We should be producing content because it makes sense for our audience, not with the sole goal of it going “viral” – Diana Plazas, Marriott
No “best of” marketing list is complete without a strong dose of job envy. For that, we had to turn to Diana Plazas, Vice President of Brand, Marketing and Digital for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America. Diana’s responsible for leading the strategy and activation for Marriott brands and hotels across the region, as well as the initiatives of Marriott Rewards and its partners across its more than 25 countries. How’s that for a fun gig?
Prior to joining Marriott, Diana was the Global Marketing Director for the DoubleTree by Hilton brand at Hilton Worldwide, where she led campaigns such as Cookie CARE and the Little Things Project. Her contributions to multiple award-winning campaigns earned her the distinction as a Top 25 Extraordinary Mind in Sales and Marketing from HSMAI. Diana was originally born and raised in Cali, Colombia, and you can follow along her travels on Twitter (@dianap) or Instagram (@dplazas).
We couldn’t wait to hear what Diana had to say about marketing in 2016. Here’s what we found out:
What role do you see Influencer Marketing playing in brand marketing strategies in 2016?
Influencer marketing will continue to be the way that brands are able to connect with consumers in much more comprehensive ways. Influencers allow us to showcase our brands through their own voice and their own experiences, and this is especially important for a vertical like ours in travel. But as more brands flock to influencers, it will also become even more important to ensure that you are not working with somebody just for their reach, but because of their affinity with your brand and the consumer audience you want to connect with.
What is the most widespread mistake you’ve seen brand marketers make in 2015 that you hope they learn from in 2016?
I think it ties back to the influencer marketing area, and seeing brands use influencers just because of their popularity. We saw plenty of brands fail in this space because they didn’t vet the influencer first, or there was no true brand connection to showcase the right message, or the influencer’s following rejected the brand message. Lots of lessons from small and big brands in that space this year!
What word do you hope is officially banned from the marketing vernacular in 2016?
“Will this go viral?” We should be producing content because it makes sense for our audience, not with the sole goal of it going “viral”
What marketing events are you most looking forward to in 2016?
I’m looking forward to going back to SXSW but now with a different angle from my role in Caribbean and Latin America. It is such an exciting region, and lots going on.