From Todd LaRoche, EVP, Managing Director of Creative, Palio

This post is a follow up to an earlier post titled Brand Reinforcement In The Digital Age. Previously, we referred to nine digital contexts that are now activating people around the world in incredibly powerful, quick and convenient ways: information, participation, conversation, application, transaction, location, diversion, aggregation/distribution, and visualization. Of course, the lines between these contexts are often rough when referenced in everyday application; there is often overlap between them and, as developers bring new thinking to market, there is often the intentional goal of fusing the contexts to make things even easier or more powerful for users.

As an example, Google has been continually ‘upgrading’ their map/location services with more and more information overlays, so that now users often go to Google maps for a lot more than just a location fix or driving directions; they will go there to find businesses like restaurants, which then links to reviews, etc. — location and information contexts merge. Twitter, which originally was a purely ‘conversation context’ based service, through the use of other applications, can now also avail you of a breakdown of other tweeters based on their proximity to you — conversation and location contexts merge.

So now, with digital contexts engaging more people every day and – as those contexts are fused and morphed – in more dimensional ways, there is a huge opportunity for marketers to find their brands’ presence right in the thick of their target’s psyche… but not as interruptive hawker; rather, as a service provider that offers what it is their target is interested in. In this way, not only is the line between promotion and content blurred, the lines between advertising and application, and product and service, are blurred as well.

Think about it… If you’re selling surfboards, don’t just spray your target with interruptive online/offline messages. Provide them with an experience – maybe an app that allows them to access real-time views of wave break at surfing sites… or that locates surfing equipment shops… or that allows surfers in local areas to communicate with each other about conditions… or that aggregates surfing videos, books etc. In doing so, you’ll be gaining the favor of your target by helping them do, and enjoy more, what it is they need your product for. And right there you have blurred the line between advertising and content or service. Selling your product is about giving your target a more involving way to appreciate your product.

So get out of the mind-set of talking about yourself (your product) and into the digital contexts that will draw your target to you because you’ve given him a deeper appreciation of, and a deeper involvement in, the activity for which your product was created.