In his guide to the new age, digital marketing guru Thomas Hongtack Kim says the challenge for marketers is to create a playground – and not just any playground, but one that will make consumers like “children eagerly waiting for recess.” Digital Playground is all about navigating through the clutter of content in order to win the hearts of consumers. While the goal isn’t new, the rules have certainly changed for marketers. Kim repeats this message often: The old days of advertising are over.
While some may say that it’s too early for a guide to an age that is continuously evolving, Kim looks at the formative years for answers. The book covers milestones in digital marketing, from 2003 to 2013 – what Kim refers to as the “Digital Decade”.
Divided in two parts, the first half of Digital Playground focuses on ten key concepts that Kim believes define the new ecosystem of digital communication, while the second features ten noteworthy campaigns. While this guide doesn’t need to be read from cover to cover, it’s not difficult to do so. Even those outside the marketing or creative industry can easily appreciate the book, which is rich with examples and insight.
Despite its digital topic, book’s design also contributes to a pleasant reading experience. It’s quite lovely to leaf through, with smooth paper and cleanly laid out pages, making it easy to read, whether it’s one of the many case studies that are included in the book, or one of the concept summaries, which contains practical applications for the reader to try.
While the old days are over, not all rules have been replaced, and Kim shows how these still apply in digital marketing, explaining terms such as ambient, stealth, and co-creation. Digital Playground takes the reader through stories from around the world to show how much has been done – and how much can still be done. The book isn’t just a map of what’s been discovered in the digital age, it provokes thought about what else is out there.
It’s a valuable guide for those in the business, and for readers who may have just stumbled upon it, it’s also a story of people and how this new age has (or hasn’t) changed us. Connection and authenticity are recurring themes, and it’s reassuring to see how the increasing dependence on technology doesn’t necessarily point toward isolation.
The book ends with Kim’s top ten hottest campaigns in the digital decade, beginning with BMW Films and ending with ‘Dumb Ways to Die.’ Kim then encourages the reader to come up with their own top ten – and exercise that would probably be more rewarding after getting acquainted with the ten key concepts.
Digital Playground is an informative read, but more importantly, it’s fun, and not just for marketers.
This book review was first published on the July-August 2016 Issue of adobo magazine.
