New Mechanics of Distribution

This explosion of social-centric digital connectivity has created a virtual constellation of brand assets across the owned, earned and paid spectrums. For those needing a refresher, owned media channels are those that the brand controls – this could mean your Facebook page, your web site, blog or Twitter account. Earned media refers to unassisted transfer of brand messaging or content, whether that is through word of mouth, a viral video or a news article. Paid media simply refers to those opportunities in which a partner has been paid to feature content, and can take place both in the social space and in more traditional digital arenas (display, search, etc.).

Arraying these assets in a way that makes sense and is both functional and appealing to the digital consumer has necessitated a new approach to brand planning called connections planning. Interactive agency Razorfish defines this as,