This year, we’re looking forward to IBC to be back in full force. The media and entertainment industry is one that’s very engaged with its trade shows, so after a few years without IBC we’re looking forward to connecting once again with friends and partners from across the industry at the annual conference and exhibition in Amsterdam.
But the excitement of being back at the RAI is just a part of it. For those of you who are exhibiting and attending IBC, the pressure is on to make the most of the returning show by finding the best way to connect with your target audience.
From broadcasters and technologists to content owners and producers, IBC brings together an incredibly diverse range of people from all over the industry. So whatever your communications are at the show; running a stand, setting up press briefings or creating marketing collateral. It’s key that you ensure you’re speaking to your target audience in the right way.
Luckily, us lorries have got a few things to help you out. As an agency who built its reputation in the media and entertainment industry, as a key communications partner for exhibitors, we still love heading out to IBC and making sure our clients represent themselves in the right way.
A huge part of that is identifying early on who you want to target with your communications. This is an often-forgotten element of any marketing and PR. And while marketers in the media and entertainment industry know who their target audience is, keeping in mind the specifics with which different kinds of prospects like to be spoken to is incredibly important.
Our ‘wish you were here’ ebook is all about making the correct journey to reach your destination. You know if you’re trying to engage with broadcasters, studios or streaming companies; we’re just here to help you tailor your activity and your message to best address those different groups of potential customers.
Broadcasters
IBC has long been a haven for engineers and buyers from across the broadcast sector to come together and see the latest tech. Right now, in 2022, there are a few key trends we think will drive broadcasters’ interest at the show.
The need to future-proof legacy and broadcast-first workflows with digital distribution and publishing is a shift that broadcasters have needed to address. From a PR or marketing point of view, broadcasters will respond to communications that deliver on a delicate balance between creative and technical. Comms have to walk this line, providing challenge-overcoming content to both sides.
As a technology or service provider, you also need to demonstrate a passion for the industry and for its future and should reflect the long-term relationships you have with other broadcasters in order to highlight not just the technical prowess but also the ongoing support that you offer customers.
Streaming companies
With more competition than they’ve ever had, streamers are always looking at deploying new technology workflows to produce the best possible, regardless of whether they’re the giants of the sector, or small operations looking to make their mark in a continually burgeoning industry.
At a show like IBC, this means you need your communications to demonstrate your expertise and what impact that working with you has had on other companies.
Streaming-only brands also need to be continually pushing their technical prowess so your role asa marketer is to position yourself as a long-term partner to customers rather than just a ‘deliver it and leave’ tech provider. And because streaming changes so quickly, you need to position your technology in a way that defines what’s possible for the future of audience engagement and the viewing experience.
Movie studios
As property or content owners, a number of movie studios are taking advantage of their new options to go direct to consumer (DTC) through their own streaming and content services. In order to do that there are a few things communications teams need to bear in mind.
It’s so important to be passionate when working with movie studios. With such creative forces at work, you need to be just as enthusiastic both for the technology and for what it enables movie studios to do; from production to delivery. You should focus on demonstrating your industry chops and any heritage so studio execs know you’re a partner they can trust.
At the same time, be sure to show your technical knowledge. It’s important to twin your creative positioning with an assurance that your technology and services will deliver exactly what studios need so they don’t have to worry about it.
Putting it into practice
If you’re wondering how to bring all of that together into your communications and marketing strategy, don’t worry. As an agency with a long heritage in the media and entertainment sector, this is our day to day; helping clients find the right way to engage with their target audiences, especially at trade shows like IBC.
Everything I’ve mentioned here comes from our ‘Wish you were here’ ebook, a free resource rich in information on how you can make the journey to your target audience. We can help you to not only define your journey and plan the itinerary but also to make the trip.
If the journey to your target audience takes you through IBC, we’d love to hear from you. We can either help you better position yourself ahead of the show, or even just get together for a koffiepauze over a stroopwafel.
See you in the ‘dam!
