In the world of marketing, grabbing attention is an art form. We vie for eyeballs in a landscape awash with fleeting impressions and curated content. But sometimes, to truly stand out, we need to slow down. Enter the captivating art of slow shutter speed photography and its parallels to achieving a balanced marketing mix.
I’ve been tackling the challenge of capturing slow shutter speed images and found that it’s a finicky but rewarding endeavour. Images of seas pray turned opaque; a busy mall bustling with hurried shoppers and a trail of vibrant light streaks paint the night with motion. These are the hallmarks of slow shutter photography, where time itself stretches and dances. This deliberate pace, a counterpoint to the rapid-fire digital age, holds a powerful lesson: sometimes, slowing down creates the most captivating impact.
Just like a master photographer crafting the perfect slow shutter shot, building a successful marketing strategy requires a deliberate blend of earned, owned, and paid-for media.
Earned Media: Stretching the Spray
Think of earned media as the organic murmur of admiration that ripples through online communities, print publications and broadcast media. It’s the captivating waterfall captured in a National Geographic spread, generating awe and word-of-mouth buzz. It’s the glowing review on a blog, shared across social media.
Earned media is built on news value and authenticity. Earned media thrives on letting your brand story unfold naturally, captivating hearts and minds.
Owned Media: Your Canvas of Creation
Owned media is your curated gallery, your website, blog, newsletter, podcast and social media channels. It’s the platform where you showcase your expertise, tell your stories, and engage directly with your audience. Just as a photographer meticulously chooses the shutter speed and aperture to paint their vision, owned media demands careful content creation.
Owned media allows you to control the narrative, demonstrate topic authority, build relationships, and nurture loyalty.
Paid Media: The Spotlight’s Beam
Finally, paid media acts as the strategic spotlight, amplifying your message and reaching targeted audiences. It’s the carefully placed ad in an authoritative publication, a social media ad that targets a specific user group or demographic, or the sponsored content that appears on respected websites.
Paid media, much like a controlled burst of light in a slow shutter photograph, can instantly grab attention.
The Artful Blend: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Just like a slow shutter photograph requires patience and precision, building a brand through the combined power of earned, owned, and paid media demands a mindful approach. It’s about understanding your audience; crafting compelling content, and strategically amplifying your message without drowning out the organic murmur of appreciation.
Craft your brand’s slow shutter masterpiece, give me a call on 083 303 1663. We can help you harness the power of earned, owned, and paid media to create a marketing strategy that stands out from the noise.
The above image was captured with a Sony A6000 looking out to sea from Umhlanga beach at sunset on Friday 12 January 2024.
