WARC’s US Editor discusses how JetBlue, Dell and Nestlé Purina are dealing with digital, why content matters, and the future for social networking

 

Even on Day 2 of the Ad:Tech gathering, people were talking about the monstrous deluge of weather – lightning, clouds and, of course, winds – that slammed into Chicago earlier in the week. Travel was so uncertain that it was never clear when, or if, anyone would arrive.

 

So, it was no surprise that Wednesday keynoter Brad Jakeman had missed author and consultant Clay Shirky’s articulation of consumer empowerment in a digital age the night before.

 

In fact, the message that Jakeman was about to deliver was much the same one that Shirky had shared; when a slide of a JetBlue tailfin popped onto the screens bookending the speakers’ stage, there was the ever-so-slight blush of embarrassment. In a vast digital universe of consumer connectivity, the two speakers had used the same example.

 

There was, however, one key difference: yesterday afternoon, Shirky had mocked and skewered JetBlue. This morning, Jakeman was shouting its praises. The former executive vp/marketing for Federated Department Stores and Citibank marketing chief cited JetBlue as a best multi-platform practitioner and used the carrier to illustrate his primary thesis:

 

“Technology has enabled more ways to talk to more consumers more often … according to Forrester research The social networking marketing will grow to a $6.9bn business by 2012, mobile marketing will be at $2.8bn, search will be triple to $25bn, and online video will grow to $7.1bn as marketers have a vast array of media available to us.”

 

“However, as I am working with a number of large American companies to understand how to leverage this vast array of new media, there’s a concerning trend that I’m seeing … There’ve never been more communication channels available. But it’s never been harder to connect with consumers.”

 

To be fair, the JetBlue case history that Jakeman narrated was a tale with a beginning (research that revealed a need), a middle (a consumer-friendly campaign by JWT that encouraged customer participation), and an end (happy fliers on a happy airline).

 

A spot from the JetBlue campaign

 

“As most of you who have ever been on a plane in the U.S. know,” Jakeman explained, “over the years the industry has sucked whatever glamour and joy there was in air travel right out of it. Not only in there no joy, but in most cases domestic U.S. travel is a hideous experience to be avoided wherever possible ... You can spend over a thousand dollars on a trans-continental ticket in the U.S. and not even be served a sandwich. It’s dire. The industry has driven so much e

WARC’s US Editor discusses how JetBlue, Dell and Nestlé Purina are dealing with digital, why content matters, and the future for social networking

 

Even on Day 2 of the Ad:Tech gathering, people were talking about the monstrous deluge of weather – lightning, clouds and, of course, winds – that slammed into Chicago earlier in the week. Travel was so uncertain that it was never clear when, or if, anyone would arrive.

 

So, it was no surprise that Wednesday keynoter Brad Jakeman had missed author and consultant Clay Shirky’s articulation of consumer empowerment in a digital age the night before.

 

In fact, the message that Jakeman was about to deliver was much the same one that Shirky had shared; when a slide of a JetBlue tailfin popped onto the screens bookending the speakers’ stage, there was the ever-so-slight blush of embarrassment. In a vast digital universe of consumer connectivity, the two speakers had used the same example.

 

There was, however, one key difference: yesterday afternoon, Shirky had mocked and skewered JetBlue. This morning, Jakeman was shouting its praises. The former executive vp/marketing for Federated Department Stores and Citibank marketing chief cited JetBlue as a best multi-platform practitioner and used the carrier to illustrate his primary thesis:

 

“Technology has enabled more ways to talk to more consumers more often … according to Forrester research The social networking marketing will grow to a $6.9bn business by 2012, mobile marketing will be at $2.8bn, search will be triple to $25bn, and online video will grow to $7.1bn as marketers have a vast array of media available to us.”

 

“However, as I am working with a number of large American companies to understand how to leverage this vast array of new media, there’s a concerning trend that I’m seeing … There’ve never been more communication channels available. But it’s never been harder to connect with consumers.”

 

To be fair, the JetBlue case history that Jakeman narrated was a tale with a beginning (research that revealed a need), a middle (a consumer-friendly campaign by JWT that encouraged customer participation), and an end (happy fliers on a happy airline).

 

A spot from the JetBlue campaign

 

“As most of you who have ever been on a plane in the U.S. know,” Jakeman explained, “over the years the industry has sucked whatever glamour and joy there was in air travel right out of it. Not only in there no joy, but in most cases domestic U.S. travel is a hideous experience to be avoided wherever possible ... You can spend over a thousand dollars on a trans-continental ticket in the U.S. and not even be served a sandwich. It’s dire. The industry has driven so much