Social media is important, but getting and keeping a grip on the fundamentals are crucial for marketing students and professionals, an expert says.

Decades ago, when marketing first emerged as a coined phenomenon and went on to become a major profession, the aim of the discipline was to understand consumers deeply, and use this understanding to apply effective principles and practices to create compelling messages. The model was straightforward: marketers give, consumers take.

However, this simplicity couldn’t – and didn’t – endure forever. Today, as a result of social media and other online channels, the lines of communication have morphed into a multi-dimensional web, challenging traditional roles. Yet finding the right balance between the new and the old has now become crucial, as brands that go down the social media blast route – without a holistic marketing strategy – increasingly discover to their dismay, says Yathika Gowpall, Head of Programme: Marketing and Consumer Behaviour at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s leading private higher education provider.

RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

“The rise of social media and digital platforms has transformed the marketing landscape into a complex, interactive environment. Consumers are no longer passive recipients of marketing messages; they are active participants who engage, share, and influence brand narratives. This shift requires marketers to rethink their strategies and embrace a more dynamic approach to communication,” she says.

However, brands that rely solely on social media blasts often find their efforts falling flat.

“Without a cohesive strategy, these messages can become noise, easily ignored by consumers who are bombarded with content daily. The lack of personalisation and engagement can lead to a disconnect between the brand and its audience, ultimately harming the brand’s reputation and effectiveness.”

HOLISTIC APPROACH

Gowpall says marketers must adopt a holistic approach that integrates various channels and tactics. This means understanding the unique strengths of each platform and how they can work together to create a unified brand message, all the while keeping marketing fundamentals at the forefront. She says a holistic strategy involves:

• Personalisation which tailors messages to individual consumer preferences and behaviours to create more meaningful connections.
• Engagement by encouraging two-way communication and fostering a community around the brand.
• Consistency by maintaining a consistent brand voice and message across all channels to build trust and recognition.
• Data-Driven Decisions which use data analytics to understand consumer behaviour and optimise marketing efforts.

“In today’s digital age, authenticity is more important than ever,” says Gowpall.

“Consumers are savvy and can easily spot insincerity. Brands that are transparent, genuine, and true to their values are more likely to build lasting relationships with their audience. Authenticity fosters trust, which is crucial for long-term success.”

FINDING THE BALANCE

Finding the right balance is key to standing out and achieving sustainable success.

“We have to rekindle the essence of the profession – by putting the market back into marketing. Does being in the driver’s seat mean that we advocate for a blast from the past? Not at all. Rather, we need to delve deeper into the crux of marketing in a way that the market can relate to.”

Gowpall says there is a cautionary tale in the recent marketing approach of an energy drink that took the country by storm.

“That phenomenon today represents a prime example of how an initial gain can turn into long-term pain for a brand if marketing fundamentals are left by the wayside.

“As we saw during the initial frenzy, influencer marketing had a huge impact, with people queueing for hours and paying outlandish prices to get their hands on the prize. But soon, the influencer-marketing fizzled out and the approach proved to be short-sighted, with crates of the product now standing for the most part untouched on supermarket shelves.”

Conventional wisdom would have told us that just having influencers marketing a product isn’t always enough, says Gowpall.

“Regardless of their fame and following, connecting with the audience in a deep and meaningful way is far more important and enduring. The countless number of TikTok videos wasn’t enough to keep the energy drink leading the market for long.

“Today this once exclusive brand is available anywhere and everywhere selling at a price lower than anyone could have predicted. Few will be able to recall seeing or hearing the slightest mention of the product on social media over the last few months.”

This proves thatregardless of how much marketing has changed, mastering the fundamentals is the only way.

“We need to balance out the traditional with the modern approach to marketing. For the real marketers, this is a reflective conversation and we need to understand how we will go forward, navigating between what we see and what we know in a world that is constantly changing.”