In March 2013, real-time social technologies were pushing marketers beyond traditional display channels and toward what I called “now” moments. Twitter’s newly released advertising API was expected to accelerate that shift by helping brands automate campaigns and compare results across social, search, and display.
Look around at the way people were using social media during major events such as the Oscars, Super Bowl, and Grammys. Early 2013 had already produced several experiments from major brands. When the lights went out during the Super Bowl, the social team at Oreo quickly launched into action with a real-time display ad and social response that let viewers know the brand’s creative team was right there with them for the ride, instantly tweeting, “Power out, No problem. You can still dunk in the dark.” This “now moment” drew attention from audiences and advertisers. I believed it was a sign of what would come next.
“Now-marketing” was not limited to appointment-based television. People were also discussing brands throughout the day. At the time, searches for hashtags such as #Hyundai or #letsdolunch could reveal explicit interest in those brands. That behavior provided useful information for brands and advertisers trying to connect social mentions with relevant display ads across the web and mobile devices.
The beautiful thing about hashtags is they can encompass much more than just a company or a brand name. They can convey an emotion, a category or theme. For example, during holidays like Valentines Day, an advertiser like flowers.com or Mars may wish to target users who tweet #love, #commitment or #gift. American Express had pushed the idea further by launching a program that allowed eligible cardholders to initiate purchases through hashtags on Twitter.
It was an exciting moment because the rules of marketing were changing in real time. The advantage would go to brands that could respond quickly without forcing themselves into the conversation. A “now” moment only mattered if the response felt relevant to the people already there.
