Is the big idea in marketing ‘going local’?

‘The Big Idea’ is synonymous with global advertising campaigns led by agencies for major brands such as Guinness or Unilever.

But the consumer space is changing rapidly. The media landscape has fragmented across technology platforms. Brand loyalty is dying and the power of the consumer is rising. 

The one-size-fits-all nature of The Big Idea may no longer hit the spot.

Chris Sutcliffe argues in The Drum: “When it comes to the central brand message, advertisers need to be aware that The Big Idea is likely to land very differently due to cultural mores and expectations.” 

So is there still value in The Big Idea as an approach?

Trak Ellis-Hill, UK creative managing partner at Momentum Worldwide believes there is: “Can you stand out without a Big Idea? Sure. Fleetingly – a cool meme, a funny TikTok, a clever stunt. But not for any real measure of time.”

But Florencia Lujani, strategy director of Media Bounty, argues we rely on local for interpretation: “The Big Idea is still incredibly relevant in a globalised market, but the local aspect of brands can’t be erased…. we still rely on local – rather than global – meanings for interpretation.”

Three ways to help The Big Idea connect with a local audience are: 

#1. Empower and train local teams, employees and partners who have local knowledge and connections to interpret the big idea locally on social.

#2. Build local customer relationships on social and support the best customers to do the local marketing for you.

#3. Bring local customers closer to the brand. Gather local insight by listening to their views and putting them at the centre of your activity.

Read the full article in The Drum here.