It’s not quite like peanut butter and jelly – or yin and yang, for that matter – but as consumers, we don’t compartmentalize our online and offline worlds. It’s a continual conversation that goes on between the layers of wherever we play, work, and live. Consider that most of the fodder for conversation on social networks is about what’s happening in people’s lives offline – photos from parties and events, live tweets from conferences, news of celebrity deaths, updates from the ground on the controversial Iran presidential election. Conversely people also talk to each other face-to-face about their online experiences – new social networking games they’ve tried, YouTube videos and Tweeters worth following.  Yet marketers and brands often address these areas discreetly with separate online and offline strategies and campaigns.  This only serves to muddy the brand voice and confuse consumers.

When brands engage in a campaign or initiative the entire conversational picture should be taken into consideration – how can Facebook or Twitter help spread the word about experiential marketing and events?  What tools can you offer on-site for consumers to share their experiences on the ground?   How do you keep your community buzzing between campaigns?

We believe in starting with the story, the emotional connection between consumers and brand, and viewing offline and online experiences as tools vs. strategies.  The strategy is the conversation and in order for it to get passed along to an ever-widening group, the content has to be authentic, compelling and easy to share.