Playground Politics

This article could easily be about the election. But who wants to hear more about polls? The only conclusion that has been reached is that the results are inconclusive. Surprise, surprise. The best advice is to ignore the media, do your own cross-referenced research on each candidates' web site, and don't believe your neighbor's misinformed conspiracy rant. We will know who the next President is when they are elected. Onward.

The cool kid on the blacktop

The truth behind big business and branding is this: sometimes, it really is about being popular. We all love to think that we are far more mature that our colleagues and classmates. Popularity and social drama? We left that behind in high school! Not so fast, Mr. Rogers. As society becomes adults, we have simply learned to streamline popularity contests, manipulating our chosen industry to show our best side. Case and point:

1. Media - How much explaining is necessary? There are hundreds of dissertations that can qualitatively demonstrate how credible publications such as The New York Times and even the The Wall Street journal use propaganda. Actual CNN headline in February: "Will Hillary's shorter hair attract the mommy vote?"

2. Retail - Gucci, Brooks Brothers, Tiffany's. Quality, yes. In most of the world, with money comes social status. With social status can come popularity. The irony we ignore is that consumers want your brand to be popular to they can be popular with you. It's the ultimate buy-in. Don't stop at retail - this applies to any tangible product or service sold in a capitalist market.

3. Schools and education - The academic standard has long since stopped being the primary motivation for attending an institution of higher education. A great football team with a mediocre curriculum can sadly trump some schools with the opposite traits. Attended an Ivy League school? An employer may not know many facts about the institution. You may have earned a degree in South Indian Basketweaving. Regardless, you can rest easy knowing your portfolio will still be near the top of the stack of candidates. I already feel smarter by association.

Social Media

Ask yourself: what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word social?

Friends? After-work gatherings? Dating? You might even think of one person in particular who you see as exceptionally extroverted or introverted. Regardless, life is more about the popularity contest than we want to believe. Most people will never be able to admit it, even to themselves.

1. Facebook & Myspace - How would describe someone who has 20 friends and 3,000 wall posts? What about a person who has 4,000 pictures tagged of themselves?

2. Twitter - How many updates do they have? Here's an actual friend calculator that will measure your popularity on the micro-blogging site.

3. Blogs - Don't pretend that you're not more interested in a web site that has been read several thousand times. If you come upon an article that has only been read 12-13 times on the internet, you're ten times more likely to continue surfing.

Our failed mentality is this: "Everyone else didn't think it was important, so why should I?"

Read this carefully: To everyone else, we are everyone else.

The bottom line

Only your educated opinion matters!

Cutting through the social clutter isn't easy, but instead of ignoring it, learn to face it and demand transparency. George Bush has low polls again? Find out who was called and surveyed. Nike comes out with a new amazing running shoe? Check their competitors (same shoe, better deal. Always).

Love or hate what you've read, leave a comment or feel free to send me an email at pauljmatson@gmail.com.

Reality check! Focusing on Consumer 2.0

If you read The Social Networking Animal, you already know there's more at the consumer's fingertips (quite literally) than any marketer could ever dream of comprehensively understanding. There are many who might like to believe they are "online marketing experts," but where is the expertise focused? Knowing how to create a Facebook event and send Twitter updates is hardly a ripple in the web 2.0 pond. Need more proof?

No marketer would deny the powerful shifts that are occurring, yet likely no one is bold enough to claim they can truly keep up. Living in a world saturated in brand messaging, one of the most effective methods to successful campaigns draw from the well of permission marketing. In other words, its about becoming brave enough to step back and let your consumers discover you; occasionally by dangling the interactivity carrot.

Shifting focus

Time to step over the Web 2.0 mountain and get over the "wow" factor of new and emerging digital technology. Yes, Technorati, Mint and widgets are so very cool. Yes, we all agree that they have enormous potential. Yes, we have a lot to learn. However, it's time to understand how consumers (and that includes you and me) are being revolutionized from these new mediums of message vehicles.

Thank you to mr.youth and RepNation, here are some rules to follow to keep a consumer engaged in your mantra:

CONSUMER 2.0

1. Consumers own brands: Consumers will speak about, repurpose and associate with your brand as they see fit. People aren't stupid.

2. Authenticity trumps celebrity: Consumers respond to honest, relevant messaging from peers over marketing speak and celebrity endorsements.

3. Niche is the new norm: Consumers do not form a mass market. They relish in choices and look for products and services that speak to them personally.

4. Bite-size communications dominate: Consumers digest short, personal and highly relevant messaging in bulk while growing increasingly adept at blocking out noise

5. Personal utility drives adoption: Consumers choose to consumer what they find useful in their lives over manufactured marketing needs.

The bottom line is this:

Don't be so bold as to think your message is the most important thing your target audience's life; let marketing become a two-way street of engagement.




Love or hate what you read? Don't hesitate to leave a comment or simply drop me an email at pauljmatson@gmail.com.

Back off, evil marketers: the danger of over-delivering your message

The angle:

Read this blog because I wrote it, and you know me. So pretty please?
VS.
I write about it... because I think you should know.
Props, Seth Godin.

As most marketers know, the number one rule to "cool" is not to let your marketing show. MTV may be one of the most recognizable companies to fit this niche. After all, the network is one humongous advertisement - something is being sold; CONSTANTLY. If their primary TV audience all realized this at once, the network could potentially tailspin. When was the last time you looked forward to talking to an uninvited salesperson?

That being said...

THE MANTRA: MTV represents you in all your pop culture glory - they would never tell you what is cool. You tell THEM what's cool, and they'll happily sell it back to you in every imaginable way. It's a classic example of selling ice cream to Eskimos. The trick is making consumers feel as though they're not being duped (er, sold) - money spent on concert tickets, online music videos and countless hours watching meaningless reality shows is simply allowing consumers to participate in "cool" culture. A chance to fit in. In essence, MTV could be called Marketing Television. People will talk and propagate their messages and programs without the feeling that MTV is paying for any of it.

So, you already knew all of that? I'm glad someone is paying attention. So what business WOULDN'T want people to think the world of them? Why wouldn't you want to want to appear to be the number one brand?

Anti-brand

The irony is that having all the positive free publicity in the world can hurt you. Making promises and over-delivering doesn't work every time. Take the latest Indiana Jones installment (set to be in theaters May 22). Steven Spielberg is actually downplaying his film, worried that spoilers and other media will have people expecting too much from the latest Jones whipping action. The result of high expectations? Big letdowns. Simple as that.

Not to slight his own production, but Spielberg knows the danger in over-promotion.

The bottom line is this: a good product can help sell itself, but don't let everyone believe you're #1 unless you really ARE #1.