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Waterfall News

the lockdown, but also the tough Data is the new oil the future. These are times where
and turbulent road leading to we are experiencing waves of
economic recovery for the country. that will illuminate challenges, however, with the right
more data-driven, lens or perspective, we can see
key to this strategy remains ensuring customer-centric the opportunities in the waves.
the well-being of all my staff, and These opportunities will only
the sustainability of our business marketing surface if we adapt our mindset
to be able to endure this. But, with campaigns. to want to do things differently.
a fast-dwindling revenue stream,
particularly in the early days of the Ad Outpost is primarily an analog
national response to the pandemic, company. This crisis has expedited
this has not always been an easy task. our thinking on the exploration
and incorporation of the digital
Early on, I started off by explaining it is a barometer of how businesses aspect of our business. Online
to my team that what we are are gradually returning to ‘normal’. marketing has been growing at a
experiencing is a Black swan event. steady rate, however, during this
‘Black Swan’ is a market-accepted Indeed, we also must be cognisant lockdown period, there has been
metaphor for an event that comes as of the fact that, in reality, we will be an exponential growth in the world
a surprise, which has a major effect, entering a ‘new normal’ going forward. of digital marketing. This is a direct
and is inappropriately rationalised. It result of people spending more time
is during times like these, that people In communicating this to my team, I online during the lockdown phases,
need some explanation, some context relied on a Latin phrase, sine Quo Non. which has boosted work-from-home,
to make sense of what is happening, It simply means: The essential, crucial, ecommerce and e-learning, as just
and so, this was my starting point. or indispensable ingredient without a few examples. The idea of the
which something would be impossible. Internet of Things (IoT) will further
Like many businesses across I used this phrase to explain that, drive this impetus for us to migrate
industries, we adopted a strategy of during this period, we as individuals, to a digital world. A consequence of
survival, immediately. Essentially, if and as a company, need to focus all of this is data and the analytics
we could break even and meet our on what the critical factors are, so of it. We, as marketers, can now
most crucial obligations during this that we can survive this time and achieve a more strategic and targeted
period, it would result in us coming change, without compromising each approach to our audience. Indeed,
through this challenging time ready other. This would mean following data is the new oil that will illuminate
to rebuild and fight another day. protocol on physical distancing, more data-driven, customer-
Critical to this were extreme austerity constant use of sanitisers and the centric marketing campaigns.
measures that saw us cutting all wearing of cloth face masks as a non-
unnecessary spending. Thankfully, negotiable, otherwise our recovery There will always be a space for
we were able to do this successfully strategy will be compromised. the analog billboard, however,
and effectively, which came as a in this reimagined future I talk
huge relief to shareholders and staff. I also used this Black swan event to about, I see us becoming a more
And as the country moves into the remind my team that this was a great hybrid company, a company that
lower lockdown Alert Levels, we have opportunity for all of us to reflect will be able to cater both for the
switched to a strategy of recovery. on our personal lives, and perhaps analog and digital media worlds.
press the reset button. Think about
Being an out of home media company, living more simply, think about how As my final thoughts, this period has
it stands to reason that the majority we each can become more positive, been a humbling experience for all of
of our audiences disappeared under conscious, and proactive in the new us at Ad Outpost. It has reminded us
lockdown Alert Level 5. However, as world we are entering. Let us continue how fragile we are and encouraged
the country headed into Alert Level to embrace new ideas and ways of us to become more conscious of our
3 in June, and with lower lockdown how we operate. As an example, actions, the consequences to the
levels in sight, we have seen a remote working should become environment, and to each other. It
significant increase in traffic and more of a new normal. The benefits has shown how we all need to take
economic activity, which translates of that are huge. Less traffic, less more responsibility, accountability,
to a receptive audience for us. The pollution, more savings, all of this and ownership. And most of all, it
domino effect of this has been almost without compromising work output. has reminded us that we each have
immediate. Marketing briefs from an obligation in our roles as active
major brands are already starting Leading on from this, I have also citizens to be the change we want
to be posted. This is positive news; challenged my team to reimagine to see in this reimagined future.

10 Waterfall Issue 7 2020