The document discusses new rules for content marketing in today's digital environment. It argues that marketers need to shift from a "telling and selling" mindset to building relationships with customers. However, audiences are overwhelmed by the volume of content while marketers continue producing more. The key is to close the "content gap" by following four rules: 1) Less is more - return to fundamentals; 2) Give audiences what they want, not just what you want to provide; 3) Innovate formats and distribution; 4) Get out of your own way and focus on the customer journey, not stuffing them in your sales funnel. The goal is to make content useful and credible while engaging audiences on their terms.

1. THOUGHT LEADERSHIP DISRUPTED:
NEW RULES FOR THE CONTENT AGE
Heather Taylor
@HeatherATaylor

2. What we really need is a mindset shift that will make
us relevant to today’s consumers, a mindset shift
from ‘telling & selling’ to building relationships.
Jim Stengel
Former Global Marke3ng Officer
Procter & Gamble

3. In associa3on with
In associa3on with

4. WE ALL WANT TO CREATE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR
CUSTOMERS

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"
GOOD THINGS HAPPEN WHEN WE DO IT RIGHT
CONSUME
MORE
SHARE
MORE
z
PURCHASE
MORE
ADVOCATE
MORE
z

6. BUT THE PROBLEM IS,
WE’RE DOING IT WRONG

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"
AUDIENCES ARE REACHING CONTENT
OVERLOAD
3 in 5 global
executives admit
sometimes feeling
confused or
overwhelmed by the
volume of content
they encounter

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"
YET MARKETERS KEEP CHURNING OUT CONTENT
80%
of marketers plan to
increase the
amount of thought
leadership content
they produce
Half of marketers
believe
<20%
of current output
gets engagement

9. ‘The challenge for B2B content is
that it competes in a huge array of
media fighting for time against
other always-on entertainment.’
John Rudaizky, Brand & Marketing
Leader, Partner, EY
WE STILL NEED TO FIND
A CONNECTION

10. SO HOW DO WE CLOSE THE
CONTENT GAP?

11. LESS IS MORE
RULE #1
RETURN TO THE FUNDAMENTALS

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"
SURPRISE!
TEXT STILL MATTERS

13. Developed Market, Exploratory Content
Developed Market, Decision Based Content
Emerging Market, Exploratory Content
Emerging Market, Decision Based Content
SHORT-FORM
HIGHLY VISUAL &
INTERACTIVE
IN-DEPTH, TEXT-BASED
CONTENT
MOBILE
LAPTOP
DEVICE
CONTENT
FORMAT
LOCATION & PURPOSE
1.19 billion people
in APAC go online
via mobile
90% of conversions
on the Economist
were generated via
desktop pages
The majority of
emerging markets
access content
via feature phone
80% of BDMs are
casually consuming
mobile video clips
85% of execs report
preferring text in the
form of articles over
video and audio
when making
business decisions

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"
UTILITY IS KEY

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"

16. GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT
(AND NEED)
NOT JUST WHAT YOU’RE
WILLING TO GIVE
RULE #2

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EXECUTIVES ARE HUNGRY FOR CONTENT

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FOCUS ON THE AUDIENCE’S INTERESTS

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"
BE CREDIBLE

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"
AND LAY OFF THE SALES PITCH

22. RULE #3
INNOVATE WITH DISTRIBUTION,
FORMAT AND CADENCE

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"

27. MAKE SURE TO GET OUT
OF YOUR OWN WAY
RULE #4

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MARKETERS ARE STILL BATTLING
INTERNAL DISCONNECTS

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© THE ECONOMIST GROUP AND HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES 2016"
AND LOOKING FOR
ANSWERS IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES

30. WE MUST REMEMBER:
IT’S THEIR JOURNEY THAT MATTERS…

31. …NOT TRYING TO STUFF THEM IN OUR
SALES FUNNEL

32. SO WHAT ARE YOU
GOING TO DO?

33. HEATHER TAYLOR
Director, Crea3ve Strategy - North America
@heatherAtaylor