OPA Digital Q&A: Discovery Communications’ Kelly Day on Marketing Innovations

The “OPA Digital Q & A”  showcases perspectives on key trends in online publishing and media by industry leaders.

Today’s insights on marketing innovations come from Kelly Day, OPA Board Member and Executive Vice President and General Manager for Discovery Communications’ Digital Media and Commerce division.

What do you see as being the biggest trend in strategic programming in 2012?
KD: As devices evolve and consumer habits shift, the push to multi-screen delivery is in high gear. Great content is no longer enough; the experience within which that content is presented matters as much or perhaps more. The most successful programming will deliver meaningful experiences designed specifically for the devices on which the consumer is engaging with it. 

How is user data factoring into how marketers plot their strategy?
KD: Marketing budgets continue to be managed carefully, so efficiency is key. As people are spread across a growing number of sites, channels, platforms and devices, marketers need ways to efficiently connect with their audiences, and user data in its various forms. This data can guide them to make educated decisions on where to reach their targets in the planning stages, and can help them measure their successes post-campaign.

Tell us about a recently executed strategic marketing program from Discovery Communications, of which you are particularly proud.
KD: We have an ongoing strategic marketing partnership with Unilever, representing many brands across their portfolio. From their food and home care brands to personal care for men or women, Discovery Communications has engaged, active audiences that align well with Unilever targets. This partnership, successful by all measures, demonstrates that you can have great engagement and brand alignment without sacrificing meaningful scale. For example, we successfully delivered against the Dove goal of being the authority on skin care by aligning the brand with hundreds of thousands of information seeking organic searchers through a suite of clinically focused articles. In contrast, we offered Degree a branded entertainment experience that included Discovery Channel talent and leveraged our expertise in video production.

What do you believe were the critical factors of success for the programs?
KD: Versatility, diversity, and flexibility have been the keys to our success with this partnership and others.
The versatility of the Discovery portfolio of networks, sites and platforms has been critical to delivering against the variety of audiences Unilever reaches with their products. We have leveraged several of our networks, including Discovery Channel, TLC and Discovery Fit & Health, to connect Unilever with our brand enthusiasts. We have also called on the strengths of sites, such as HowStuffWorks.com, to attract an audience of proactive information seekers who are key to the Unilever brand goals. Finally, we are able to bring to our partners the unique ability to reach people across platforms – from online and TV to mobile and social. Additionally, Discovery’s audiences are as diverse as the products Unilever offers. Aligning the two offers solutions to Unilever that remain on brand and in line with our mission to entertain and satisfy curiosity. Our flexible solutions have also enabled us to focus on each brand separately, tailoring campaigns to individual brand goals. 

What are marketers most interested in when it comes to online branding?
KD: Scale is not enough when it comes to online branding. Marketers are looking for meaningful, organic interactions with consumers. The trick is to deliver those interactions efficiently for the marketer and, at Discovery, the two are not mutually exclusive. If we create programming that continues to put the consumer interests and needs first, those opportunities for marketers will naturally develop, as we have seen with Unilever.