42 and the Mother of All Marketing Questions

42 and the mother of all marketing questions

For the 12th time, I had the honor of presenting the keynote at priint:day – an honor and a pleasure that puts a smile on my face and worry lines on my forehead every year. And like all the years before, I was faced with the tricky question of how to reconcile a main topic, the diversity of presentations and the priint messages.

As a self-confessed Douglas Adams fan, the universal answer was quickly found – and that's how the first part of the presentation title came about. But as every Adams fan knows, the answer is nothing without the right question. And that's where it got exciting: This question was to mark the dramatic highlight of my keynote.

Of course, this inevitably led me to the next consideration: How...

many “acts” should the keynote consist of? Theater, movies and stories usually offer us the choice between 3, 5 or 7 acts. The impressive variety of topics at priint:day made the decision clear - it had to be the epic version, not the classic one.

Seven acts!
The summary of the keynote is also visualized according to these seven sections. I warmly invite you to take a look – and hope you enjoy reading with a smile!

Act 1: Exposition (Introduction)

Introduction of the world, the characters and the initial situation.

Summary of the 11th keynote

Relevance in product communication
Central aspects for maximum relevance are an outstanding customer experience and a strong presence in digital channels. Being found on the internet – supported by artificial intelligence and social media – forms the basis for this. At the same time, reliability and trust in the brand are indispensable cornerstones for sustainable success.

Act 2: Critical moment (Trigger)

The conflict is set in motion.

It’s about trust

Trust in digital product communication is built through a combination of transparency, consistency and reliability. Customers must feel that they are being provided with honest and comprehensive information. Clear information about products, prices and conditions creates security and prevents disappointment. It is equally important to use uniform messages and a consistent design across all communication channels, as this conveys reliability and professionalism.

Another key aspect is the protection of customer data. If companies comply with modern security standards and make this visible, they strengthen consumer trust. Customer reviews and testimonials also play a crucial role, as they credibly demonstrate the quality of a product or service. Fast, helpful customer service that addresses customer needs also shows that consumers' concerns are being taken seriously.

Finally, imparting specialized knowledge also helps to build trust. Companies that demonstrate their expertise through well-founded content such as blog articles or tutorials create a basis on which customers feel secure in making their decisions. Trust is therefore created by continuously and honestly aligning communication with the needs of customers.

Act 3: First turn (First peak)

The protagonist makes a crucial choice and sets out on a journey.

Challenge Map

Successful product communication and the establishment of a perfect customer journey, which ultimately form the basis for corporate success, are complex challenges. In addition to the demands on communication, the continuous development of technology and change within the company play a decisive role. Added to this is the need to meet the ever-increasing demands on content. That's why I used the keynote to introduce the new Challenge Map, which clearly summarizes all these aspects.

Act 4: Moderate conflict (Complica­tions)

The protagonist encounters obstacles that intensify the conflict.

Every day is Groundhog Day

A keynote doesn't happen overnight – it's the result of intensive exchanges and many discussions. However, there is a special “quality filter” for the priint:day keynotes: My most critical thinker and best of all wives, Kristin. As I proudly presented the storyline, she commented dryly, “Content again? You've been telling that story for 25 years!” Ashamed, I pointed to the new Challenge Map as a “game changer”. Her reaction? A skeptical, “...And you think that helps?” – End of presentation.

And yes, somehow she's right: It does feel like “Groundhog Day”. The protagonist experiences the same day over and over again until he finds a way out through self-reflection and change. But what does that mean for us? Is it really just a matter of gradually optimizing processes and technologies? Or is there really that one game changer that changes everything?

Act 5: Second turn (Crisis)

The dramatic low – the situation seems hopeless.

Artificial intelligence as the game changer?

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a driving force in marketing and content creation because it uniquely combines data-based personalization, creative support and increased efficiency. It precisely analyzes target groups, creates customized content and optimizes its distribution in real time. In doing so, AI is evolving from a mere tool to a strategic partner that enriches creative processes and helps companies to respond more relevantly and flexibly to market changes. However, the key challenge remains to balance technology and authenticity in order to create content that is both innovative and human.

But how much hype is there really behind it? And what do concrete implementation scenarios look like? These are precisely the questions that the priint:day addresses in a variety of exciting presentations. One thing is clear: AI is indispensable today, but it is by no means a universal solution. Rather, it is a valuable building block that must be used intelligently. After 25 years of PIM, the question is whether we should change our approach or rather redefine the way we approach omnichannel projects?

Act 6: Climax (Peak)

The decisive moment when the conflict reaches its climax.

How high is my budget?

A seemingly trivial question, but one that gets to the heart of the matter. The generic answer is usually insufficient, but a tight budget forces us to set clear priorities. The positive thing about this is that there are only two central focuses. In our agile world, it is on the one hand about quickly achieving business value and on the other hand about consistently pursuing a long-term master plan that takes into account the transformation challenges – be it in processes, technologies or the design of an excellent customer journey – in a holistic way.

I often see companies wanting the perfect solution. On the one hand, this is due to the German engineering spirit, but on the other hand, it is also due to the fear of making the wrong decision. The solution should then be able to do everything – often also as a fig leaf to avoid having to face the necessary change processes within the organization.

In this regard, I find the American approach convincing: Formulate a vision and then set out with agility and determination. This pragmatic way of making rapid progress while remaining flexible is, in my view, the right approach.

Act 7: Resolution (Denouement)

The story concludes and the consequences of the events are shown.

priint:day

Designing successful and efficient product communication is a demanding task. The challenges are as complex as the possible solutions. That's why we are all the more pleased about priint:day, which offers a platform where experts from companies, service providers and technology providers can exchange ideas and inspire each other.

The focus of priint:day is not on our products, but on best practices, expertise and new ideas. Although priint's solutions play a role, they are usually only teased in a short commercial block.

I'm already looking forward to the next keynote – and the backstory for it has already been told.

priint:suite

The priint:suite can be aptly compared to a Swiss army knife because of its versatility and flexibility in performing a wide range of tasks. Customers use the priint:suite to relieve pressure on their marketing budget through automation, to simplify the creation of numerous touchpoints and to enable personalized communication with low barriers to entry. It also supports the implementation of a single source of truth process, ensuring efficient and consistent data management.