Goafest 2012: Coca-Cola's Jonathan Mildenhall shared the idea of 'Liquid approach in today's advertising'

Goafest 2012 started with an impressive inaugural session. Nagesh Alai, President of AAAI welcomed the delegates and addressed the media to make the delegates aware on the theme "Ideas that impact the full circle" by Srinivasan k Swamy, chairman, Goafest Advertising Conclave 2012.

The event further interestingly stretched out with sessions conducted by eminent speakers from several field. The first session was on the topic Ideas that impact the full circle ' Global experience by Jean-Yves Naouri, COO, Publicis group followed by a presentation by Tim Love, CEO, APIMA, Vice Chairman, Omnicom Group. Love started the session with the innovative advertising and marketing programs that gives a platform to study and observe cultures. The five major objectives that our firms look forwards to are Consumer as Client, Brand First, Share and Reapply and finally Letting Ideas lead and trust, and this had led to our industry's existence in the world of idea exchange, added Love.

Jean- Yves Naouri focused on the fact that the people are the primary medium. He discussed on the role of brand in producing a long lasting conversation. He even listed several examples such as how the Strauss Group in Israel reinvented its long running slogan, 'Always With You', for 'Elite's Chocolate Cow', by flying a team to remote backpacker destinations, bringing the homeland chocolate to young Israeli backpackers. Finally he concluded the session by the necessary changes in brand communication. Intrusive brand are out. It is now time e to create blends. Brand earlier used to be about branding, but it is now blending, said Naouri.

The second session of the evening was by Jonathan Mildenhall, VP of Global Advertising Strategy and creative Excellence, Coca-Cola. He shared his views on the Liquid Approach in today's advertising. Jonathan's ideas were focused on the free flowing content that keeps hold of consumers for a longer term. He quoted his work on the forthcoming London Olympics this year; the task was to encourage teenage consumers across 105 markets. The team created 250 different sets of content, including long-format documentary-the shorter versions of which were later telecasted as commercials. He also sighted another experience when he organized a music night with Katy B and mark Rohson in the UK, inviting 2,000 teenagers to cameras further created content and passed around which developed conversation.

The art of storytelling, from one-way to dynamic is another important sector which needs to focus on. A brand story should be able to create space and remembered in the consumer's heart. Mildenhall added example of 70/20/10 percent of communication strategy. He stated, the entire division in 100 percent marketing budget, 70 per cent is allocated to low-risk media options such as television, OOH, print and radio; 20 per cent is allocated to online; and 10 per cent is invested in high-risk media properties. Throughout his session he focused on the liquid approach of advertising content.

Jayant Murty, Director of Strategy, Media and Integrated Marketing, Asia Pacifc Region, Intel Group led the next session on Building Brands in an era of Multiple Degrees of Freedom. This session focused on the subject of what 360 degree of branding communication is all about. Murty stated examples that have come close to exploiting the true meaning of "360 degree' communication as in the recent London Design Festival , "Audi introduced consumers to the back-end factory operations by installing and displaying LED-equipped robots. Through this effort Audi humanized robot and that how they build their brands" added Murty. He further suggests that the brand should think smart and exploit the right kind of medium in the right way. Murty also explained few examples from the market that did well after shifting its media spends and change its focus to other priorities. Those where, the Nike, Skittles and the brand Zapoos.

Murty explained the trends to consider in' 360 thinking' are generosity, utility, eco-sensitivity, transparency, status and experience. The '360 brands' ought to stop thinking in terms of multiple platforms (such as TV, print and OOH) and instead, start thinking in terms of multiple screens (mobile, PC, tablet and others). Timing is another important factor these days, when we think about opportunistic advertising. The best example that he quoted is the detergent brand Dawn did when it aired ads that spoke about how the brand saved the lives of many sea animals during the tragic oil spills. He at the end also cautioned the audience that the linearity of 360 had almost become lifeless as brands today launch from anywhere. Relatively he quoted examples such as Apple, IKEA, Lego and Xprize Foundation were some the brands Murty mentioned as having achieved a fair degree of 360 thinking. Concerning the advertising issues in the present era, Murty suggests that the Projects are to be focussed rather than add campaigns. And solving large brand problems should also be given and eye on.

The last session was much awaited one which included a Panel discussion on Ideas that Impact the Full Circle with the four eminent speakers with Anuradha Sengupta, features editor, CNBC-TV18. The panellists included Jean-Yves Naouri, COO, Publicis Groupe; Tim Love, CEO, APIMA and vice-chairman, Omnicom; Jonathan Mildenhall, vice-president, global advertising strategy and creative excellence, Coca-Cola and Jayant Murty, director, strategy, media and integrated marketing, Asia Pacific, Intel. The programs commenced with the panellists discussing on the need to target consumers in each category through the creation of unique content. This further entertainingly stretched out to Q and A session which included sharing ideas on different business idea generation and specific strategy that their company accomplished. The session concluded with the panellists agreeing that while the difference between one media and another has almost ended, there is room for existence for everyone.

The advertising conclave came to an end for the day by concluding remarks by Umesh Shrikhande, Co-Chairman , Goafest advertising Conclave 2012 followed by an ASCI presentation on how will Ads look in a world of Censorship.