April 4, 2013 The power of exclusivity (and good content ) Marketing Share this post: In a world of cross channels and plethoric information and entertainment, the issue will ultimately come down to: why you? On the internet, everything can be everywhere multiple times over. But, why would yours stand out? This is where the power of exclusivity takes all its weight. The creation of exclusive content is, of course, not enough. It must be good (if not great) content. And it must be findable. The price of exclusivity Media companies were among the first industries to be hit by the “freedom” of the Internet. Digital Rights Management has matured somewhat to provide some manner of control, but it’s still a leaky sieve. The models of Apple and Facebook, while both different, demonstrate the need (and benefits) to control the user experience. The era of the totally open API is basically over, that is if you want to make money. It appears that ownership, control and monetization have become substantially interlinked. Netflix’s deal (valued at $100MM) to “own” and be sole distributor of House of Cards is a testament to the importance of exclusivity. Exclusivity is expensive. It’s what drives the luxury market. The challenge on the net is to convert that exclusivity into a valuable money stream. Why it’s expensive on the Internet is that it must meet these three criteria: the quality must be excellent the content must be findable and it must be protected (from piracy) Best, First or Only Any self-respecting marketer knows the mantra to be either the best, the first or the only one. {Click to tweet out this mantra} Invariably, in the news business, it’s all about being the first to scoop. Alternatively, there is the exclusive interview. The best moniker, however, is the most elusive and typically is the domain of word of mouth marketing. The power of exclusivity Exclusivity, meanwhile, is the kingpin of only. For brands, the challenge is to be able to create exclusivity (or “rarity”) not just in the products they produce, but in the services they provide around the product. Exclusivity — as in an exclusive invitation or exclusive content — is a great marketing tool to give value to loyal clients. It’s what underpins the limited series concept. Yet, creating exclusive and great content on the web may be one of the greatest unexploited opportunities out there for brands. Why? Because up until today, marketers have been trained to focus on and talk about themselves. If the content can be converted to feed the customers’ vantage point, enticing them with trustworthy and useful and/or entertaining material, the trust factor will rise and business should end up flowing in. Making that content exclusive will mean baking in the core values of the brand, such that no other brand would even want to have such content, much less be allowed to use it. This is certainly why the brands with great stories to tell have an advantage. Should all brands play the exclusivity card? Absolutely not, because it must be done with attention, so as not to burn bridges. However, I believe brand marketers could pay more attention on how to render some of their content more exclusive. Afterwards, that content must then reach the right ears/eyes. How do you react to that? NEWSletter Subscribe to Minter’s Bi-Weekly NEWSletter and receive a free copy of the exclusive and updated 8 Golden Rules of an eReputation Your Gift For Signing Up 8 Golden Rules of an eReputation SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed! brand, branding, exclusivity, good content, house of cards, limited edition, limited series, luxury, marketing, netflix, power of exclusivity Minter Dial Minter Dial is an international professional speaker, author & consultant on Leadership, Branding and Digital Strategy. After a successful international career at L’Oréal, Minter Dial returned to his entrepreneurial roots and has spent the last ten years helping senior management teams and Boards to adapt to the new exigencies of the digitally enhanced marketplace. He has worked with world-class organisations to help activate their brand strategies, and figure out how best to integrate new technologies, digital tools, devices and platforms. Above all, Minter works to catalyse a change in mindset and dial up transformation. Minter received his BA in Trilingual Literature from Yale University (1987) and gained his MBA at INSEAD, Fontainebleau (1993). His newest book Heartificial Empathy, Putting Heart into Business and Artificial Intelligence, bowed in December 2018 and won the Book Excellence Award 2019 as well as being shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2019. It's available in Audiobook, Kindle and Paperback. He is also co-author of Futureproof (Pearson, Sep 2017) and sole author of The Last Ring Home (Myndset Press, Nov 2016), a book and documentary film, both of which have won awards and critical acclaim. Minter has a new book on leadership, You Lead, How being yourself makes you a better leader, published by Kogan Page, that released January 2021. It's easy to inquire about booking Minter Dial here. View all posts by Minter Dial Previous post Next post
Luxury online: balance between aesthetics, innovation and practicality May 27, 2013 at 6:07 am […] luxury brands need to establish premium value, how to maintain exclusivity and a proprietary […]
Luxury online: balance between aesthetics, innovation and practicality May 27, 2013 at 6:07 am […] luxury brands need to establish premium value, how to maintain exclusivity and a proprietary […]
Luxury brands and luxury digital marketing - Where are the golden opportunities? July 24, 2013 at 5:56 am […] digital marketing with great trepidation (fear of openness, speed, potential crises, lack of exclusivity, …). If the internal brand culture isn’t there to support it (including having a […]
Luxury brands and luxury digital marketing - Where are the golden opportunities? July 24, 2013 at 5:56 am […] digital marketing with great trepidation (fear of openness, speed, potential crises, lack of exclusivity, …). If the internal brand culture isn’t there to support it (including having a […]
Establishing Your Brand Value | Dreamhouse March 3, 2017 at 12:44 pm […] …within your company. In order to be a strong and confident brand, your company must be filled with people who align with your values and mission. Only hire people who embody and believe in the brand. Only create content that clearly communicates the brand. Only engage in events and collaborations that align with the brand. Within this exclusivity, there is room for creative risks and thinking-outside-the-box. It is healthy to challenge the brand and ask “Why are we doing this?” or “Does this really have an impact on our customers?” But at the end of the day, when you make any type of decision involving your brand, ask yourself “Does this speak true to our vision and mission?” If it does not, abort mission. Don’t believe me? Read this. […]
Luxury brands and luxury digital marketing – Where are the golden opportunities? | | Minter Dial February 18, 2020 at 3:11 pm […] digital marketing with great trepidation (fear of openness, speed, potential crises, lack of exclusivity, …). If the internal brand culture isn’t there to support it (including having a […]