My keynote presentation from TEDxUniversityofMacedonia. Through my talk, I tried to bridge the gap between brands and consumers. My goal is to describe how hard it is for a marketer to do the right campaign to advertise a product in consumers that come from very different generations. [2018]

1. AN
ADVERTISER’S
JOURNEY
IN A NON
LINEAR
WORLD

2. How on earth do we connect with consumers?
THE
ETERNAL
QUESTION
FOR EVERY
AD MAN
EVER

3. By creating
consumer journeys
that build bridges
between brands
and consumers.

4. ADLIFE IN 2001 WAS A
BIT MORE LINEAR
BRIEF STRATEGY CREATIVE PRODUCTION
TV
RADIO
PRINT
OUTDOOR

5. Consumers today are
using multiple devices
to learn, compare,
share, consume and
make purchasing
decisions.

6. Consumers expect
companies to know who
they are and what
information they need,
regardless of where and
how the interaction
takes place.

7. Consumers think
that roughly 80% of
what a brand has to
say is irrelevant,
according to a
recent IBM study.
Source: https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/46454.wss

8. ADLIFE IN 2018 IT’S NOT SO LINEAR
THE
CONSUMER
JOURNEY
Explore Online
When a desire arises, a consumer might
not now where that specific need comes
from. Nowadays the search for a solution
often starts online, mainly to gather
information and to examine different
options that are available.
Attraction
An attraction to a brand, product or store
can be enhanced by reaching out to the
consumer at the right touch point with the
right targeted message.
Travel
This is the moment that the
consumer consciously makes the
decisions to search and travel in
order to obtain a product. This
can be online as well as offline
Move
During the travel stage the consumer comes
into contact with various touch-points.
These touch-points can make a significant
difference on the decision making process
Interest
If the consumer well through all the
previous steps, his or her interest has been
peaked. Online or offline, the consumer is
now gaining the decisive information to
make the final decision. During this stage
the consumer may be intrigued by various
other stimuli. Sometimes the consumer
also goes through a “compare-phase”
where the indivudal might research the
other options and/or options first
Visit
The visit to the online web shop or the physical store does not only include the presence of
the customer in a store but also the buying intention. This is an important stage where the
consumer must be persuaded to go through the next steps of the consumer journey.
Promotions, availability of information and the customer service can all be crucial for the
final decision. The right omnichannel strategy could positively influence the buying
intention.
Inspiration
In-store design and positioning of a product are very
important, online as well as offline. Consumers should be
amazed and inspired by the offers and the product
presentation. Digital media can inspire consumers by
visualizing product possibilities, sharing experiences and
encouraging cross-selling and upselling.
Temptations
Different impulses can alter the results
significantly. The right combination of digital
media, scent, lighting and music can trigger and
tempt the consumer at multiple levels.
Action
The consumer is now convinced. This phase
describes the actual purchase of a product or
service. Enhance the service at the Point-of-Sale to
increase the experience, a fancy package or an
exclusive membership could benefit the overall
experience a customer has when buying at your
store. This increases the likehood that this person
will come back to you.
Relation
An excellent service and a store that meets all of the
expectations can lead to an interesting with the
customer. With the right loyalty program a brand can
stimulate sales with targeted advertising such as
email or mobile marketing. Special promotions that
generate traffic to the shop can be used cleverly with
digital advertsing. A more person al approach
becomes imperative for some stores and brands to
grow the relation, so your customer becomes loyal to
you.
Share
With online media, the so-called Share Stage has become
absolutely crucial. Experiences with a brand are increasingly
shared via social media. By promoting a product or brand in a
social network, a proper customer base can be established,
providing that the target group is rightly approached.
Experience
The consumer goes through many emotional processes
after a purchase. During a purchase a perfect delivery
service and communication is expected. With the in-store
purchase, the consumer
is directly in possession of the product, this does not
necessarily mean hat the service of a store needs to
decline directly afterwards. Expectations that have been
created need to be exceeded on order
to impress a customer, especially for orders done online.

9. Online Purchase Journey
Across the Generations
Gen X Baby BoomersGen Z Millennials
Gen Z and Millennials
furthest ahead of average
for vlogs & mobile apps
GLOBAL AVERAGES
% WHO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BRANDS OR PRODUCTS VIA THE FOLLOWING
Search engines
Social networks
Consumer reviews
Product/brand websites
Price comparison websites
50%
41%
35%
30%
25%
Search engines
TV ads
Word-of-mouth
Online ads
Brand/product site
36%
35%
32%
31%
26%
Brand Research
Millennials most likely
to seek expert opinion
before purchasing
57% 59% 57% 49%
VLOGS
ahead of average
of Gen Z turn to
social media
47%
GLOBAL AVERAGES
% WHO DISCOVER BRANDS OR
PRODUCTS VIA THE FOLLOWING
Brand Discovery
Print media and TV
more effective for
Baby Boomers
Online ads (34%)
better than TV ads
(31%) for reaching
Gen Z
Opportunity for
Influencer Marketing
for Millennials & Gen Z
Social
recommendations
more impactful
among Millennials
24% 27%
DISCOVERY VIA
CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS
CELEBRITY
NETWORKERS
TV ADS
45%
DISCOVERY VIA
PRINTED MEDIA
+31%
over index
+29% +19%
ahead of average
+24% +23% 71% 65%
MOBILE APPS
ahead of average
+20% +16%

10. LET’S TRY SOMETHING
TOGETHER

11. I WILL PRETEND I AM RUNNING A CATERING BUSINESS
FOR TEDxUoM2018

12. MY GOAL
TO RUN
OUT
OF FOOD

13. MY MOTTO
JUST
EAT IT!

14. Z M X B
AGED 16-20 AGED 21-34 AGED 35-53 AGED 54-64

15. B
AGED 54-64
Question authority
Historically driven focus on self
Rely on their social circles for information
Respond to the word “you” in marketing
Willing to try new things
Will search for product information online
Prefer face-to-face communication when possible
Discounts and bargain deals appeal to this generation

16. X
AGED 35-53
Individualistic and self-reliant
Interested in all things healthy
Love authenticity and sincerity in companies
Seek product information
Don’t respond to a “one-size fits-all” approach
Avoid hard-core sales tactics
Convince and influence using research and
customer testimonials

17. M
AGED 21-34
Empowered and spontaneous
Want to know you’re marketing to their needs
Like brands that add value/ rewards for interaction
Optimistic about the future
Love sharing brand experiences with others
Have a strong online presence
Use latest technology trends to market to this generation
Ensure emails are compatible for mobile viewing

18. Z
AGED 16-20
Ambitious and collaborative
Technologically savvy
Expect bite-size, real-time messaging
Gravitate to visual, shareable messaging
Expect social, mobile, and local
marketing

19. Z M X B
AGED 16-20 AGED 21-34 AGED 35-53 AGED 54-64
Empowered and spontaneous
Want to know you’re marketing
to their needs
Like brands that add value/
rewards for interaction
Optimistic about the future
Love sharing brand experiences
with others
Have a strong online presence
Use latest technology trends to
market to this generation
Ensure emails are compatible
for mobile viewing
Ambitious and collaborative
Technologically savvy
Expect bite-size, realtime
messaging
Gravitate to visual, shareable
messaging
Expect social, mobile, and local
marketing
Individualistic and self-reliant
Interested in all things healthy
Love authenticity and sincerity
in companies
Seek product information
Don’t respond to a “one-sizefits-
all” approach
Avoid hard-core sales tactics
Convince and influence using
research and customer
testimonials
Question authority
Historically driven focus on self
Rely on their social circles for
information
Respond to the word “you” in
marketing
Willing to try new things
Will search for product
information online
Prefer face-to-face
communication when possible
Discounts and bargain deals
appeal to this generation

20. IN A NUTSHELL
WE MUST COMMUNICATE
THE RIGHT MESSAGE,
TO THE RIGHT AUDIENCE,
AT PRECISELY THE RIGHT
TIME.
TO BRIDGE THE GAP
BETWEEN GENERATIONS