MIAMI, FL: Brands and agencies should embrace "re-aggregated" marketing if they want to thrive in the digital age, according to Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Strategist at Publicis Groupe.

Tobaccowala discussed the need for a shift in approach at the 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies) 2016 Transformation conference.

More specifically, he pointed to Google and Facebook as potential illustrations of what "re-aggregated" marketing might look like in practice.

Such digital properties represent useful examples for brands as they are able to track behaviour at the individual level, but also pool that information to construct a holistic picture of large audiences.

"There are pieces of mince that you have to put together to get a hamburger. That's re-aggregated marketing," Tobaccowala said. (For more, including further tips for agencies, read Warc's exclusive report: Tobaccowala: Agency model broken.)

"With re-aggregated marketing, if you offer a fantastic experience, you put a spear out and they come and impale themselves on it."

But consistently offering utility, services and compelling experiences to consumers will demand a meaningful alteration in strategic thinking across the industry.

"We still think in the stupid old way of fragmented marketing. In traditional marketing – which we still do – you start with a cow and you get a steak," Tobaccowala said.

This model is based on principles forged when there was a restricted number of media channels, and a limited amount of ways to reach consumers.

"The traditional advertising business," Tobaccowala continued, "basically was built around the world with a few television channels, a few magazines [and] lots of newspapers."

While the advent of more precise targeting seemingly presents a solution, it can ultimately result in "segmented marketing", Tobaccowala warned.

"You find somebody and you throw a bunch of spears at them," he said. "I don't understand why [traditional agencies] send so many messages. Traditional [advertising] is like pissing in the wind: You don't know what's happening."

Data sourced from Warc