CMA Summit 2019

THE CMA SUMMIT 2019 CON-TECH-TIVITY Conference report

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS “As producers, commissioners and distributors of content, we need to adapt and flex, we need to learn and evolve in order to meet the very high expectations of our consumers in terms of protection of data, personalised and relevant experiences, video and mobile first, and critically, consistently high quality content.”

Anna Watkins, UK Managing Director Verizon Media

“What is content? There are more than 100 definitions of what content is, but they can be broken down into five main areas: Content as Marketing, Content Landgrab, Content as Pull, Content as Poetics, and Doesn’t Matter.”

Lazar Džamić, co-Author of The Definitive Guide to Strategic Content Marketing

“Purpose in advertising feels a bit like Pokémon – everybody is searching for it but no one really knows why. But if people can feel purpose, if you can enable them, then you really have something.”

Thomas Kolster, Founder, Goodvertising

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WELCOME It’s been four years since the Content Marketing Association (CMA) gathered the industry’s top figures for a day of debate and discussion. In that time, content marketing has developed, evolved and shifted to take in a staggering array of new technology and innovation in all areas of the sector.

Content has become a broad industry, made up of a wide range of agencies creating award-winning work for a huge amount of brands. Key to the success of content marketing is the enthusiasm and knowledge of its agencies and people, who constantly strive to push the discipline forward, producing more and more innovative solutions leading to greater effectiveness and success.

That’s on top of being a constant source of advice and support for the content marketing industry, always staying one step ahead of the relentless shifts in technology and thinking.

To the speakers, panellists, and the many people attending the Summit, thank you for your valuable contributions and engaged presence. You made the event a huge success. To those that couldn’t make it, this report will give you a flavour of the event and the subjects and ideas discussed. To all, we’d love to see you next year.

The 2019 CMA Summit was a forum for these people, a chance for them to debate and discuss the many developments in the industry and unlock the latest thinking in content, in all its forms. Whether it was a deep discussion on the role of data and technology in the creative process or the importance of using content and advertising as a force for good, the ideas and insight not only provided those attending with armfuls of inspiration to take back to the office, but a ‘state of the nation’ snapshot that content marketing practitioners can use as a valuable indicator of the direction the industry is taking.

For the CMA, this Summit was the culmination of many months of hard work, gathering the right people to talk about the right things, and it was a thrilling success. But this is just one part of a packed year at the CMA, a year that will take in exclusive training courses, Digital Breakfast sessions, the Advance Content Briefing Service, and the highly anticipated International Content Marketing Awards.

Catherine Maskell MD, Content Marketing Association

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SESSION 1 The content agency of the future Panellists • Tom Curtis, Managing Partner, MediaCom Beyond Advertising • Luke Southern, Managing Director, DRUM • Mark Stephens, Executive Producer, Storytelling, Lloyds Banking Group • Christine Beardsell, Group Chief Content Officer, C3 Creative Code & Content • Leo Harrison, Global COO, OLIVER

In-house content • Mark Stephens firmly believes that the agency of the future is all about trust rather than format.

Moderator Lazar Džamić, Co-author of The Definitive Guide to Strategic Content Marketing

• The panel agreed that content agencies need to understand why brands are taking their content production in-house. One of the reasons, said Christine Beardsell, is the importance of company culture and shared values.

Following Lazar Džamić’s dynamic keynote speech, in which he dissected the concept of content, throwing open the questions of what content actually is and why we have it, he posed a series of questions to the panel, exploring their thoughts on how content agencies will need to adapt if they are to thrive in the future. Their answers sparked debates on the subjects of the agency business model, in-house content, and measuring the effectiveness of content.

Agency business model • There was a consensus on the panel that, because of a focus on traditional communications, most agencies need to adapt for the future.

• However, since changing an agency’s business model is costly and time-consuming, many current content solutions aren’t always best for the client.

• There’s little doubt that most agencies have an excess of talent, but that talent needs to have the opportunity to realise its potential.

• Luke Southern pointed out that the modern agency needs a broad and diverse mix of people with a broad and diverse range of skills to create content that answers a client’s specific needs.

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• He said: “In-house agencies can be nimble and understand the complexities of the business better than an outside agency, but they need to get new voices and opinions to stay connected with their audiences.”

Measuring the effectiveness of content • Tom Curtis got straight to the point. “You should be measuring the entire campaign rather than individual spends.”

• For Mark Stephens, there are other ways of measuring effectiveness beyond the traditional.

“We focus on the people and what they actually do after consuming our content. These ‘inspired actions’ are a good way to measure effectiveness.”

• However, content campaigns always carry an element of risk, said Luke Southern, and agencies and clients need to accept that.

From new frontiers like Amazon and Blockchain, to debates on in-housing versus traditional agency models, this is the innovation era, which requires ultimate speed and collaboration to survive. We have to move faster than ever, do things we’ve never done, with no blueprint to follow if we want to achieve competitive advantage.

One way agencies can maintain their agility is by outsourcing functions such as social ad production. Platforms and marketplaces that connect brands and agencies to freelancers keeps operational and production costs to a minimum, giving them back the time and capacity to tackle high-margin work.

Lisa Targett, General Manager UK, Tribe

We still seem to be struggling with the same old problems from the past. Despite claiming a ‘customer is at the heart of everything we do’ mindset, there is a lack of meaningful audience insight directing many campaigns, coupled with a general failure to measure effectively (or at all).

The answer requires a shift in how we approach campaigns and work as agencies. At Hattrick, we have moved toward the Google ‘Moments’ approach. Rather than thinking about ‘personas’, we aim to understand customer intent at the given moment so we can provide content that is more tailored, more useful and more measurable.

Jess Matthewman, Head of Innovation and International Development, Hattrick

Millennials need not worry – the multi-hyphenate skillset seems to be key for the employee of the ‘content agency of the future’. Amongst up-skilling and cross-skilling, it’s the case that we all need to be ‘nimble’ and speak a ‘common language’ between technical and creative. To be honest it sounds exhausting!

However, we need to be up for the challenge.

Brands are taking things in-house when agencies aren’t delivering or communicating clearly enough. This means that only the agencies who are willing to put in the legwork, diversifying their staff and skillsets, will push through the noise.

Jenny Hyndman, Digital Manager, Mediaplanet

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SESSION 2 Data and technology: Delivering value Panellists • Justin Kirby, Co-Author of The Definitive Guide to Strategic Content Marketing • Maddy Cooper, Chief Commercial Officer, Brilliant Noise • Bian Salins, Content Marketing Lead, LinkedIn Moderator Ryan Skinner, Senior Analyst, Forrester The area of data and technology is fast becoming one of the most important factors in every aspect of content marketing, from planning and targeting to creating and measuring the effectiveness of content. Knowing how to intelligently process and use the vast amounts of data produced from a multi-platform campaign is key to brand success, with all members of the panel agreeing that today’s technology is only the start of a journey that has a long way to go yet.

Other discussion points during this lively debate included: • The fact that many people confuse ‘data’ with ‘analytics’, and all touchpoints in the content journey require different types and lengths of research.

• Maddy Cooper longs for marketers to invest in customer persona. “There are some very lazy assumptions going around,” she said, “and it astounds me that brands spend a lot of money on marketing without knowing who their customers really are.”

• However, according to Bian Salins, LinkedIn advise their clients not to get too hung up on data, instead encouraging them to look towards a more long-term marketing strategy.

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Inform the content, not the ads One key point that came out of the first half of the discussion was the best way to use data for content marketing. Using the ad-free environments of Amazon and Netflix as examples, Justin Kirby stated that to make content highly relevant and engaging for the consumer, it’s actually better to use data to inform the content rather than using it to inform the advertising around the content. “Do it well,” said Justin, “and you can charge for it.”

The complexity of content Contributions from the audience moved the panel onto the question of why brands don’t use data better than they currently do. While Bian Salins cited the lack of clear planning and brands wanting short-term wins rather than long-term success, Justin Kirby focused on the complexity of an effective content strategy.

“A content strategy is far more complex than an advertising strategy,” he said. “It’s a more difficult sell. Getting that strategy right is a challenge for the content marketing industry, but one that could really move the industry forwards if agencies can get it right.”

For me, data does three things. First, it provides insights to help creatives and planners tell better stories. Second, it automates processes and tasks, making transaction-based marketing more efficient. Third, it tells us whether we’re doing our job properly. Of course technology poses a threat to marketers – I wouldn’t want to be any kind of spreadsheet jockey right now. But despite the headlines, robots aren’t going to be telling particularly good stories any time soon. It still takes a flesh-and-blood human to forge an emotional connection – for the time being at least.

Simon Bates, Content Director, Touchpaper Marketing

If content marketing tells a story, then data forms the basis of the logical structure and narrative it surrounds. It gives insight into what will resonate with an audience and when. Data is beginning to look further into audience behaviours, asking ‘Why?’ in addition to ‘How?’ and ‘When?’, but it isn’t being implemented enough. There is still a habit of making assumptions about our audiences, which means that the content we produce isn’t always working hard enough. Data that goes deeper into niche audiences can expose new revenue sources through better informed content.

Rebecca Alderson, Content Projects Specialist, Redactive

The panel highlighted that data is only as useful as the insight you draw from it. And insight builds trust, because you understand your customers better. That path – of data to insight to trust – is also a great way to create content that resonates. If you have data and the ability to draw trends from it, you can create unique, insightful content. As marketers, we love data and insight, and often our customers are crying out for it too. Knowing that can help us make content that truly adds value.

Adam Woodbridge, UK Marketing Manager, REED

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SESSION 3 Content efficacy Panellists • Dan Davey, CEO, Progressive Content • Nina Nørgaard Jacobsen, CEO, biites • Brooklyn Bateman, MD, infogr8 • Claire O’Brien, Head of Media Effectiveness, ISBA Moderator Clare Jonik, Content Marketing Director, Future Fusion As a key pillar of modern marketing, content is under constant scrutiny from brands keen to justify their spend and measure the success of every aspect of every campaign. As content budgets increase, as does the focus on the bottom line, and content marketers need to find new and more reliable ways to measure effectiveness.

After explaining the creation of CMA Framework, a new team dedicated to measuring the efficacy of content marketing, moderator Clare Jonik threw open the discussion of the need for content efficacy to the panel.

• Dan Davey gave a simple justification of effectiveness measurement: “You need to prove an outcome or you’ll lose spend and client.”

• Claire O’Brien summed up the best form of measurement as: “Does it work?”. She then went on to explain that answering that question depends on clear objectives being set out before the campaign starts.

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The debate then moved onto collaboration between agencies and the importance of content marketing being measured with the same rigour and techniques as other forms of marketing.

“Collaboration between the various agencies is essential,” said Dan Davey. “And technology will play its part in this. Tracking, data gathering, measuring the outcomes.”

Nina Nørgaard Jacobsen takes a more long-term approach to measuring the effectiveness of her agency’s content, gathering data and opinion one or even two years after content launch.

What is efficacy?

When asked about their ideal summary of efficacy, the panel had a range of answers: • “It’s all about brave marketing,” said Claire O’Brien. “Having marketers that are well versed in all platforms and brave in being able to manage multiple agencies to get the best result.

• Brooklyn Bateman said: “Collaboration with all departments and agencies.”

• “You need to play around with measurement,” said Nina Nørgaard Jacobsen. “Measure if people laugh or cry, experiment with measurement.”

• Finally, Dan Davey said: “Bravery, collaboration and vision.”

Clare Jonik shared a statistic that content marketing is 40% more effective than paid search. This demonstrates a flaw with our current approach as an industry. We often view other channels as competitors for marketing budget rather than partners in delivering results clients will notice. For example, a brand’s PPC or social spend can be made more effective by targeting audiences who have engaged with relevant content. What’s more, you can generate lookalike audiences to amplify reach and find new leads who behave just like the most engaged customers. Improving performance of channels with established ROI metrics is content efficacy no client can deny.

David Wilson, Founder, To The End

The session on efficacy underlined content’s vital place in the marketing mix, but reminded us that we can’t be complacent. We must communicate that content is not just an add-on. That means we must set objectives and develop robust strategies for it, and collaborate with clients and other agencies so that our thinking and delivery is joined up. This means sharing insights and experience.

And, of course, it means measure, measure, measure, as we continue to produce the brilliant creative work that still appeals – and always will appeal – to our clients and their target audiences.

Martin Bewick, Content Strategist, CPL

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SESSION 4: Purpose vs Purposewash Panellists • Thomas Kolster, Founder, Goodvertising • Simon Coley, Director & Co-Founder, Karma Cola • Simon Baker, Managing Director, TCO London • Mark Field, Director of Bridge Studio, News UK • Pax Zoega, Head of Agency, 1854 Media

The spectre of Gillette’s ‘The Best Men Can Be’ campaign was felt throughout the session, with the panel divided as to whether it was a good message done badly or a poor campaign all round.

“I admire Gillette for taking a stand,” said Simon Coley. “But the way they went about it was wrong.”

Moderator Eliza Williams, Editor, Creative Review

Credibility is key Eliza Williams moved the debate on by stating that “Sometimes I don’t want a brand to tell me what to do.” The panel agreed that credibility is key to a successful purpose-driven campaign. If customers believe that the brand truly believes in the purpose and they have a track record in funding or supporting purpose-driven projects, the campaign is more likely to succeed.

One of the big pushes for content comes from the trend for brands to add purpose to functionality and utility. But while there have been a few brand missteps recently in the area of purpose, content marketing presents brands with a way to empower their customers and make them care.

Can purpose be marketing?

• The overwhelming opinion was that purpose is an area fraught with danger, as shown by the recent Gillette campaign and Pepsi ad. But many brands are scared they will be left behind.

• Mark Field cited the example of the Skoda Alternative Rich List for The Sunday Times. “A brand has to ask themselves if purpose is in their DNA before using it. If not then it’s very dangerous.”

• Simon Baker firmly believes that “every business should have a purpose beyond profit.”

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Another benefit for a brand to have a clear purpose is in attracting and keeping talent, as well as promoting advocacy within the customer base.

“People have to read the labels to understand the purpose behind our brand, so advocacy is really important to us,” explained Simon Coley.

Finally, Pax Zoega had some encouraging words for any brand taking their first steps into purposedriven marketing. “It’s a journey for any brand and they have to start somewhere,” he said. “Done well, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy and the entire company can benefit from it.”

There are a lot of fads and fashions in business, but it seems as though ‘Purpose’ is here to stay.

Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, helped make it a boardroom agenda when he reminded Fortune 500 bosses that their companies only exist by the permission of the consumer and suggested that they need a purpose beyond the bottom line. And the younger generation of consumers are unlikely to let go of this idea. If many won’t tolerate people using throwaway coffee cups today, they are unlikely to change as they age and the world’s resources become ever more precious. Companies will be talking about their purpose with ever more vigour in the years and decades to come.

Martin MacConnol, CEO, Wardour

The world’s in trouble. There’s divisive politics, rising inequality, discrimination of all kinds. And it turns out that we have only 12 years left to save the environment. Given all that, it makes perfect sense for brands to take a hard look at themselves and think about purpose. The question is: what role, if any, should they play in all of this?

Thomas Kolster’s keynote spoke to that.

For him, purpose should be about more than just showcasing and move beyond brandcentric messaging. Instead, the focus should be on enabling people; on engaging an active audience that not only takes on a message of transformation, but also acts on it.

Vince Medeiros, Co-founder of TCO London and Chairman of the CMA

Cultural tensions and audience insights naturally point to acting with purpose, so it was refreshing to hear TCO’s Simon Baker reiterate that ‘purpose’ needn’t mean eco-warrioring. Take Skoda’s ‘Driven by something different’ or O2’s ‘Breathing it all in’ – both authentic and relevant in their own way.

As Thomas Kolster noted, “Purpose is separate from being a good corporate citizen.” So purpose as a tactic? Yes. But it’s got to be both genuine and achievable. And of course, as we’ve seen with campaigns such as Aviva’s Community Fund, a pledge often offers a far more humble way of approaching cause-led content than a more deliberate purpose-driven brand switch.

Ed Hallinan, Digital Content Director, JUMP/Havas Media Group 11

The Content Marketing Association (CMA) is the industry association for marketing, publishing, advertising and social agencies. The aim of the CMA is to promote the use of content as an effective marketing tool to client marketers and showcase the channels it can be used for.

We also use our experience and expertise to advise and promote brands and media agencies wishing to enter the world of content marketing, an industry that’s now worth in excess of £5bn in the UK alone. Through our research, events, and training, we aim to realise the potential content marketing has for brands and encourage creativity and effectiveness.

For more information about the Content Marketing Association, go to www.the-cma.com or contact Catherine Maskell, Managing Director, on 020 3865 4855 or catherine.maskell@the-cma.com

Edited and written by Sam Upton www.soulcontent.co.uk Designed by