be built from the strategy, all culminating in paid, earned, social and organic media efforts to form a truly integrated campaign. This allows for the impact on the audience to be maximized, but only as a result of a carefully curated strategy developed at the outset.
Impact
All musicians face the challenge of performing a composition before an audience who may have already heard many live performances of it. While the notes of the piece are unchangeable, the reaction of the audience is not. The challenge for performers is to create a personal impact for each individual, and the key method of accomplishing this is nuance. Nuances are subtle shades of a palette, creating depth, influencing perception and setting the work apart.
Nuances in music might be revealed in the manner used to approach the notes or the unique interpretation of musical phrases. For marketers, nuance is developed in both concept and execution. This is why constant customization and flexibility is important when perfecting the campaign and in order to reach your target audience. Placing your messaging in front of your audience in a way that is native and natural to them is critical. Nuance comes into play in the way, location and method in which messages are delivered. The key is making your audience feel like you are talking specifically to, and only to, them.
Experience
Even after a musician has rehearsed and perfected the piece, there is still some apprehension prior to translating this preparation into a live performance. Hours upon hours of preparation culminate into one unified experience. Stage presence, mental preparation and improvisation become the backup plans if an unexpected issue arises. The planned, rehearsed and strategized delivery and experience are second nature by now, but the way the audience experiences the piece is still yet to be determined.
In today’s rapid-paced, distracted world, marketers are keen on crafting brand experiences that resonate with consumers each and every time. Approaching every campaign, advertisement, or consumer-brand interaction as an opportunity to leave an impact lays a foundation for excellence and lasting company success.
Marketing, like music, requires careful planning, a nuanced approach to development and thoughtful, but intentional execution. If a musician skipped any of these components, the performance would certainly leave the audience wondering about the abilities and talent of the performer. For marketers, the consequences are just as grave – leaving consumers disconnected from, or with negative feelings towards, your brand.