As a matter of ad agency creative entitlement, our industry is plagued with a seemingly endless supply of increasingly more clever and awesome job titles. Believe me, there are a lot of them out there… Digital Overlord, Chief Inspiration Officer, Chief Chatter Officer… the list goes on! I like to think that interesting-sounding job titles are reflective of the changing landscape in which our industry operates, but too often they’re not.
But what if they were? What if there was a breakthrough strategic point of view in the industry that actually warranted a new job function and an appropriate new job title?
At Zimmerman, we’re putting our chips down on Immersive Commerce as the new navigation in helping brands drive transactions at scale. Put simply, it’s the belief (and the doctrine) that brands should find ways to sell to consumers anywhere and everywhere they are. Tear down the fences that corral consumers within our own ecosystems and meet them wherever they may be within their free-range shopping behaviors.
But what should we call this person? We think it sounds something like “Marketplace Guru.” And, what about the job description? The “Marketplace Gurus” we’re looking for will be responsible for leading the implementation, maintenance and optimization of online and offline commerce platforms for Zimmerman clients. They will coordinate and direct internal resources to implement product feeds, marketplace integrations, and strategic selling opportunities. This position requires in-depth knowledge of digital commerce ecosystems like Google Shopping, Instagram, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook and others, as well as activating individual commerce channels.
The way I see it, brands should be able to hire an agency and demand creative strategies that not only reach consumers via media channels, but also convert them into customers using those same media channels as selling opportunities. At Zimmerman, we’re fortifying our talent roster with those who have the most updated skills and knowledge in the industry. And even if Marketplace Guru may not be a real position today… give us just a moment and it will. Because while it may be true that the way in which consumers buy today has changed, our remit has not: We want more consumers, in more places, buying more things from our clients. That’s success to us. That’s the machine.
Alexa, play Pink Floyd, “Welcome to the Machine.”