Are You Taking Me Hostage? You Could Call it That
Right, wrong, or indifferent Heineken got their name out there in Skyfall. They have been
historically a part of the franchise and have always been the antagonists' drink of choice. Having Bond laying of a beach sipping a Heineken is not what avid users wanted to see noting on twitter such trends as #skyfail. Fail or fall; Heineken made a large move in a huge way. They focused on their point of differentiation; their love for everything Bond and their history embracing the brands every motto.
How to Change: Grab Life by the Bottle
According to Scott from "Real Time Marketing"; attitude change is most easily thrown off by fear. Fear that Bond has always done something a certain way or drank a specific drink makes this change both uncertain and potentially. But rather, one must this brand into perspective. Bond has never done anything that is "safe". He runs through rooftops being shot at from any direction and can easily doge a rouge Subway train (spoiler alert if there ever was one!) The brand needs to evolve with its consumers and offer a new take on how to view their long term growth plans. Heineken helped with the funding of a movie that potentially was going to be shut down due to poor planning or just a little bit too many explosives (if that's even possible). How to adjust to this change and Skyfall dilemma, just ask Heineken. I'm sure they'd say just grab life by the bottle.
Real Time Media: The Next 007 Generation
In the reading by David Meerman (The New Rules of PR and Marketing), he speaks about how it is
important to have real-time information. The idea of planning long term is out of style. People have the internet at their very fingertips and no longer need to wait for one source to publish what they are looking for. If you do not provide the stories, videos, or photos; you might as well kiss your fan base goodbye. No other company better understands this. 007 has been rooted in the very make-up of our movie industry. They are one of the longest lasting entities that seem to be able to survive the changes or Bonds. Enduring the storm, they have learned what works and what doesn't work. Their site mirrors this very idea. Interactive games, viral video campaigns, merchandise, and a section dedicated entirely to news could not be a better explain. What do you say about a man like Bond? Let the moment decide. The next example from the reading by David Meerman (The New Rules of PR and
Marketing), introduces the idea of understanding the audience first and then working to satisfy their informational needs. By thinking like a publisher, Bond is able to create media that drives action. It focuses on the customer's needs and delivers the content accordingly. A Bond user is looking for explosions, sex, love, and guns. The ultimate action movie with incredibly attractive men and women. They understand what needs to be included in their short 2-3 hour window. Months of filming go into this successful implementation and ultimately in providing the customer what they want. It's everything you can expect, including an exploding pen.
The Death of the Traditional Company
Connectivity is changing the way consumers interact with their products and services. A company can no longer offer one way of doing business, but rather they must exploit all avenues including social platforms, smartphones, and internet based software. People can now work from their home sipping hot chocolate and sitting in footed pj's. Distance and physical work space are no longer required to be essential parts of the workplace. Companies need to adapt or fear the death of their profit margins and shareholder investments. Blockbuster is a prime example of a company that failed to see this change. This video-rental
chain survived the change from VHS to DVD, but failed to adapt to companies such as Netflix. They were not able to stay current and figure out how to fulfill the customer's new needs. The firm continues to close hundreds of stores and is trying to work off some of their debt incurred. They are now chasing a growing gap that they've formed for themselves within the industry. If they were able to adapt their marketing plan to the something that offered cheaper options and online streaming; they would've had a fighting chance. Word to the wise; don't be the last movers and take some risk- it just may pay off.