Why it’s awesome, and also not awesome, to be a digitally native brand

Assuming you haven’t been living under a rock for the last 10 years, the biggest news in business is the rise of digitally native brands.

Who needs a taxi company when you have Uber on your iPhone? Why bother driving to the shops when Amazon will deliver the goods? Who needs mates when Facebook lets you curate thousands of followers? (Just kidding with that last one – we all need mates.)

These companies’ digital business models let them operate without capital-intensive stores and distribution channels. They have a tiny cost base relative to their global reach. No wonder investors love them.

But there’s a fly in this online ointment.
Turns out, having your brand emblazoned on trucks and ever-present in shopping malls plays a big part in building familiarity with it. On a sub-conscious level, it tells your audiences you’re the real deal – established, ubiquitous and trustworthy.

As a digitally native brand you can still do marketing. You can pop up regularly on screens but you’ll be fighting for attention with your mad uncle’s Trump memes and your sister’s cute baby photos.

So consider an alternative: the in-your-face reality of a real-world poster

“Street posters are a touchpoint,” says Phantom Billstickers Managing Partner Jamey Holloway. “They’re a way for people to encounter your brand in the physical world where they eat, breathe, shop and hang out with friends. And with great creative in Phantom frames, your brand looks larger than life. You start appearing in people’s social feeds and things go to the next level.”

– Published by Phantom Billstickers

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