Forget the Flak, Belwether, September 2003

I was going through some old files at home and came across a copy of our very first newsletter, from September, 2003. You can click on the link below to read the full piece, but I've copied our feature piece here. What's kinda' cool, if I do say so myself, is that much of what we wrote back then still is relevant today. We're still spending way to much time on the hunt and not nearly enough time on engagement.

I've always loved the visual of the seal hunt as a metaphor for what we do. We simply walk around looking to club the audience. We talk a good talk about the consumer being in control, but when they're not looking, we raise that club!

So, take a read and always, we welcome your thoughts and comments. Remember that in everything you do, if you're not putting the Audience First, then you're just part of the hunt.

Forget the Flak

Thousands. We’re talking thousands. You read in the lead article of this first issue of Belwether, today’s consumers are jammed with thousands of marketing messages per day. It’s gotten to the point that the practice of brand marketing has more in common with the hunt than the chase. After all, we speak in terms of capturing eyeballs, capturing audiences…capturing consumers anywhere and everywhere, as if the simple act of smacking them in the face with our message was going to produce the desired reaction — to get them to buy the product. The consumer has become the baby seal of the Twenty-first Century, and we are the mighty hunters.

The problem is, those baby seals have found a way to turn the clubs on us. How? By ignoring us. By turning on the TiVO, ripping the heavy-stockpaper ads out of Vanity Fair, tearing the logos off the apparel. And why not? I mean after all, I guess I look at the ads above the urinal, but I can’t say they they’ve ever influenced me to purchase. I mean, just because my eyes needed a place to focus doesn’t mean my mind wanted to.

During the last decade, I have read business plans and heard pitches for a variety of new media formats—the aforemen-tioned advertising in bathroom stalls; advertising on postal trucks; advertising on ATM machines and at gas pumps. The ideas range from the ridiculous to the outrageous. What makes this even more bewildering is that in a time of media uncertainty (increased fragmentation, declining viewership) costs are going up while frequency and reach are going down.

The fact is, audiences have changed, and the delivery of the message needs to change with them. During World War II, when bombing raids were run, defenders would shootloads of flak into the air—not with any specific, focused target; just with the hope that something would run into it and fall from the sky. You want to cut through the clutter? Then stop creating it. No more flak marketing. Focus on what your audience is asking for: a real relationship withyour product. Stop the catchy slogans and the clever jingles,and wrap your arm around the consumer with a real experience of who you are and what you stand for. Let them experience your story.

At Brand Experience Lab, we believe there are three attributes to a great story: people want to hear it; people want to tell it; and people want to participate in it.

One of the best presentations I’ve heard on creating anauthentic, compelling experience based on story was done by Larry Keeley of The Doblin Group. He offered the following guidelines:

Is the experience well defined? Is there a narrative story that the audience understands–or frankly, is there a narrative at all? What is the story you tell to your customers every day? Could you define it? More importantly, can your audience?

Is it fresh? We live in such a ‘me too’ world that it is often very easy to just copy what other people are doing, but that certainly doesn’t create a sustainable difference for your product orbrand. And that leaves you to compete simply on price. Great brands are never built from price alone.

Is it immersive – can you lose yourself in the experience? Are there things that constantly pull you out of the brand experience? Think of how many times you’ve seen some piece of technology – even simple things like a 13” comboVCR/TV – not working at an event or retail location. Or employees more interested in what’s important for them and not the customer. All of this prevents customers from truly being immersed and engaged in your brand experience.

Is it accessible? Is it easy to follow? Is it significant? Does the experience offer the opportunity for it to get better the second—and third, fourth and fifth—time around? Is the experience transformative?

Will the consumer remember, think, grow? Without these attributes, your message is static. And static is death.

Forget the flak. Put down the club. Transform your story, transform your customer. Transform your success.

Click here to download our very first newsletter from 2003 to see how are thinking started.

Comments

[Geoff]

Interesting how the universe brings certain things together for us when we are prepared to (hopefully) comprehend, and not before.

I just finished reading this post by Umair Haque. Different sermon, same message. Well said.

[Geoff]

Sorry, guess your service doesn't accept html tags! Let's try this again...

Interesting how the universe brings certain things together for us when we are prepared to (hopefully) comprehend, and not before.

I just finished reading this post...
http://tinyurl.com/yt72vy
...by Umair Haque. Different sermon, same message. Well said.