Little glossary of usage terms for Marketing and Communication Directors

DAM, WCM, MRM: each day seems to bring us new marketing and communication software. Sometimes even CIOs do not know how to find and avoid duplication in terms of features and uses. Here is a short glossary to help you see more clearly and choose the right solution for your needs.

DAM or Digital Asset Management

The library and video library now labeled as “DAM” is a must for the marketing or communications toolbox: to classify the campaign and product images, approve them, and validate copyright. DAM is used to group all digital assets of the company by ensuring its proper use.

The essential functions of DAM are:

• Search for items using a simple and powerful search engine
• Support of the lifecycle of graphic elements from conception to dissemination as well as their expiration and then archiving them
• Open and control access of the users to images and videos according to their roles and permissions

MRM ou Marketing Resource Management

A marketing or communications campaign involves many trades and much expertise. Everything must be done and controlled almost in real time now. Presenting all stakeholders a clear consolidated vision, current campaigns, MRM solutions allow you to share and work together to plan, design, approve, translation of materials.

The essential features of MRM solutions are:

• Planning and preparing budgets and activities of campaigns.
• Sharing images, texts, media via a portal (brand center / portal brand / DAM integrated MRM software)
• Creating personalized marketing and communication materials
• Validating these materials to all concerned departments – the legal or compliance for example
• Measurement, analysis, production of reports on the use of resources in marketing and communication services

WCM or Web Content Management

Formerly dedicated exclusively to web publishing, solutions web content management (WCM) is now used to manage interactions across all digital channels.

The essentials features of a WCM solution are:

• Full content management and their various versions, translations, metadata …
• Ability put together the content and distribute across multiple channels, web, social networks, mobile applications …
• Adaptation of the experience for each visitor based on their profile

Conclusion

This glossary shows us that the three solutions present the same benefits: to ensure consistency of content and brand. They can coexist within the same organization. However in summary, here are the most common options:

• If you already have a powerful DAM, you can interface with a MRM solution that allows you to make your campaigns.
• If your business is e-commerce you can beef up your digital strategy by choosing a web content management (WCM) solution.
• You can also choose to integrate a DAM and MRM solution to a content management solution, WCM,  to  increase your brand and accelerate the production of materials on all channels that reach your customers.

If this glossary doesn’t answer all your questions, contact us.