IMC - Hirsch's

In 2011, I was introduced to online shopping. Ever since, I have been doing my shopping and price comparison online before I visit a store or check out using my credit card for a purchase online. However, I have been really fascinated recently by the way online stores have been able to follow me around on Facebook, have push marketing via Email spamming my junk box, and surprisingly how they are also able to follow you when you use Google Search.  

With this new way of being targeted, I often wonder what would happen to stores my parents used to support. What would happen to traditional stores and what can they do to improve the way they reach new and existing customers.

In this blog, I would like to assess areas where Hirsch’s stores can improve their integrated marketing communication and also how they can perhaps enhance the various touch points that have worked for them.

I am fascinated by Hirsch’s and their approach to marketing and to doing business. Who would have thought that a gentleman back in the 70’s, short of money would be able to establish such and empire?  Mr Hirsch, whom I’ve had the pleasure of having dinner with started a business that would now be a business that one can call a true community business feel good story. However, how long will they be able to sustain this success during times where technology has chipped away on brand loyalty and has allowed consumers to have options. How can they utilise social media, digital marketing and re-marketing to ensure that they still keep top of mind when it comes to purchase decision making. 

Here is how I suggest they should do it.

Traditionally Hirsch’s uses Above the line marketing. Particularly, they are fond of print community newspaper media. They place adverts in free, knock and drop newspapers and also at times feature on-air on local radio stations. This approach does get the mileage however does not entirely compete where consumers spend a lot of time – ‘Social Media’. According to an article I read about the SA social Media landscapes 2017 World Wide Worx report, in 2016, 91% of 116 major South African Brands surveyed use Facebook. Hirsch’s already has a Facebook page that needs to be aligned with their Print Media strategy of price and product. Although they already have an online shop, they could better integrate the message across all their marketing channels. 

Currently this is no the case. Their print adverts are price and product and their social media posts are more brand related and attempt to engage the prospect. Some may argue that, when you are of Facebook you are not ready to buy, however I would disagree with that. Every touch-point, Facebook being one is an opportunity to channel the consumer into allowing them to have the best experience with your brand. 

 Example of price and product advert in print.

Therefore, Facebookwould be able to click through to an online store that would make that User experience more fluid, much like Spree does and Takealot.com. Hirsch’s can learn a lot from these two platforms.

Hirsh’s has used Instagram brilliantly. They have understood the mindset the consumer is in when browsing on Instagram. They too have used great, attractive images in their posts and have successfully created the atmosphere that would resonate with the potential customer. This Brand building, using such a lifestyle, image heavy platform does not call for an action from a reader or potential client, what it does is that it allows you to associate this brand with a particular lifestyle. Their content marketing strategy for this platform is appropriate as it talks to the emotional aspiration of a consumer. Also their content stream and imagery is received by the potential customer when they are in a lean back read, state of mind and not necessarily planning ‘lean forward’ state of mind.

Hirsch’s has understood that they need to be mindful of the attention economy. They however have not rounded their integrated marketing in a way that it has synergy and can compete with the pureplay online stores. They can however revisit their strategy and look at how their print, radio marketing campaigns can be strategically integrated and with better leverage on their online and social media efforts. 

The last observation and area of improvement they can focus on is establishing a narrative through their instore promotions. When you walk into the store, there are either activations or instore promotions. However, the really time and personal value this could add onto the brand resonance of community members and Hirsch’s as a brand is missed. There are stories behind people who win prizes instore. This is great content for Facebook and also for Twitter. Real time excitement might be more effective in increasing feet through the door than a Billboard or a radio advert.

The current Facebook page seems scripted and lags, it could be updated more frequently during shopping times. The use of real people winning instore can improve their social media presence and can develop a stronger brand resonance that can be re-marketed by the users. 

 Example of Facebook and Twitter content that can be shared real time.

Hirsch’s is an inspirational story in the retail industry. It would be a huge loss for consumers to see such a brand losing momentum to online pure play retail stores. They are doing plenty right however there are also missed opportunities. Revisiting their content strategy and aligning it with their marketing strategy is critical in order to allow a more uniform message to be received by public.