Inspired by a great article, CUI BONO…TO WHOSE BENEFIT? by @StaceyHood
Salient bits... "Currently, I believe that marketing is at another set of crossroads. We saw it a few years ago when social media was the darling of marketing. Now we’ve come to realize that it is just another tool to use. We also saw it recently when the talk of “content is king” was the talk of the town."
...out there and ahead, are we?
Sadly it's almost all I'm still hearing today is that "content is (still) king" - it's just so bloody loud. Even more sadly I've been hearing and seeing these same things for, well, decades now. The ad-man grabs the shiniest "trick in the playbook" the easiest methodology and exploits it until over-exploitation renders it nearly worthless. Turns our simplicity into meaningless noise...
It seems as though and I'e gotten used to "The Ad-Man Cometh"(ing) over from time to time to over-use our craft; exploit the tools we've created incorrectly, become disillusioned, burnt out (as some say), announce our overly-precious ideas "dead" (again) and go traipsing off to find the next shiny-easy thingy we're making-over again.
But, here's the good part, of benefit (to all). These moments when they burst down our doors serve a purpose of enormously worthwhile goodness. The hype and intensity in which these tools are overused is the cauldron in which we hone our craft (and improve our tools); they force our hand and better judgement as we add ingredient after ingredient, more "spice" 'n turn up the heat 'n stir, stir... stir...
Social is not an island nor a new invention on it's own; it did not appear on the mythological vacant plains of digital a decade after the bubble bursted and last banner-ad was pushed. Social has lineage a heritage and is the direct result of the heat and the stirring of the pot we've been boiling ourselves in for... years. Oh for certain we've added new ingredients, some fresh young minds have added some fresh newish ideas but, what I'm doing right now is nothing more than a more perfected version of what I was trying to, wanting to and, well doing already... years ago.
(Your grand-daddies) Digital's ability to connect is so well documented it has become obvious. Our ability to turn connect to connection, effect behaviour... make the sale; that never has and never will come easy, AND it has been shown, if so obviously not proven that simply burying those we've connected to under a pile of message... well; you get the picture.
What works? Content, message, being connected are instrumental, and of course it's never either/or more usually both/and... but, and these are fundamental principles of mine; we ad-men, us marketing guys have never once made the sale... who has? Really, does your ad agency own the relationship with your customer? Who does? Does your customer care that you're the best or even how well you know your own shit OR does he simply want what works for him... ?
We've given you the connected, and far more than just their eye-balls... now, go out and sell your shit; you know, like you know how to... : Perhaps it's time to tell them a story rather than read them a book... perhaps.
(always evolving)
related to... ARE WE TO... SEND THEM TO THEIR DOOM… AGAIN? and loosely related to... SPEAK TO THE SALESFORCE(.COM) TM
Salient bits... "Currently, I believe that marketing is at another set of crossroads. We saw it a few years ago when social media was the darling of marketing. Now we’ve come to realize that it is just another tool to use. We also saw it recently when the talk of “content is king” was the talk of the town."
...out there and ahead, are we?
Sadly it's almost all I'm still hearing today is that "content is (still) king" - it's just so bloody loud. Even more sadly I've been hearing and seeing these same things for, well, decades now. The ad-man grabs the shiniest "trick in the playbook" the easiest methodology and exploits it until over-exploitation renders it nearly worthless. Turns our simplicity into meaningless noise...
It seems as though and I'e gotten used to "The Ad-Man Cometh"(ing) over from time to time to over-use our craft; exploit the tools we've created incorrectly, become disillusioned, burnt out (as some say), announce our overly-precious ideas "dead" (again) and go traipsing off to find the next shiny-easy thingy we're making-over again.
But, here's the good part, of benefit (to all). These moments when they burst down our doors serve a purpose of enormously worthwhile goodness. The hype and intensity in which these tools are overused is the cauldron in which we hone our craft (and improve our tools); they force our hand and better judgement as we add ingredient after ingredient, more "spice" 'n turn up the heat 'n stir, stir... stir...
Social is not an island nor a new invention on it's own; it did not appear on the mythological vacant plains of digital a decade after the bubble bursted and last banner-ad was pushed. Social has lineage a heritage and is the direct result of the heat and the stirring of the pot we've been boiling ourselves in for... years. Oh for certain we've added new ingredients, some fresh young minds have added some fresh newish ideas but, what I'm doing right now is nothing more than a more perfected version of what I was trying to, wanting to and, well doing already... years ago.
(Your grand-daddies) Digital's ability to connect is so well documented it has become obvious. Our ability to turn connect to connection, effect behaviour... make the sale; that never has and never will come easy, AND it has been shown, if so obviously not proven that simply burying those we've connected to under a pile of message... well; you get the picture.
What works? Content, message, being connected are instrumental, and of course it's never either/or more usually both/and... but, and these are fundamental principles of mine; we ad-men, us marketing guys have never once made the sale... who has? Really, does your ad agency own the relationship with your customer? Who does? Does your customer care that you're the best or even how well you know your own shit OR does he simply want what works for him... ?
We've given you the connected, and far more than just their eye-balls... now, go out and sell your shit; you know, like you know how to... : Perhaps it's time to tell them a story rather than read them a book... perhaps.
(always evolving)
related to... ARE WE TO... SEND THEM TO THEIR DOOM… AGAIN? and loosely related to... SPEAK TO THE SALESFORCE(.COM) TM
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