Being direct... AdVantage Sep 2004
Advertising is Dead…
…Long Live Advertising!!
It is high time that we take advantage of the changed environment in which advertising IDEAS have to do their job!
Last month I wrote about how many marketing companies have a desire to retain control of the customers and prospects to whom they 'sell' products and services - by continuing to use probably outdated commercial communication methods.
In addition, I suggested that the explosive growth of 'the connected world' would (if it hasn't already) change the future of marketing forever, and will demand that marketing companies not only use new 'channels of connection' to distribute the marketing stuff that they would like customers to have, but astute managers will also provide customers with multiple and easy access to whatever it is that the customers themselves might prefer to have - in other words, a paradigm shift in marketing 'control'.
In the 'Being Direct' column published in the May 2004 issue, I also made a reference to a book published by Kogan Page called 'Brand New Brand Thinking' - with respect to a recent presentation by Wendy Gordon on how our brains process brand-related information. On my recent trip to Europe, I finally managed to get a copy of the book itself, and amongst the eleven excellent chapters, found a fabulous contribution by old friend - Australian Peter Wells, called 'Time to let go'.
Peter, as always, has his finger right on the pulse of the changing brand marketing scene, and has specialised in critically assessing marketing and change for his internationally renowned marketing newsletter - 'nilewide'. I want to mention only two of the important observations contained in this paper. He says: …'Unfortunately, it appears that much of our brand thinking is still constrained by rules and illusions about marketing - that were set when Dad came back from the war…', and …'Marketing is not just something that marketers do - they are contributors to it, but do not control it…. the reality is that buyers have always done marketing…they have sought information, evaluated it and actively discussed brands, although not always positively…'
Peter's article goes on to quote UK research indicating that as few as 9% of consumers claimed to be happy with companies driving, or controlling, contact with them - through the use of their data. This means that a very large number of consumers are not happy, and I really feel that this is primarily a side-effect of many companies using customer data to (selfishly) try and keep control of any commercial relationship, rather than using it (perhaps unselfishly) to add value to such customer's overall experience.
There is no doubt in my mind that the old brand thinking upon which most of my own career was based, is no longer as relevant - primarily because we no longer live in a world where people's need for 'stuff' exceeds the supply thereof. These days, products and services are ubiquitous, and information about them can hardly be deemed scarce. When one adds to this the fact that individuals are all becoming more and more connected, it makes our current world far less dependent on the old and simple system of 'paid-for' (or controlled) information about brands, channelled through the 'mass-media' - as the only source of such information.
Then by complete contrast - last night I attended another local advertising event, this time to show a documentary film depicting the cause celebré of the Vega Brand Communication School. I found myself being swept up by the sheer brilliance of the ideas coming out of this creative teaching environment. It made me realise two things: Individual experience is a double-edged sword. Experience should probably be re-defined as contextualised awareness! We all become aware of new information as we go along, but we should also be at pains to understand the difference between new or different information and 'knowledge'. Context will always change our need for, and understanding of 'information'.
The second realisation last night was that much of the current debate on the future of branding, marketing and even advertising itself - is as the result of just such a contextual shift. Reg Lascaris, one of the advertising experts featured in the documentary, suggested that the school's name should perhaps be changed to The Vega 'Ideas' School, so as to properly reflect that which is being taught so successfully!
The world of marketing and advertising has always been about providing the environment to juxtapose business strategy and unique or creative ideas. In the past ten years or so however, the industry seems to me to have become very bogged down by trying to be all things to all people (because then more money can be made - right?).
We all need sustainable businesses, but when the creative (or ideas) imperative gets into conflict with the business imperative, then the environment for creative ideas may be seriously affected. When we add to this a belief that any previously accepted (maybe even 'as invented by Dad') methodologies remain somehow 'sacrosanct' and therefore not able to reflect the realities of the changed marketplace - then it is no surprise that the 'marketing/advertising/branding' business is taking some serious strain!
Maybe it really is time to cut the crap, and just focus on today's SA context as the different and dynamic environment for the creation and execution of some great IDEAS - that it most certainly is!