Great post by Jay Ehret over at the Marketing Spot.
Why is it that some still believe that a product or service will become preferred and remembered if we scream our message louder than our competitors and “saturate the market” with mass media. Coincidently, that was the phrase a senior marketing professional made to me the other day. I was astounded that in this time of fragmented media, niche audiences, micro trends and tribes there are still some marketers who utilize mass media, not as a compliment to a well-rounded marketing strategy (which includes social media, emerging technology, etc) but as the be-all, end-all. To me, this reflects a lack of understanding of the basic way people absorb and use media today.
Mr. Ehret says…
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Forget about advertising your way to success. It won’t work. At least not in the long run.
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And he provides four reasons why…
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Preconception
Believability
The Myth of Response
Money
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I’m not saying that all mass advertising is a waste. I believe that traditional media can still be part of the mix but only to the extent it’s needed to increase awareness for new products, time sensitive promotions and differentiation of low-involvement, saturated markets. Just focusing on traditional, one-way awareness ads will surely make your brand seem stiff, too inwardly focused and annoying.
Marketing professionals today need to recognize that prospects no longer move predictably from one mass media touch point to the next. They move around, nibbling on video, connecting to people via socla media tools, reading their RSS feeds, leaving comments on their favorite social networks, reading a few new blogs or, better yet, creating content on a blog of their own.
3 Responses to “How to avoid getting punched in the face”
- Jay Ehret on November 16th, 2008 2:17 am
Patrick,
Thanks for coverage of my post. I agree with you that there is still a place for traditional media and advertising. But only if it is an extension of the brand and the customer experience. Advertising should communicate insight and not be a blunt sales instrument. - admin on November 16th, 2008 8:44 am
Jay,
In my opinion, you said the magic words… “customer experience.” I don’t know about you, but I’m more apt to remember and become loyal to a company or a product when they provide a memorable experience vs. yelling at me through traditional mass advertising.
I’m a frequent reader of your blog. Keep up the great work.
Patrick
- Unorigeno on February 17th, 2009 1:55 am
Your are Great. And so is your site! Awesome content. Good job guys! Interesting article, adding it to my favourites!
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