Week Five: The O2: A Seamless Brand

            

            Most people in our society are fascinated by advertising media whether it is TV, press, radio or digital. Everyone loves experiences and being involved in something - from festivals and gigs through to shopping and community activities. Media convergence has become a necessity for brands if they want to survive in the rapidly ever changing times we live in and recently, we have seen many brands using cleverly targeted new ideas using a combination of all media channels to drive engagement of their audience through giving them 'unique experiences'. Digital has penetrated and changed the lives of the average consumer, giving marketers many opportunities to create emotional connections and relationships with consumers on many levels. It is important that brands realise that if they want to be effective they cannot treat digital as a separate channel to other marketing activities; there is a real need to integrate digital branding strategies into the already established activities to provide positive brand experiences and capture the consumer, building a long term and loyal customer base. Cummings (2011) feels that "the focus should be on delivering a consistent and seamless brand experience across all media including, if relevant, the physical environment" (See article here). Furthermore, he feels that this is becoming ever more important with time, as the digital platforms and indeed the consumers using them are becoming more sophisticated and demanding. By creating exciting and engaging brand experiences, the evolving digital community can be used to create hype and word of mouth, an extremely powerful promotion tool if it can be generated effectively. 

    "Instead of trying to spread inside-out brand-first positioning messages, 

     they search for an outside-in community-first 'social heartbeat' that

     connects the brand values with the passions shared by the community

     members" (Mishra, 2011).

         Mobile technology advances are predicted to create even more seamless brand engagement in the future through convergence. This is why I have chosen to look at O2 as a brand to demonstrate the innovative new ways brands are creating a 'seamless brand experience'.

           O2 as a brand stands out, for me, as a huge innovator and leader in its industry in terms of audience engagement and relationship building through the convergence of existing marketing activities and digital branding strategies. I, myself, am an O2 subscriber so have experienced first hand some of the brand's strategies. I'd also like to share that, in my opinion, they work extremely well especially for creating brand loyalty and when my mobile subscription finishes at the end of the month I can safely say I will be renewing it with them. O2 has been recognised as a leader in 'mobile music and event base mobile interactive services'; with its rewards to customers for brand loyalty, its use of the latest mobile technology and its commitment to music and entertainment. The brand accomplishes this by not only being a mobile network provider, but as we all know, owning the O2 Arena in London and also O2 Academy music venues across the country. I think the biggest use of convergence in terms of brand loyalty for O2 has been the creation of O2 priority ticket services for all O2 venues and premium customer status at the O2 Arena (for me this is the biggest perk for being on O2, being a huge music lover). This service allows all O2 subscribers access to purchase tickets for any events at the venues 48 hours before general release with options only available to them through their O2 network handsets. 

       As an O2 subscriber there are also many other perks when you visit the O2 Arena. Firstly, a promotional code allows you access to the Blueroom (pictured on the right) which is a VIP lounge for O2 users only. I can speak for O2 when I say it really is a huge advantage; it's A LOT quieter and more relaxed than the rest of an arena on an event night, there are no queues at the bars compared to the huge queues you face at the other bars on location and the experience genuinely does make you feel special and a valued customer. You really are rewarded for your loyalty to O2 with the experience. In the VIP bar there is also a Jukebox where users can user their handsets to choose tracks from plasma TVs, where they will receive a text. At the O2 they have created an installation giving customers the chance to create a personalised music video. By using a touch interface visitors can choose the video they want to appear starring in and perform in the green screen booth. The video is then sent to phone or email enabling them to upload this to a social media channel. 

Judges of the Mobile Interactive Group where O2 won 'Best Use of Mobile' in 2007 said "the campaign was ground breaking and encompassed all touch-points to fully engage the audience! and that !it manages more than any other UK mobile campaign to put mobile at the centre of the overall experience" (See article here). 

The O2 has also created interactive installations, alongside interactive agency, New Toy, called 'SnapBooths' in O2 Academy venues across the country. They allow for visitors (O2 and non O2 subscribers) to share their gig experience with their friends and family after the event using experiential, digital, mobile and social networking platforms. The fan is invited to take their photo in a booth with a touch screen interface, where the photo is then sent to a photo wall with a set of digital screens displaying revolving images. It is also sent to their mobile phones and afterwards uploaded to the venues Facebook group so their experience can be shared online using social media. 

Another example of O2's convergence of digital media strategies into their marketing is the sponsorship of the iPhone, Android and Blackberry App, Shazam. It allows O2 to deliver highly targeted ads for its Priority Tickets service to Shazam users by advertising pre-sales based on the music they have tagged through the App. The ads are delivered through a variety of formats including standard banners and integrated links. Shazam is the leading music discovery app, achieving global success with over 50 million users - this made Shazam a natural choice for O2 wishing to engage with their music loving audience.

O2 have managed to create an extremely strong brand position in many markets by convergence, using traditional advertising methods with mobile, digital technologies, experience and have seen the opportunities in creating great customer experiences that will engage consumers who use social media that builds the brand reputation.

The world of advertising and marketing is about to get even more exciting, and with its rapid change and rate of innovation, students like myself as  the future of the industry need to keep learning and stay well informed if we want to be in demand.