In the first post of this series, I spoke about the changing form of communications into patterns, but to change the format also demands re-calibrating how communicators approach the marketing mix.

The fragmentation of media is complicating how marketers identify appropriate channels for brands to connect and communicate with consumers (aka fans). In recent years, marketing buckets have been segmented into four general buckets: owned, paid, organic and shared media. In addition, the type of media adopted has been defined by marketing disciplines. But as media evolves, the lining in between each bucket is thinning thereby leading the industry to a gigantic lump of marketing hodgepodge.

How should marketers think about the marketing mix in the future? Marketers have a habit of pulling out a sheet of paper or sticking to a whiteboard (yours truly included) and drawing lines on paper.  By doing this, a marketer’s thinking remains flat or 2D.

But what if marketers used more than one sheet of paper to delineate the different media segments, processes or approaches? We would end up with layers, like in a cake. It’s much easier to work with cake than with hodgepodge, agree?

Marketing Layers Defined

By changing the model to a 3-dimensional shape, it forces communicators to change how we think and find creative ways to connect the dots. One way to think about the new marketing mix is to segment media types through multiple layers (physical, digital, mobile, social and virtual/augmented layers), which might make it easier for various marketing disciplines  to leverage each layer in its own way.

The following maps out how I foresee the layer breakdown (so far):

Physical – Tangible forms of marketing (billboards, posters, t-shirts, etc.), the products offered and the methods that consumers receive both messages and products

Traditional – Although this group is adapting to the current marketplace and adopting new formats, Broadcast (television and radio) and print media (printed newspapers) comprise this layer

Digital – Online formats are dependent on screens to access information across the web such as news, ecommerce sites and online media. Websites and

Social – The destinations where people come together to interact with peers, family and the brands they trust.  Social channels are the places where interactions occur between brands and consumers.

Mobile – The ability to access a variety of media through the mobile web and apps is changing every aspect of communication, research and purchasing behavior.  Apps synchronize or mashup different technologies (aka APIs) to create more memorable experiences.  Finally, in near future commerce will be transformed with the ability to use mobile devices to pay for products and services.

Virtual/Augmented – The bridge between tangible, social and digital layers, which operates by using the lens of mobile gadgets and cameras in combination with emerging technologies, such as QR codes, near field communications and augmented reality.

Marketing Layer “Icing”  

With the complexity of thinking 3-dimensionally, we also need to consider how marketing layers creates a fluid experience.  A critical challenge for marketers is figuring out how to create seamless integration.  The answer is simple: messaging and design.

Consistent design maintains a seamless visual representation of the brand whereas messaging ensures the information being disseminated across multiple mediums is consistent throughout. To use the cake analogy once again, think of design and messaging as the icing, genache or jelly in between and over all different layers.  By combining marketing layers with design and messaging will create brand uniformity.

Think of it as icing on the marketing cake.

Image Credit: Idea Go