Vladimer Botsvadze Talks to European Business Magazine

Vladimer Botsvadze is a globally recognised marketing thought leader and sought-after keynote speaker, known for helping businesses harness the full power of digital strategy. Ranked among the top influencers in marketing, AI, and innovation, he has built one of the world’s fastest-growing personal brands from the ground up.

In this exclusive interview, Vladimer reflects on the key digital trends reshaping business today — from social media storytelling to AI adoption — and shares the timeless principles behind lasting brand success.

Q: In an age dominated by content and connectivity, why do you believe social media remains the most powerful engine for business growth?

Vladimer Botsvadze: “There are 8.1 billion people in the world, 5.6 billion mobile users, 5.2 billion internet users, and 4.9 billion social media users. The question nowadays is: how does your brand stand out in a noisy digital marketplace?

“Six hours and 38 minutes are spent surfing the internet. Two hours and 26 minutes are spent using social media. Also, one hour and 38 minutes are spent listening to music streaming services, and over one hour is spent listening to podcasts nowadays.

“I believe that it’s all about winning attention across social media channels. It’s all about storytelling. It’s all about humanising your brand.

“What was happening before the internet? Every brand was pushing their message on billboards, on TV, outdoors — so they were not in communication with their consumers. In

1971, a TV commercial would change your business. But nowadays, social media content changes your business.

“Social media content, along with OTT — Netflix, Hulu — are the most dominant consumption tools in our society.

“It’s clear that so many brands are transactional nowadays. They send sales pitches to their consumers. But only a tiny minority of brands tell their stories and get closer to their consumers.

“The best example is Elon Musk. Elon Musk’s personal brand powers Tesla’s success — whereas traditional automakers burn cash on advertising. Tesla has never depended on advertising. Tesla does not even have an advertising department. Tesla heavily depends on the strong personal brand of Elon Musk, because Elon directly communicates with millions of followers on social media.

“This is a unique marketing tactic that was utilised by Tesla and Elon Musk. Elon’s active presence on social media allows him to communicate directly with consumers — and it’s cost-effective. Whereas traditional advertising can be expensive and overpriced.

“Tesla has fostered a passionate community of customers who advocate for the brand — without the need for traditional advertising. Owners of Tesla vehicles often become brand evangelists, sharing positive experiences with friends on social media.

“From this retrospect, Tesla has a higher market valuation than other automotive brands. For example, Mercedes-Benz spends $945 per car on advertising. Tesla spends $0.

“We don’t know anybody from other traditional automakers, because their executives don’t connect with their consumers in the digital age — whereas Elon Musk directly communicates with millions of followers on Twitter.

“Even if we look at Airbnb’s example — co-founder Brian Chesky is very active on Twitter. He communicates directly with Airbnb’s users and improves Airbnb’s products through listening to users.

“I think that our business world can learn a great deal from Elon Musk and Brian Chesky — how they humanise their brands, how they put a human face on their businesses, and directly communicate with thousands and millions of followers on Twitter.

“Consumer connection is of paramount importance. If brands don’t create content, don’t tell their stories, don’t communicate — if executives are not interested in improving their products online in the digital age — they should not be in business.

“We have seen so many examples — for instance, Blockbuster went out of business because they disregarded consumers in the digital age. They did not buy Netflix for $50 million.

“Kodak went out of business. Airbnb disrupted hospitality brands. Disruption will touch every industry. So brands need to be open-minded, consumer-centric, connect with their consumers in the digital age — and tell their stories.”

Q: Many brands invest heavily in digital marketing, yet few truly connect. What are the most common mistakes businesses make when building a social media presence?

Vladimer Botsvadze: “Brands make a huge mistake because they are transactional. They create content that is in their best interest. They disregard consumers.

“Ninety-five percent of brands are oriented towards sales, whereas five percent of brands are oriented towards creating content that is in their followers’ and consumers’ best interest.

“I think it’s all about positioning your brand as a media company. You have to imagine that you are a Bloomberg of your industry. You have to provide enlightening, informative content to your audiences.

“It’s never about sending sales pitches or inviting consumers to visit your website, or informing them that you have 20% off.

“For example, Ericsson in Sweden has 5G podcasts, AI podcasts, IoT podcasts. They collaborate with digital transformation influencers and thought leaders to create informative and enlightening podcast episodes.

“I believe that every brand needs to be in the publishing business. Unfortunately, most are stuck in advertising mode.

“As we know, one out of three consumers has ad blockers on their devices. Consumers nowadays no longer trust or believe in those ads.

“More than 700 million consumers have ad blockers installed. Even if I see a five-second video advert on YouTube, I no longer trust or believe in it — they are all the same.

“Storytelling is the game. Creating content that is in the consumer’s best interest is what sets you apart.

“Every brand needs to strike while the iron is hot and make hay while the sun shines — to win in the long term.”

Q: Amazon has become a benchmark for customer experience and innovation. What key lessons can businesses take from Amazon’s long-term success strategy?

Vladimer Botsvadze: “The first lesson is building a great experience. Customers tell each other — word of mouth is of paramount importance.

“The second lesson is about being consumer-centric. So many brands nowadays are competitor-centric, boardroom-centric — but Amazon has always been consumer-centric. So, being consumer-centric can make your brand trailblazing.

“The third lesson is reinventing yourself. As we have noticed, Amazon has always reinvented itself. We need to bear in mind that every brand needs to evolve to move forward, to listen to their consumers. But it is clear as crystal that so many brands nowadays don’t evolve — they rest on their laurels, they lose market share, and they go out of business because they don’t reinvent themselves.

“The fourth lesson is all about being patient. We need to keep in mind that Rome was not built in a day. So we need to take one step at a time.

“The last lesson from Amazon is about being experimental. Jeff Bezos said that if you double the number of experiments you do per year, you are going to double your inventiveness.

“I believe that Amazon is the most valuable retail brand nowadays. Amazon listens to their consumers, it provides free shipping, you save so much money, and even Amazon gives Prime content for free.

“Whereas this industry is short-term and transactional, many businesses are concerned about what happens in the next three to five months — whereas Amazon thinks about what happens in the next five, ten, fifteen years.

“Not being consumer-centric is the biggest threat to any business. So I believe that these five lessons — building a great experience, being consumer-centric, reinventing yourself, being patient, and being experimental — can drive your results forward.”

Q: Storytelling is often described as a marketing superpower — but few brands get it right. How can storytelling be authentically and effectively integrated into a brand’s wider marketing strategy?

Vladimer Botsvadze: “Brand storytelling is all about bringing your message to life. It does not matter what marketing teams do — they need to tell their stories.

“It is the most game-changing skill nowadays. Storytelling is the game. Storytelling is why Apple is Apple. Storytelling is why Elon Musk has built Tesla.

“Storytelling is why, for example, Richard Branson has built huge businesses — because he is a true storyteller to the core.

“Storytelling is a powerful tool that can help amplify a brand’s message and connect with consumers on a deeper level.

“Most importantly, brands need to build emotional connection with their consumers.

“For example, Nike has emotional connection with its consumers. We know that when we wear Nike, we feel like we can achieve more, go faster — nothing is impossible, and the sky is the limit.

“Harley-Davidson also has emotional connection with its consumers. More than 700 riders go to Sturgis in South Dakota to attend festivals together. Harley-Davidson brings community together.

“Starbucks has emotional connection with its consumers. Coca-Cola is associated with happiness — when we think of Coca-Cola, we think of happiness, polar bears, and festive advertising campaigns.

“We need to create a compelling narrative. We need to develop stories that revolve around brand values, mission, product, or a problem.

“Second, it’s about identifying your target audience. Third is consistency across all channels. Fourth is showcasing authenticity. Fifth is engaging and interacting.

“Brands need to leverage user-generated content. Brands need to educate and inform their consumers.

“Ultimately, brands that create a lasting impression win in the long term.” This exclusive interview with Vladimer Botsvadze was conducted by Roxanna Hayes.

The post Vladimer Botsvadze Talks to European Business Magazine appeared first on European Business & Finance Magazine.