Martech: Martech is Marketing Logo
  • Topics
    Transformation
    Operations
    Data
    Experience
    Performance
    Management
    Special Reports
    All Topics
  • Conference
  • Webinars
  • Intelligence Reports
  • White Papers
  • What is MarTech
    Mission
    Team
    Newsletter
    Search Engine Land
    Third Door Media

Processing...Please wait.

MarTech » Customer & Digital Experience » MarTech Landscape: What are those DAM systems?

MarTech Landscape: What are those DAM systems?

They’re not being cursed; they’re being used to manage zillions of photos, videos, graphics, and other files.

Barry Levine on December 13, 2016 at 10:39 am

photoss-images-pictures-ss-1920

Instead of shoe boxes of photos, many businesses employ specialized software to manage their images.

These Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems can make life a bit easier than flipping through prints spread out on a table — especially since many businesses have thousands, if not millions, of media assets stored somewhere as digital files.

In this installment of MarTech Today’s MarTech Landscape Series, we explain what those DAM systems are and why marketers often need them.

What are DAM systems?

Besides photo files, digital assets can include audio/music files, video clips, graphic files or presentation files. Each one of those files requires identification, tagging so it can be searched, licensing info, some way to track its usage and ways to have it approved for use in, say, a marketing campaign.

There are some specialized kinds of DAM systems that are oriented toward specific media types or use cases that extend beyond, say, making sure you have the latest product photo for a new marketing brochure.

Media asset management (MAM) systems, for instance, are focused on video and audio files, which tend to be much larger and have different management requirements than photos. Brand Asset Management (BAM) systems are oriented toward using digital assets to manage a brand’s presentation according to branding guidelines. A Product Information Management (PIM) system includes image management, as well as updated product info. Content Management Systems sometimes provide a degree of asset management, although users with extensive collections and needs may want to integrate a DAM system with their CMS.

DAM systems can be cloud-based, allowing various project members to access and manage the assets from anywhere, or they can be on-premises, which can provide greater assurances about security.

What do they do?

Whatever the particular DAM system is called, it generally has several core functions. It needs to store the assets in a central location — either an actual central location or a virtual one that appears central. Users need to have access according to their role so that, for instance, a copywriter gets view-only permission, but a graphic designer can download and adapt photos as needed.

There needs to be an ability to manage licensing rights, to share the selected files and to obtain approvals from remote clients or managers. And, increasingly, users want assets to automatically swap in and out of dynamic templates for specific markets, time periods or use cases, so that the production team has one less thing to worry about.

The DAM Foundation has established 10 core characteristics of a DAM system, distinguishing them from the kinds of custom systems that many organizations have built around their in-house database. In summary, the 10 characteristics of a DAM are the ability to:

  • ingest and manipulate assets individually or in large groups
  • secure assets, such as through defining user access
  • storing assets as binaries and as metadata
  • transform assets into other file formats or versions, while maintaining the originals
  • add metadata
  • control versions
  • provide workflow tools for asset management and approval
  • retrieve assets via searching by keywords or metadata
  • preview assets
  • share and publish the assets outside of the system

Other often-mentioned functions include policy tracking, archiving and the ability to track usage.

Some DAM vendors

Leading DAM vendors include WebDAM, Widen Collective, ADAM, Canto’s Cumulus, WoodWing’s Elvis, MerlinOne, North Plains’ Telescope, Picturepark and Razuna. DAMs also exist in some large marketing platforms, such as Adobe’s Experience Manager Assets.

Some homegrown systems work fine for tracking and managing digital assets, but, when you outgrow them, it’s best to assess your actual needs. Key considerations: your typical uses and your regular workflows for creation, approval and deployment, and, in particular, the other marketing, branding, PR or ad tools with which the DAM system needs to integrate.


New on MarTech

    Freeing agile marketing from its software development roots

    Marketing budgets climb in 2022

    Pega addresses accelerating business complexity

    Why we care about AR and VR: A guide for marketers

    Webinar: Overcome third-party data challenges for CX success

About The Author

Barry Levine
Barry Levine covers marketing technology for Third Door Media. Previously, he covered this space as a Senior Writer for VentureBeat, and he has written about these and other tech subjects for such publications as CMSWire and NewsFactor. He founded and led the web site/unit at PBS station Thirteen/WNET; worked as an online Senior Producer/writer for Viacom; created a successful interactive game, PLAY IT BY EAR: The First CD Game; founded and led an independent film showcase, CENTER SCREEN, based at Harvard and M.I.T.; and served over five years as a consultant to the M.I.T. Media Lab. You can find him at LinkedIn, and on Twitter at xBarryLevine.

Related Topics

Customer & Digital ExperienceMarketing Operations

Get the daily newsletter digital marketers rely on.

Processing...Please wait.

See terms.

ATTEND OUR EVENTS

June 7, 2022: Master Classes

September 28-29, 2022: Fall

Start Discovering Now: Spring

Learn More About Our MarTech Events

June 14-15, 2022: SMX Advanced (virtual)

November 14-15, 2022: SMX Next (virtual)

March 8-9, 2022: Master Classes (virtual)

Learn More About Our SMX Events

Webinars

Take a Crawl, Walk, Run Approach to Multi-Channel ABM

Content Comes First: Transform Your Operations With DAM

Dominate Your Competition with Google Auction Insights and Search Intelligence

See More Webinars

Intelligence Reports

Enterprise SEO Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

Enterprise Identity Resolution Platforms

Email Marketing Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

Enterprise Sales Enablement Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

Enterprise Digital Experience Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

Enterprise Call Analytics Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

See More Intelligence Reports

White Papers

Reputation Management For Healthcare Organizations

Unlock the App Marketing Potential of QR Codes

Realising the power of virtual events for demand generation

The Progressive Marketer’s Ultimate Events Strategy 2022 Worksheet

CMO Guide: How to Plan Smart and Pivot Fast

See More Whitepapers

Receive daily marketing news & analysis.

Processing...Please wait.

Topics

  • Transformation
  • Operations
  • Data
  • Experience
  • Performance
  • Management
  • All Topics
  • Home

Our Events

  • MarTech
  • Search Marketing Expo - SMX

About

  • What is MarTech
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Marketing Opportunities
  • Staff

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Newsletters
  • RSS

© 2022 Third Door Media, Inc. All rights reserved.