Analysis of Narcos' E-CRM activities

Known as E-CRM, Electronic Customer Relationship Management is the online management structure taken by a business or service for customer relations. How a business interacts and engages with its customers digitally is what constitutes to E-CRM.

Though a considerable chunk of customer relations depends on the marketing, managing the flow of customers by understanding their needs and requirements through active communication is vital. To better understand the role of E-CRM, I will use Narcos as an example in how it successfully utilised an effective strategy to create a large following internationally.

Online marketing communication methods

1. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)/ Online partnerships

Though not much was available for the Narcos' marketing team to have had paid for SEOs, evidence was available for marketing through social media platforms. The picture below is from Facebook where the reactions had been replaced to characters from the Narcos series. This sort of marketing not only familiarised non-viewers of the series, but it also showed themes of Narcos, e.g. the widely used 'Plata o Plomo' saying, An example of the theme of the show.

The push form of marketing shows the aim of Narcos to advertise through widely used functions on social media platforms.

2. Online Public Relations

This has been by far the most successful elements of Narcos' customer relationship. The series utilised the fact that it is non-fictional. Being based on true events makes it easier for the series to use real-time events and potentially get away with it.

This video goes further into the social media campaign strategy developed by the Narcos' series, highlighting the potential of its PR.

An example of this theme could be seen in the usage of Trump's 'make America great Again' hat by Pablo Escobar in the picture below. Such hints in their marketing technique raise curiosity amongst those viewing the image.

A second example of Narcos' successful PR was through utilising annual trends to its advantage, e.g. Movember allowed for the series to not only advertise its release using the trend but also cap into the market that followed the specific trend. By tagging itself to Movember, Narcos gained additional market reach.

3. Interactive Advertising

The Narcos' series has been effective in interacting with its viewers through social media platforms and subtle marketing techniques. Below is an example of a 'Fantasy Narcos' where the series itself suggests how it would pan out, leaving elements for the viewers to discover themselves.

With Narcos' season 3 being released on the 28th of August this year, it chose to use a high level of interaction with the viewers by leaving clues to what the season would revolve around, the story line. With already high anticipation of the series that built in the last 2 seasons, the clues increase the viewer's involvement. The series chose to use facts as a basis of advertisement, both educating the audience and stirring expectations too.

Considering all that I have stated so far, the established relationship strategy with its customers by the Narcos' series is no less than successful. Over a time-span of 2 years, it has amassed a huge viewer audience and extraordinary ratings. The inexpensive online marketing has allowed Narcos to develop its viewer base without much hassle and the worry of offline efforts.

And at the end, its a series with which already had a true story as a script, all the Narcos team had to do was create viewer loyalty which they have been successful in, so far.

Reference List

Dave Chaffey, F. E.-C., 2016. Digital Marketing. 6th ed. Edinburgh: Pearson.

Fullerton, L., 2016. How Netflix is growing the popularity of Narcos through smart social media marketing. [Online] Available at: http://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/09/06/how-netflix-growing-popularity-narcos-through-smart-social-media-marketing [Accessed 15 September 2017].

Nudd, T., 2017. Netflix’s Secretive New Narcos Ads Are Popping Up, Cocaine-Like, in Nightclub Bathrooms. [Online] Available at: http://www.adweek.com/creativity/netflixs-secretive-new-narcos-ads-are-popping-up-cocaine-like-in-nightclub-bathrooms/ [Accessed 17 September 2017].

shortyawards, 2017. NETFLIX NARCOS ORIGINAL SERIES SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN. [Online] Available at: http://shortyawards.com/8th/netflix-narcos [Accessed 14 September 2017].

Winther, E., 2016. What You Should Learn from Netflix’s Narcos Social Media Strategy. [Online] Available at: http://www.sitepronews.com/2016/11/02/what-you-should-learn-from-netflixs-narcos-social-media-strategy/ [Accessed 14 September 2017].

Also used Week 6 PowerPoint