In our monthly interview format, our Co-Founder and Managing Director David Lange talks, among other things, about the new Adlicious, an exciting campaign in China for mytheresa.com and the current situation of retail from a marketing perspective.
What news does adlicious have?
As always, a lot has happened recently. In addition to our numerous national campaigns, we are currently also increasingly running international campaigns. The focus is primarily on the USA, Canada, but also China. Of course, we want to push this development further and underline the fact that global media campaigns can now be successfully implemented from one location through a centralized and data-driven setup. But a lot has also happened internally in recent weeks. This is how our website shines in new splendor: adlicious.me. And if you take a closer look, you will see that there is not only a new look, but that a lot has also changed in terms of content. More creation, more video & new solutions. Feel free to drop by!
Which adlicious campaign are you particularly proud of recently?
There is really a lot to talk about here right now. Our campaign for Mytheresa in China is certainly one of the most exciting at the moment. An exciting terrain with some challenges, but also incredible potential. Twice as exciting from a personal point of view, as I studied Sinology, among other things, and lived in China for over a year during my studies.
Combined with the openings, the retail sector grew by 11% in March. A record figure. Are people longing for a classic shopping spree?
I can only speak for myself here, but personally, definitely. I believe that people need a personal shopping experience. Of course, you can also simply shop online. But this very experience of trying on, trying out, experiencing is something else. I believe that this also creates a new kind of interplay between online and offline shopping, which increasingly depends on the local experience.
Are retailers exploiting their advertising potential or do you still see potential for improvement?
In general, we notice that our solutions are increasingly in demand. So something is happening and we are also seeing increased courage among marketers to try new things in times of crisis. But of course, there is always further potential. Examples of digital alternatives to printed offer brochures are mentioned here. Many of these brochures go straight from the mailbox to the trash. Not to mention the refusers of advertising. Digital alternatives offer a lot of potential here.
What new advertising formats are available for retailers?
Many retailers still advertise with classic flyers or printed brochures. Not only does this have little future from an ecological point of view, a large part of this print advertising also ends up directly in the trash. Digital flyers and brochures are useful solutions here. Attention-grabbing outdoor advertising such as DOOH is also a good advertising tool for retailers. But completely new solutions such as “drive-to-store” ads, which combine branding elements or products suitable for the user with a map that navigates to the nearest store, are also ideal.
How much will retail change as a result of Corona? And what impact will this have on marketing in the short and long term?
That is, of course, an exciting question. I believe that Corona acts as a catalyst, in a sense, and accelerates upcoming changes. Unfortunately, some stores will have to close for economic reasons. Those who make it will continue to develop. The trend here is clearly towards experience, as some flagship stores of well-known brands are already offering. Emotionalization, customer loyalty, branding — even if the purchase does end up happening online. From a marketing perspective, the world is becoming even more digital than it currently is. In particular, there will be even more focus on the sensible use of existing data. There are also new, digital solutions that will become established in the short to medium term. By the way, you can find more theses about retail development in our article”6 theses on the future of local shopping experiences”
