Founder, EDC squared, Scott Thwaites (image supplied)

“While word-of-mouth marketing has always been a strong driver of brand growth, we now have the vehicles and ecosystem to make that happen on a much grander scale.”

The #NedbankIMC conference took place on Thursday, 19 September at The Focus Rooms, Johannesburg, where a lineup of international and local experts shared their knowledge with 2,000 delegates who attended virtually and in person.

Bizcommunity chatted to some of the speakers and sponsors.

“This shift has moved from the few to the many. It means that brands now have the opportunity to invest in what truly matters in today’s landscape, which is content,” says Thwaites, a shift that is not only good for marketers but also for society.

“We are all about connecting brands with the ability to utilise and leverage this democratisation of content to drive marketing agendas, but we're also highly motivated by driving a positive social impact by creating opportunities for individuals.”

Everyday content he says is relatable and if brands can unlock diversity of content about their brand, they can drive more relatability. “This kind of authentic and relatable content wins attention.”

Part of this relatability is culture. A cultural moment that is relatable that a brand is part of means they are cultural participants. “It is a massive factor in winning attention in a crowded, congested space.”

Brands to feel and act more like people

He points out that with authenticity at the heart of the shift in the landscape and consumer behaviour, the best brands are the ones that don't act like brands.

“It's actually the brands that act and feel like people because if we act and feel like people, we relate to people more, so we’re going to relate to the brand more. And as people, it comes across as more authentic, so that engagement becomes deeper and more meaningful.”

That is, he says, absolutely the essence of what brands need to do.

“To let go of brand-led messaging and allow consumers to tell the brand story in a way that resonates with them and their like-minded audience.
Ultimately, this enables brands to feel and act more like people.

He says we are seeing very progressive brands jump on board with this approach.