Marketing expert Mareen Eichinger: "Companies must position themselves clearly".

For her Berlin agency macheete and their clients, Mareen Eichinger is always on the trail of the latest trends. The marketing expert founded her company in 2010 and has since then implemented the conception and implementation of communication campaigns in the areas of brands, products, people and lifestyle. In conversation, she repeatedly reminds us that for long-term success, further development, communication and sustainability are the key points for a progressive and successful company.

Ms. Eichinger, you've been in the communications business for more than a decade. How did you originally get started?
Mareen Eichinger: Before I founded macheete in 2010, I was employed in a classic marketing agency. At that time, everything in the industry revolved around the topic of 360-degree communication. Integrated communication was the top priority for companies and agencies and was the big thing. The goal was to communicate with customers through various touchpoints anytime and anywhere - mostly offline - to create a holistic brand experience. As a project manager, I was responsible for all the issues within a campaign. By going through all these steps from start to finish, I gained a very strong understanding of holistic marketing.

What has changed compared to back then? How do you perceive communication today?
Mareen Eichinger: The term 360-degree communication is still relevant today, of course. But at macheete, we've been focusing more on the changes in society and media use, as well as changes in communication behavior, in recent years. This has resulted in a completely new approach to the communication process for us. The focus is on all online communication tools with the new digital media such as the Internet, e-mail or social media. There are brands that sometimes only rely on their own digital touchpoints and are incredibly successful with them. Conversely, this means that as a brand, I no longer have to look for my customer everywhere; ideally, just a few channels are enough to be successful. That's why we at macheete see ourselves as experts for a subarea of communication within the marketing mix.

Since 1995, the circulation of daily and weekend newspapers has fallen sharply. How do you see the development in the classic PR sector for corporate communications?
Mareen Eichinger: In my opinion, the change in media offers many opportunities for both sides. On the one hand, for newspapers, which have to reinvent themselves and find their place online. Because there's no way back. On the other hand, for many companies that unfortunately still haven't understood that press and public relations work today is more than just a placement in yesterday's newspaper. Classic PR work is almost dead, and I'm not being a revolutionary with this statement. This should have long been clear to anyone who has studied the subject of communication. In my opinion, the topic of strategic online PR should have top priority in every company from now on.

How can companies succeed in building a holistic strategy for the future here?
Mareen Eichinger: If you want to remain relevant in the future, you should build up various assets on the Internet to digitally strengthen your company, your brand. This involves using the right measures such as online PR, content marketing, SEO, multipliers and social media to strategically spread one's own message on the various platforms and channels. Online positioning is and will remain indispensable in the future in order to reach one's target group. This is because they are very likely to look for answers to their questions on the Internet and also interact there. Content can no longer be produced for just one medium. Instead, companies should develop content that they can use on several digital channels at once in order to pick up their target group where they are.

So everything is the same as before, but digitally?
Mareen Eichinger: Just like in the analog world, in the digital context it's all about reaching my target group. The Internet, with all its possibilities, even offers the chance to keep wastage as low as possible through precise targeting of the target group. I like to compare this with the poster at the bus stop. There, I am seen by many people as a brand and have actually achieved my goal of attracting attention. So I could be satisfied as a company or brand. But if I'm honest with myself, I should ask myself: Who of those who saw my poster is really interested in what I have to offer? And what is the response of those who are interested? This doesn't happen to me so quickly with strategic content placement on the web. I definitely get noticed by the right target group and receive responses in the form of traffic, views, likes, shares or even links. So as a brand, I make my target audience work for me by giving me feedback and put my products out there. Sounds easy now, but it's still a long way to go.

Why haven't many companies recognized this yet?
Mareen Eichinger: When I talk to customers, I notice time and again that many people, including CEOs and marketing managers, simply don't want to recognize the importance of online communication. They have not yet realized that we live in a digital world and that there is no turning back. Then they say, yes, but business is going quite well and there are always small fluctuations in sales. Or they say, "Our target group is not online. It is easy to forget that target groups also change over time. They get younger, or the target group they are used to goes digital, and their buying behavior changes as a result. Conversely, this means at least: If I don't present myself online, I miss the chance to reach even more people.

Society is currently undergoing enormous change, both politically and socially. What do you recommend to companies?
Mareen Eichinger: Younger consumers in particular expect companies and brands to take a stand on certain social and political issues. You can see that especially with topics like Fridays for Future or Pride Month. And I think it's great that there are brands like Nike or Ben & Jerry's that are clearly positioning themselves here. Brands are becoming friends and getting involved with their consumers, standing up for their interests and rights. There are already studies that prove that brands make more sales when they get involved in social issues, even if that sounds very immoral right now. And that's where my recommendation comes in: If you briefly champion issues like diversity, inclusion or environmental protection because it's hype at the moment, you can quickly fall flat on your face. I therefore recommend a PR strategy that is designed to be sustainable. Values must fit the company and its target group. Corporate social responsibility is not a carnival ride that a brand can just jump on.

Butter by the fishes: Has classic advertising as such had its day?
Mareen Eichinger: Yes and no. The consumer and buying behavior of all of us has simply changed a great deal. While we used to be very receptive to colorful advertising images and could sing along to almost every commercial on TV by heart, today we are mostly just annoyed by them. But even online, hardly anyone is impressed by a flashing banner on a website, unless they need the product anyway. The banners are also hardly seen anymore, because we have all become mobile users. High-quality content that adds value is more important than ever. And that's where PR, which can increasingly act as a sale channel through good stories, can shine in full bloom, in my opinion. Here, PR people have to think big and design topics in such a way that they can be used for various channels.

In conclusion, what do you see as the most important trends for 2022?
Mareen Eichinger: Public relations is becoming more and more numbers-driven and therefore even more closely linked to the marketing or even sales department. KPIs such as traffic, conversions, leads and ultimately sales will play an enormous role. Social media communities are growing and gaining influence. That's why personal contacts with journalists, bloggers and influencers are very important to me, because they are being inundated with offers more and more. Only a long-term and strategic partnership will achieve success here in the long run. Companies and brands will constantly have to deal with topics such as sustainability, empowerment or diversity. It is not only the climate and the economy that are changing, but also the way people think and act. Companies should seriously address this and incorporate it into their future strategy. Customers or consumers want to know what a company or brand stands for and whether it is in line with their own worldview. The most important thing will be to put consumers at the center and reach them via different channels and individual content.