WHAT WORKS NOW

Changes in marketing happen fast. Keeping pace while maintaining focus is a challenge for even the most forward-thinking of companies. Here's what we see changing and what works now.

1.	Marketing budgets have grown in 2012.
	Marketing teams haven't. Teams remain under pressure to perform. There are no trivial spends as companies continue to press value out of every activity. What works now is demonstrated value. On a modest budget, we recently increased Facebook fans for a client from 30K to 280K+. Facebook fans are twice as likely as non-fans to buy—and they have been.
2.	Welcome to the attention economy.
	Where new platforms steal mindshare from traditional media. What works now is moving quickly. We recently developed a multi-touchpoint program that featured an interactive iBook in place of traditional print media. It was conceived, programmed, filmed, and produced within two weeks, making our client first to market with this new format.
3.	The way people connect to brands is evolving.
	Annual plans can go only so far to predict market conditions a year from now. What works now is planning and pivoting. When a client needed to address a rapidly emerging market segment, OIC was asked to execute a mid-year campaign pivot. Developing a new strategic approach and a multi-touchpoint program, the agency helped the client pivot.
4.	Focus is shifting from creating customer preference to creating customer relevance.
	Concepts that scale are proving to be a bigger barrier to competitors than duking it out over features and benefits. What works now is a big idea. We develop brand ideas that motivate customers and inspire ongoing innovation inside businesses. Our process is born out of our extensive experience and has resulted in meaningful change for major brands.