Could digital addiction boost your marketing efforts?

Thanks to the evolvement of the digital age, we are now living in a world that has changed beyond recognition. A world that wouldn’t have been comprehensible only a decade ago. A world in which we have become what I call, “digital addicts”.

Addiction is understood as the continued repetition of behaviour/s, even in the face of negative consequences. Really? Am I really saying that being a digital addict is actually like being a drug addict or even an alcoholic? Yes. According to many addiction experts, potential addictions include (although are not limited to) drugs, exercise, food, computers, and gambling.

Interesting though this may be, what does this have to do with marketing? It undoubtedly is having an impact, but whether this is for good or not is up for debate.

Let me elaborate. I am a marketing veteran and strategist, who helps conceive tactical campaigns and marketing strategies to build relationships between brands and their consumers in the digital age. Having been trained to understand an array of communication devices and touch-points, the marketing landscape and how to connect with people using any medium, format or device, regardless of where they are, what they are doing and in what context… well, trust me, I’m in deep.

This brings me to #SixthSense (smartphone/tablet/phablet etc), which I believe to be a sign of addiction, and something that all tech savvy consumers show signs of.

I first noticed my own #SixthSense when I was watching my daughter’s favourite movie with her. I was twin-screening: looking at my social feeds and stories on my #SixthSense while at the same time kind of watching TV. My daughter turned to me told me to put my phone down.

WT# was that, I thought? My six-year-old was telling me what to do, because she rightfully wanted my full attention. I had given up my special one-on-one family time, paying half of my attention to my daughter and giving the other half to my #SixthSense, reading in some cases pointless drivel or viewing uninspiring photos of a duck’s arse. What can be more precious than the time with your kids?

Shortly thereafter our agency was asked to pitch for some sizable business, and our pitch team had been working day and night in preparation. During their amazing presentation, I noticed a number of the people around the table on their phones, half listening and multitasking on their second screen.

From the breakfast table to the boardroom, digital addiction clearly has a negative impact on our personal lives. But what about our marketing strategy?

Digital usage plays a pivotal role in our lives, both at work and at home. We have been afforded opportunities never imagined before, conveniences never experienced before, the ability to convey freedom of speech to billions, or engagements that were just never possible due to technological advancements. Does this mean that we have unlimited access to consumers? Yes… it also means that ALL marketers and advertisers have unlimited access to consumers. A result is that no matter how targeted our marketing is, the reality is that our marketing strategy runs the definite risk of becoming white noise.

We know what it’s like to be feel bombarded by advertising in our spare time, so it’s not wholly unreasonable to assume that our own marketing efforts would have the same impact on those consumers whom we target. Meaning that our efforts could be in vain.

We need to be aware of this fact. Why? So we can throw in the towel and say, why bother..? Not at all. To motivate us to more aggressively and, importantly, more sensitively target our audiences. It is now, more imperative than ever, to know our audience and to feed them precisely what they want through our strategy. We need to be the only colourful spot in the white advertising noise.

And as for our personal wellbeing? Well, we need balance. We need to make informed decisions in how we want digital to not only enhance our lives at work and home but to stop from becoming an obsession and addiction in our family and social lives.

It’s about the act of making a decision. Life is all about getting the balance right. Being switched on 24/7 isn’t right; it’s unhealthy. My journey towards balance started with going cold turkey. I needed that break so that I could objectively set the boundaries and introduce technology back in, slowly.

As a digital marketer, I’ve realised that while #TheFutureisBright, and #TheFutureisDigital, the future needs to be #Balanced.

SIDE BAR – Signs That You May Be a Digital or #SixthSense Addict

Are you a digital or #SixthSense addict? How many of these 10 signs could you tick off? Will you be joining me and giving your addiction the cold shoulder?

1. I have a constant preoccupation with my computer or mobile device, regardless of whether I’m online or offline.
2. I feel an intense desire to go online, play a computer game, or socialise.
3. I am drawn to my computer or mobile device as soon as I wake up and before I go to sleep.
4. I spend time on my computer or mobile device, regardless of family functions taking place, or other activities that I was once happy to actively take part in.
5. I replace old hobbies with the excessive use of my computer or mobile device, and use either of these as my primary source of entertainment and procrastination.
6. I lie to my family and friends about the activities I perform while I’m on my computer or mobile device, often saying that I’m working (or doing something similarly productive) when I’m actually playing a game or socialising.
7. It’s not unusual for me to get irritable or experience mood swings if I’m not allowed to spend as much time on my computer or mobile device as I’d like to, or if this time is interrupted.
8. I use my time on my computer or mobile device as a form of escape from reality.
9. I have an emotional attachment to my #SixthSense.
10. I tend to lose track of time when I’m on my computer or mobile device, and spend more time than I originally intended.