DigitalStrategy
atTheIntersections
haydenlewis
December6,2016

Digital strategy as defined by the
Missouri School of Journalism:
“the strategy and
application of digital
mediums…
for digital campaigns”
Source:https://journalism.missouri.edu/programs/undergraduate/junior-senior/areas-study/strategic-communication-digital-strategy/
—
first off

“thestrategicmanagementanda
businessresponseto…
adigitalchallenge…
partofanoverallbusinessstrategy”
Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_strategy
Digital strategy as a broader discipline:
—
but then

Foodforthought
The intersection of:
(a) cultural strategy
(b) digital disruption
=
can help us think about digital strategy for brands

Foodforthought
The intersection of:
(a) cultural strategy
(b) digital disruption
=
can help us think about digital strategy for brands

(a) cultural strategy

(a) cultural strategy
Campaigns that are defined by a cultural
expression or phenomenon that represents
a larger ideology

(a) cultural strategy
Campaigns that are defined by a cultural
expression or phenomenon that represents
a larger ideology

(a) cultural strategy
Campaigns that are defined by a cultural
expression or phenomenon that represents
a larger ideology

(a) cultural strategy
Campaigns that are defined by a cultural
expression or phenomenon that
represents a larger ideology

(a) cultural strategy
- Professor Douglas Holt
late 70’s-era solo
willpower and
revival
farm-to-table
movement
Liberal hippiedom in
the Reagan era
cosmopolitan
coffeeshop culture
Environmentalist
anti-consumerism
Campaigns that are defined by a cultural
expression or phenomenon that
represents a larger ideology

Moderncasestudy:
Soylent

Soylent
• Founded 2013
• “Healthy, convenient,
affordable food”
• “Staple meals”
• Powders
• Shakes
• Coffee drinks
• Powerbars

obv:SoylentGreen(1973)

Basic idea:
Convenient, affordable, and
nutritious replacement for
unhealthy meals.

Basic idea:
Convenient, affordable, and
nutritious replacement for
unhealthy meals.
…but wait

Soylent’s cultural ideology matrix
manifest ideology:
self-optimization
lifestyle engineering
aesthetic tributes:
minimalism
normcore
health goth
latent ideology:
radical self-perseverance
live to work
work-worship

Soylent’s cultural counter-ideology mix
farm-to-table
departure of the basic idea
of eating for joy
superficiality of privilege
equalizing commodity,
emphasizes work over play
maximalist consumerism
minimalist zeal, stoic dismissal
of worldly pleasures

More Soylent advertising
Injecting themselves into food debates

is it working?

is it working?
…too early to tell

Some bad press lately re algae

…but sales up

and continually strong cultural weight

(a) cultural strategy
for first half of digital strategy goodness
Farm-to-table
movement
broader point… think in terms of
Environmentalist
anti-consumerism
Liberal hippiedom in
the Reagan era
cosmopolitan
coffeeshop culture
late 70’s-era solo
willpower and
revival

Farm-to-table
movement
Environmentalist
anti-consumerism
Campaigns that are defined by a cultural
expression or phenomenon
that represent
a larger ideology
(a) cultural strategy:
- Douglas Holt
Liberal hippiedom in
the Reagan era
cosmopolitan
coffeeshop culture
late 70’s-era solo
willpower and
revival

Backtothis:
Thinking at the intersection of:
(a) cultural strategy
(b) digital disruption
=
richer discussion of strategy and planning

…butontothis:
Thinking at the intersection of:
(a) cultural strategy
(b) digital disruption
=
richer discussion of strategy and planning

(b) digital disruption

(b) digital disruption
When markets and value networks are
disrupted by technological innovation,
challenging incumbent brands by
transforming the nature of the market

(b) digital disruption
When markets and value networks are
disrupted by technological innovation,
challenging incumbent brands by
transforming the nature of the market

(b) digital disruption
When markets and value networks are
disrupted by technological innovation,
challenging incumbent brands by
transforming the nature of the market

(b) digital disruption
When markets and value networks are
disrupted by technological innovation,
challenging incumbent brands by
transforming the nature of the market

(b) digital disruption
Professor Clayton Christensen
When markets and value networks are
disrupted by technological innovation,
challenging incumbent brands by
transforming the nature of the market
markets generally
=
ripe for digital disruption

on a macro-scale

Last 5 years innovation + the internet in:
• technology
• commerce
• media
have led to massive value creation…

http://www.visualcapitalist.com/chart-largest-companies-market-cap-15-years/
technology + commerce + media

(b) digital disruption
Retail Hospitality Transportation EntertainmentConsumer Goods
Professor Clayton Christensen
When markets and value networks are
disrupted by technological innovation,
challenging incumbent brands by
transforming the nature of the market

https://regmedia.co.uk/2013/08/29/amazon_chart.jpg
vs. traditional retail brands

Source: http://www.kpcb.com/internet-trends
vs. traditional retail brands

Source: http://www.wyattresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Uber-Peer-Chart-6.17.14.jpg
*…now: >$62 billion
taking over the world

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-valuation-vs-market-cap-of-publicly-traded-stocks-2015-12
taking over the world

https://g.foolcdn.com/editorial/images/168411/uber_rental_taxi_large.png
+ disrupting transportation globally

https://g.foolcdn.com/editorial/images/168411/uber_rental_taxi_large.png
+ disrupting transportation globally

http://amirsthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/AirBnB-vs-Traditional-Hotel-Companies.jpg
(Founded 2008)
(Founded 1927)
(Founded 1919)
(Founded 1980)
(Founded 1983)
(Founded 1981)
vs. incumbent hospitality brands

cultural strategy
=
new ground for incumbents to retain market
share amid digital disruption
as an example of how

it’s what led Marriott and Starwood to merge
and why Hilton is doing this…

something similar going on w/

CPG = Consumer Packaged Goods

Historically locked up by these guys

broke into CPG via e-commerce and virality

low margins of e-commerce (disruption)
+
high reach of viral video (disruption)
+
disruptive social mission (cultural strategy)
=
$$$

https://g.foolcdn.com/editorial/images/168411/uber_rental_taxi_large.png
what disruptive innovation can look like

(b) digital disruption
digital strategy branding goodness
…but so back to the point
(a) cultural strategy
and
Retail Hospitality Transportation EntertainmentConsumer Goods

When markets and value networks are always being
disrupted by
technological innovation,
challenging incumbent brands by
transforming the nature of the market
(b) digital disruption
- Clay Christensen
Retail Hospitality Transportation EntertainmentConsumer Goods

oldentertainmentmarket
followed a specific value chain
https://redef.com/original/age-of-abundance-how-the-content-explosion-will-invert-the-media-industry

newentertainmentmarket
disintermediation = digital disruption
https://redef.com/original/age-of-abundance-how-the-content-explosion-will-invert-the-media-industry

forcomparison

examples&disintermediators

cultural strategy + digital disruption
=
digital strategy game boost

?