This is the third installment of our ‘Rising Young Media Stars’ series, in which we profile the next gen media minds. Media pundits have been adamant that to succeed in the new mediaverse, agencies require new ways of thinking. Curious as to who these new thinkers were, and what they were thinking, strategy and Media in Canada canvassed the industry, asking media shops to single out their top innovative and strategic recruits – one of whom this continuing series will profile in each issue over the coming weeks. And we’re scouting for more of the same – so tell us about the dazzlers in your shop so we can shine a spotlight on them.
Lisa Correia
Account manager, ZenithOptimedia Toronto
Claim to fame: In addition to CIBC and W Network, Lisa works on specific divisions of Nestlé Canada including confectionery, breakfast anytime and instant nutrition. Recently she was part of the team tasked with making the Kit Kat brand synonymous with an uplifting break. The result was ‘The Kit Kat Break,’ a CanWest-produced animated 15-second unit featuring a branded clock built out of the bar itself. It bracketed top programming such as Superbowl and Survivor, running in concert with the brand-sell creative.
What new media destination should everyone immediately check out – and why should marketers take heed? ‘PVRs. They’re growing and they pose a threat to advertisers, so we need to fully understand the technology when assessing the threat and looking for solutions or strategies. I think it’s important to understand how consumers engage with that tool and what kind of experience they have with it.’
What campaign brilliantly connected and engaged the consumers it targeted? ‘Although the media wasn’t necessarily innovative, I think the Dove Real Beauty campaign. It really built on a strong consumer insight that the average female hates being compared to the female media beauty stereotypes. The campaign challenged the idea of beauty because it stressed that beauty comes in all shapes, ethnicity, and ages and that it’s more about confidence. I think that really struck a chord with consumers.’
What would you love to build into a plan, but haven’t been able to yet – and why will no one go for it? ‘For products where recommendations are highly influential in purchasing decisions, I think product seeding is a great opportunity to get the client’s product into the hands of ‘product evangelists’ who will talk about it and recommend it to people they know. I think one of the reasons a lot of advertisers probably haven’t gone for it is that they’re unsure how this is going to impact sales and by how much. So measurement is definitely key in utilizing this.’
Which brand, other than your own clients, would you most want to work on – and why? ‘I would really love to work on a small client with a growing product because I think it would be very rewarding to be part of its success. Cold-fX comes to mind. It’s a product I personally believe in and use. It’s growing and steadily gaining awareness and trial, so it would be very exciting to work on a brand like that.’
What would you do on this dream project for Cold-fX? ‘I would have an online campaign with search engine marketing as part of it because I think people with colds are always searching for ways to get rid of a cough or cold. It’s a great place to be, where people are searching for information. Also product seeding – getting the product into the hands of those who will spread news about how great it is. Endorsements and recommendations are very important and influential.’
Are opportunities being missed due to caution? ‘Definitely, particularly with new media. Many advertisers tend to stick to what has worked with them in the past. They need to embrace online and digital, ensure they have a strong website and utilize online to drive users there. I think it’s our job as media professionals to minimize the risk and convince them that it’s the right decision.’
Is a radical media rethink required? ‘In general, I think we have to rethink media strategies. We can’t just look to TV anymore. Our communications plans should encompass in-store, recommendations, flyers. Even within TV we need to rethink our strategy, such as incorporating product integration to help us with things such as PVR penetration that is a growing threat.’
What common industry belief would you love to whack? ‘We have to think beyond GRPs, especially because there are a lot of opportunities we should be considering that you can’t necessarily measure that way, like product integration. That’s something we have to start incorporating more, and to start thinking beyond the typical buying of X-number of GRPs and more of how can I engage consumers.’
