What's Next In Marketing

What's Next: How Important Having The Right Casting Is To A Presentation

My friend Chris Shumaker, the brilliant CMO of Publicis North Maerica, taught me early on that casting in a new business pitch, or important client meeting, is as important as the content being presented.

The video released by Domino's in response to the "Cheese Up The Nose" incident is a great example of that principle.

Does anyone really feel comforted after seeing this? He look awful. Sounds awful. And doesn't even have the ability (or guidance) to look directly into the camera. Total lack of credibility in my opinion. Nice piece on AdAge by Bob Garfield on how Domino's missed the boat.

http://adage.com/garfield/post?article_id=136083

What's Next: Great BMW Outdoor Ad

What's Next: Does Data And Analytics Really Help When You Need A Big Idea

I posted a quick tweet on Facebook this AM about the fact I was going into a meeting to discuss a client need around data.

I'm a big believer in data as a valuable tool to inform the decisions we make about marketing. One friend of mine argued that I was off base...that big ideas are more important and that they are developed intuitively, not through analysis of info.

I land in between. Still believe that our job as marketers is to develop the big idea...to tell a great story...to engage consumers on their terms. But I also believe that the decisions we make about what to say should be informed by the massive amount of consumer data we have.

Interesting thread.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=781883645&v=feed&story_fbid=78083125871

What's Next: Shopping Habits Are Changed For Good

Good article on economist.com about how the recession has changed consumer shopping habits. For good.

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13415207

What's Next: An Economic Crisis Brings On A Cultural Change

My partner John Gerzema writes on Adweek.com about how the economic crises is forcing a cultural shift that will permanently change consumer consumption habits. A major cultural shift.

http://tinyurl.com/cybjxu

We encouraged the masses they could "just do it." Credit was cheap and easy, so why not "live unbuttoned?" Second homes were plausible. After all, "impossible is nothing." Then by cause or correlation, consumers bought $125 Air Jordans and $5 organic tomatoes. People consumed to discriminate, or to "think different," becoming more inward and individualistic in the process. The pyramid gets smaller at the top by design.

Today, brands must offer value and values. And instead of fabricating some aspirational fantasy world, they will encourage us to climb more slowly back up Maslow's ladder, or simply stay where we are and enjoy the refreshingly real world around us.

What's Next: Tweetdeck

Cool App. Try it if you are a twitter user.

http://www.tweetdeck.com/beta/

What's Next: Waking Up To Genocide

Yes, I do realize that the headline of this post is not about advertising or marketing.

It is about something much more important.

Today, on the 15th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda take a moment to learn about some wonderful work a friend of mine is doing with orphaned and abandoned kids there.

Donna Wiederkehr is one of the very best new business development people in the agency business. She's a competitor, but also a dear friend.

For years Donna has dedicated her time to the issues that children in Rwanda face because of this on going tragedy. She works tirelessly to insure that something positive comes out of this horrible situation.

I could go on and on, but the best way to raise your awareness of the work Donna does and the critically important need to supported it, please take a red of her blog at rwandadonna.blogspot.com,
or join the group newhope homes on Facebook.

If the stories you red move you (and I can't imagine they won't), please consider doing whatever you can to provide some support.

Or simply go straight to the donations page.

https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001273&code=blog

Thanks.

Who Is Responsible For Getting Consumers Spending Again: The Gov't Or Companies

Recently AdAge asked a question about whether the Gov't should spend taxpayers dollars to help get consumers spending again.

Question:
Is now the time to consider a government-sponsored campaign to try to get consumers spending again?
Results:
Yes		51%
No		49%

So while I understand the critical nature of the economic situation, I don't think a core competency of our gov't (aside from the Obama folks who ran the campaign) is marketing. By the time the gov't machine got through figuring out what to do we would either be out of this mess or all of our companies will be owned by China. I want Mr. Obama and his financial folks focused on the systemic issues our economy is facing, and not marketing.

That's why our job as marketers and counsel to our clients is more important than ever.

So while the above poll is pretty evenly split, I think that we play a critical role in all of this. The ability to engage consumers in a dialogue about why they should purchase a product has never been more important.

Whether it is a value proposition, a sale/discount situation, the launch of a new brand (yes, there are still a few out there), companies need the counsel of agencies and their staff on how to best achieve the MarComm goals of their clients.

So you know that poll that always shows that people who work in advertising are near the bottom of the list when it comes to trust? Well, now is our time to reclaim our place at the client table (and especially in the CEO suite) as a valued and trusted partner.