In the last fleeting moments of a turbulent, unpredictable and unflaggingly interesting decade, one need only look at some of the headlines and newsbites of the day to see the shape of marketing things to come.
Here’s an article about the potential end of “free TV,” as the nation’s top networks contemplate moving to a cable-like pay-TV model to compensate for declining viewership and lost ad revenue.
The lesson for marketers on the road ahead: we’ll have to be flexible, as old rules are cast aside and new opportunities emerge.
I’m struck by today’s images of protesters in Iran, some of which are no doubt captured stealthily via cell phones and smart phones. By actual witnesses and participants… not professional journalists.
The lesson for future marketers: authenticity and immediacy can trump slick and polished.
I’m bemused by this story about teens working to curb their Facebook obsession. Hopefully, they’ll share their advice with their increasingly obsessed parents and grandparents!
The lesson for soothsaying marketers: social media has inserted itself firmly and fixedly into the mainstream. We must embrace this, and leverage its potential.
Indeed, technological and behavioral changes have quickly, profoundly changed how we market products and services. And yet, at the core of all this evolution, consumers still exhibit a fundamental desire for engagement (such as fabulous cable shows like Breaking Bad or Mad Men), truth (from the front lines of Iran or anywhere) and a social connection (online and in real life). These are the timeless tenets of effective marketing. Stick to them, and let’s go boldly into the new decade!
Ahem…after I check my Facebook Live Feed.