ARE YOU LOVIN' BRAND JOURNALISM

“Brand journalism” is the future according to McDonald’s chief marketing officer, Larry Light. AdAge reports his speech at the the AdWatch: Outlook 2004 conference in New York. Mass marketing, based on single adverts, is old hat according to Light. "We don't need one big execution of a big idea" he said, speaking of the McDonald’s strategy. “We need one big idea that can be used in a multidimensional, multilayered and multifaceted way”. This is where “brand journalism” comes in. It communicates "‘what happens to a brand in the world,’ and create ad communications that, over time, can tell a whole story of a brand”. In other words, instead of communicating one message about the brand it, it shows how different people are using the brand in lots of different ways. As an example, Light cited McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” campaign, which is based around four “cultural languages”: sports, fashion, music and entertainment and employs a variety of media to get its message across.

The IPKat can see the wisdom in such an approach. Different aspects of the campaign will appeal to different consumers, enabling the message to reach the widest possible audience. At the end of the day though, all the strands are brought together by a single trade mark which enables consumers to know where to get the goods or services being provided.

Are you lovin’ it? If so, click here, here, here and here