January 22, 2019
We asked Isabelle Lefebvre, Managing Director Global Clients for Zenith Paris, what she considered to be the key factors for success in an international content-led marketing campaign. Isabelle will join us as a juror for the World Media Awards 2019.
WMA: Why do you think it’s important to benchmark and celebrate great international advertising strategies?
IF: International advertising strategies are much more challenging to develop – the level of expectations is much higher. An international campaign is not allowed to fail, as its impact (and therefore the risk) is much higher.
WMA: As a Judge, what are you hoping to see in the entries to the World Media Awards?
IF: I am hoping to discover entries where my peers – using media, digital and data – have challenged the status quo and traditional agency roles, to deconstruct and rebuild a whole communication strategy.
WMA: For brands in the luxury, lifestyle and fashion sectors, what are the particular challenges when targeting an international or cross-border audience?
IF: Luxury, by essence, provides a personalised experience for customers. Therefore, the challenge for digital media is the seamless integration into this pre-existing brand experience, being respectful of the privacy of the consumer.
WMA: For entries in this category, are there any particular elements you would expect to see in a winning entry?
IF: I would hope to see quantified ROI and business results, so rarely available in this sector.
WMA: What do you think are the most important factors to consider when creating content-led advertising?
IF: For me, it would be alignment with the brand purpose.
WMA: What do you think is the key to truly engaging content?
IF: Understand what consumer needs first – to be entertained, to be useful or to learn something new?
WMA: How do you measure success when it comes to content-driven advertising?
IF: Time spent with content, engagement, capacity to capture more volatile audiences (Millennials) with a volume sufficient to be retargeted at a later stage.
WMA: What is the killer question an agency/media owner should ask a client to ensure that their content brief is fit for purpose?
IF: What’s your brand purpose?
WMA: What advice would you give a brand about to embark on a branded content campaign that needs to work in multiple countries or regions?
IF: Invest in a content audit in key markets before, and start early.
WMA: What distinguishes the “international” target audience from “domestic” audiences – and how granular can you be in your targeting?
IF: Planning for an international audience requires you to ask yourself three questions: who are we targeting and also where; and where is the budget funding from?
WMA: What do you need to look for in your media partner[s] when planning an international content-driven advertising strategy?
IF: Their capacity to understand the client business challenges and their flexibility.
Don’t forget to check out the categories for 2019 and how to enter the awards.