UKNM: FMCG marketing on the web and how to do it (was money / drain)

[Ray Taylor]

Edd Dumbill <

eddusefulinc [dot] com

> said:


>To my mind, there's a good reason why there aren't any FMCG sites of any

>use -- few users would ever want them.  It's a bit like asking why there

>aren't there any popular mainstream magazines/tv shows/newspapers run by

>a consumer brand.

>

<snip>

>

>Surely what makes sense for the brands is to buy ad space/sponsorship on

>web publications that users actually do find useful/interesting and that

>are connected in some way if possible with the product they're offering.


I agree. Brands should be better used on good quality content-rich sites.

Sponsorship has yet to be used effectively and consistently for building a

client brand. But I do not agree that banners can't be used for the same

purpose, though in a more limited way. The problem with banners and branding

is, as I have said before, too many people don't know how to do it and are

bound by the US model which is all about traffic, traffic, traffic.


But the other thing I think clients should be prepared to do (I have argued

this point with several, and so far without success) is to create sites, or

micro-sites for specific, short-lived brand campaigns, and fronted either by

banners or other brand presense on content sites. These would need to be

used together with banners and/or other kinds of content site sponsorship.


>I for one just want to _eat_ chocolate, not spend minutes wasting my

>phone bill looking at animated Smarties.


If a chocolate brand (or more likely their ad agency) asked me to propose an

approach on the web, I would suggest a focus on trading choc eaters up to a

quality brand for gifts and own consumption (adults of course).


Many years ago a multi-billion pound market was created for piss-weak lagers

(Grolsh, Sol, etc) in fancy bottles, aimed at young men more interested in

preserving their sleek physiques than getting pissed. Clearly didn't work on

me in either respect.


Why can't this be done with chocolate (high-value, low-volume product, fancy

packaging)? And why not on the web?


I guess Cadbury are too busy sinking pots of money into ineffectual cartoon

wraparounds for Northern soaps - but at least the ad/media agencies did well

out of it.


Ray Taylor

eyeconomy - leading online advertising in the UK

+44 208 249 6313 

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