Philips overhauls marketing approach

Philips launches what it calls the “most unique version of a content marketing programme”. Elizabeth Low reportsWith the recent opening of its regional headquarters, Philips has also launched its digital regional command centre, which promises to make a major overhaul of how it does marketing.The command centre will combine social monitoring and content creation around live conversations.The move will have several key factors to it: a mapped out editorial approach, along with real-time conversations with the public and influencers, and will involve its various agencies working together in-house at the command centre.Damien Cummings, chief marketing officer at Philips ASEAN and Pacific, says the model is unique.“Social listening and command centres are not unique. That has been around for a while. Agency co-location – some interesting models are those of Enfatico for Dell or Cheil for Samsung – it has existed before and we are not proposing that. The in-house production studio, yes that has happened before so nothing new there, but the amplification is unique.“So add them all together, as far as we know, this is the most unique version of a content marketing programme that exists in the world. It is certainly the biggest in Asia and, as far as we understand it, is the biggest in the world.“This would give us high core measurement from marketing and structure and able to take the guesswork out of marketing.”He said the company had identified five key conversations it wanted to own: Clean air; smart home; look good, feel good; ageing well and connected work spaces.This was for its three main sectors of business: healthcare, consumer living and lighting.“Once we have thought leadership and a clear stake in the ground, we will sell more products,” he said.Content approachIn terms of editorial, the brand intends to create three types of content: Longer form content such as research papers and documentaries (for example, on clean air); editorial pieces such as blogs, press releases and articles and lastly, social media posts such as Facebook posts, tweets, etc.“This is an evolving target, but we expect to have 4000 to 5000 pieces of content per conversation.” Social monitoringFifty per cent to 70% of the content would be planned, but the other 30% or so would be in real-time response. The company has teamed up with Salesforce and its properties (Radian6 and Buddy Media) to create its own social media monitoring dashboards to allow monitoring of key conversations across social media around the brand. It also uses Traackr, which allows the brand to monitor key influencers for the brand.“For instance, if a user were to wake up and complain about high PSI ratings, the brand could possibly respond to that and perhaps send a link to an infographic on how to make your home a haze shelter. Then it would link back to our view on air purifiers and respiratory illnesses, then how a buyer can link with us,” he said.Aside from its existing branded social media assets, Philips will also be looking at creating unbranded community groups on the topics it wants a voice on. This will also include content from third-party creators.Leveraging existing platformsAside from looking at marketing content through existing platforms – Philips.com and Philips stores – it is working with LinkedIn to look at all its existing Philips employees who have Linkedin profiles and rewrite their profiles. (11,000 employees have LinkedIn profiles in Asia.)A pilot programme to test it out with the top 10 executives, such as CEO Harjit Gill and president of healthcare Arjen Radder, has already begun.This will be ramped up later in the year.Agency co-creationThe command centre will see its agencies FleishmanHillard, Ogilvy & Mather, Carat and Havas working in-house at the unit when it comes to campaign work for Philips – which will allow for easier collaboration. However, all data will stay strictly in-house at Philips.The brand is in the midst of finalising the roles of the various agencies.