By Paul Pannone

eWedNewz is tracking the progress of several marketing programs that give a greater level of interactivity with consumers and engage them to look for products and not wait for them. In advertising and marketing, out of sight is out of mind to consumers overloaded with a steady barrage of information. For most consumers the thought of buying a coat in the summer or a bathing suit in the winter isn’t likely. But to marketers, planting the seed in their brain for when they need the product is the key to success.

Images of Super 100′s products in world-famous brands printed by consumers in search of products tells the retailer marketing programs created by manufacturers are working.

Unlike static formats like print and other traditional forms of media, marketing programs centered around interactivity of the Internet are now successfully branding customers; introducing them to products before they’re even available. Creating demand and gathering orders has superseded producing products, announcing they exist and hope they sell. A careful watch of what consumers really want leads to less risk and the right inventory levels to match the demand.

This is really nothing new but the fluid, real-time nature of the Internet gives manufacturers a greater ability to fill the needs of consumers than ever before. For those harnessing the power of Social Media, the gateway to success is endless.  Now, manufacturers that held back from jumping into the digital age look back and wonder how they operated without it. What broke down some of the decisions were arguments of why companies that hold a lock on their industry still advertise.

Coke and Pepsi and the cola wars are prime examples of why advertising and staying in front of consumers is a must to keep ahead of the competition. No one doubts how fickle many consumers are. Most have no significant preferences in cola products. Advertising reinforces the image of a certain drink or brand. If both Coke and Pepsi stopped advertising lesser brands would be more noticed and pick up (consumer) market share. To their distributors any decrease in the advertising budget would be taken as a sign of weakness.

In growing numbers advertising budgets are shifting to the Internet; not just by adding, updating or improving a web site. Companies that want to stay competitive in the current business environment are adding 24/7– live – web presence besides the company website to increase a positive customer experience, answering questions and directing consumers to distributors (retailers) that carry their products.

According to experts in this new field the product message must be shelled in discussions around the product. Simply hiring interns or low-paying employees to tweet doesn’t work.

According to SocialNomics.net

Premium brands are beginning to talk less about their products and more about lifestyle

Other brands are encouraging product specific discussion to drive purchase consideration

Campaigns that linked social media back into the real world helped drive engagement

Tried and tested competitions and giveaways are continuing to work well

Some brands are beginning to monetise social media

eWedNewz watches several Social Network campaign including the one from FLOW Formal. After Years of decline the owners of the company are committed to revive a tuxedo industry that was essentially dead. Wedding experts and onlookers keeping score say they like what they see.

Christine Boulton of Think Like a Bride recently wrote a story covering some of the details;

“The men’s formal wear industry had all but written its own obituary. Stuck firmly in the past; saddled with outdated looks and hopelessly chained to traditional marketing channels, it was sinking fast. They were living in a bubble.”

Part of the changes at FLOW include creating proper content and information to go along with new product styles for consumers in search of updated tuxedos. Plagued by years of decline store owners have not kept up with new fit demands of today’s consumer. Getting that message out to consumers has been a struggle leaving many to abandon renting tuxedos. Now, with the help of proper promotion and marketing the men’s tuxedo business is undergoing a major overhaul led by FLOW.

The efforts are now heard as store owners report consumers walking into their stores with images they printed and want what they saw online.

According to the owners of 1888MYTUXES, “Google searches and printouts of the 2012 product lines are making our job so much easier. The customers are trusting us knowing that they are getting the current styles and real thing, not the bait and switch of days gone by!”

eWedNewz is tracking similar pilot programs involving photography, wedding venues, travel and planners.

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