It’s a simple one – but like most NYRs, I’ll probably break it before the end of the week. In fact, it just occurred to me that I’m breaking it now.
The Resolution: No more scratching my head and being completely baffled by social media marketing experts telling me that consumers want to talk about products, have online conversations about toilet paper or whatever – and have even more conversations with the manufacturers of products. What an odd, insulated view of advertising and marketing.
There are a bunch of sad people on the web who define themselves as ‘citizen marketers’ – their identities ineluctably linked to some product or service. Obviously, a lot of lonely people are out there.
For Christmas I received an external hard disk. I plugged it in and it works. I have no desire to ‘talk’ to the manufacturer or seller – unless it stops working. Only then will I want to have a conversation. And it may not be a pleasant one.
And Santa got me some slippers, moccasins. Very comfortable. As I write this, I’m taking one off to look at the label. They’re made by SOX-TAB®. Consider me a Citizen Marketer. Finally, I’ve joined the revolution. No doubt, millions and millions of these slippers will be sold thanks to my beneficent endorsement.
Ninety-five percent of people want to be introduced to a product, perhaps entertained a bit – and then decide for themselves if they want to buy the product. (Our job is to nudge them – a little or a lot.)
Research? Some googling? Sure. Good idea. You might run into my nod to the hard drive somewhere.
But the huge majority of consumers have zero interest in having some sort of stilted, “two-way” virtual conversation with the product. They have better things to do.
The other very small percent don’t have better things to do.
As for me……..
“Hello, slippers!”
