Accelerated Trends & Changing Behavior: Cristina Ferruggiari, Lockard & Wechsler Direct

da India Fizer , AdForum

Lockard & Wechsler Direct
Servizi di Marketing
Irvington, Stati Uniti
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Cristina Ferruggiari
EVP of Advanced TV Lockard & Wechsler Direct
 

In the latest of our interviews on new media in advertising, Lockard & Wechsler Direct’s EVP of Advanced TV, Cristina Ferruggiari, shared insights on how social media is evolving along with the behavior of those using it. Cristina also shares her views on the growing importance of on-demand streaming and having a strategy engage audiences as video consumption habits continue to change. 


The rise of social media platforms has made them key to brand recognition. In what ways does your agency utilize social media to inform/engage your audience, and how do you see that evolving?

The pandemic fueled a rise in social media platforms and a change in how consumers used them. Video focused social media platforms like TikTok thrived with user growth as consumers looked to connect over shared experiences and stay entertained. We have seen platforms, such as TikTok, start to debut on the biggest screen in the home, furthering the importance of “on demand” streaming environments and convergent video media strategies to not only reach, but engage audiences.

 

How has the pandemic affected the way consumers use social media, and which platform is the most relevant to your agency?

The pandemic accelerated many consumer trends that were already in motion, including the use of social media and streaming TV platforms. These shifts in consumer behavior are critical to our planning process as we build out cross-platform strategies that deliver incrementality and business outcomes for our clients.

 

To what degree does the innovative use of media by agencies and companies shape the way new media evolves? (e.g., interactive campaigns)

The use of new and emerging video ad formats provides the ability for brands to deliver more immersive and engaging ad experiences to prospective consumers. Beyond improving brand awareness and engagement, leveraging interactive and/or shoppable components within video also provides consumers an additional avenue to signal interest, convert, and ultimately drive incrementality.

 

How do you utilize data analytics to create more engaging campaigns?

Data analytics fuels our proprietary tracking and attribution system, SmartMatch 360. We have created a dynamic learning engine to optimize our cross-platform video campaigns towards the highest value environments in terms of delivering performance and ROI. I believe this is an area that makes us truly unique in delivering business results for our clients.

 

What contemporary forms of new media are you planning on using to reach audiences?

As ad-supported video consumption continues to evolve, we will be leveraging Advanced TV, OTT, and digital to reach new audiences with a focus on driving incremental performance.