DUKKY

by Mike Paine | June 18, 2009

What happened to the marketing industry?

Today’s marketing makes me question, where did all the creativity go?  Not “creative” as in pretty and funny advertising, but “creative” as in innovative.  Take a step back and look at the marketing industry compared to everything else.

Probably the most extreme case of evolution is the mobile phone.  I remember when my dad was a “high roller” carrying what looked like a 20 pound suitcase that allowed him to make phone calls 20% of the time costing only $10/minute.

On Friday Apple is launching the iPhone 3GS: “The fastest, most powerful iPhone yet.” This “phone” combines every cool consumer gadget on the market, allowing a person to listen to music, organize a schedule, play games, give real-time directions, take digital photos and video, surf the internet, email, text message and tweet, and yes, make phone calls.  It practically can do everything except brush your teeth.  But it does have an app that works as a toothbrush timer.  The mobile phone has evolved into what it is today because of consumer want and demand.

Now take a look at marketing.  How has marketing evolved?  Are commercials more memorable?  Funnier?  Don’t get me wrong, some commercials today are hilarious.  But honestly, are they funnier are more memorable than Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?”  (If you weren’t watching tv in 1984, check out the commercial here, it’s a classic.)

The point is, marketing innovation for the past 20 years has been focused on finding “free space” to attract attention.  Marketers look for something that will be seen, and slap a promotion on it.  Remember when football stadiums were named after the teams or a great player?  Now they’re named after the highest bidder.  Ads are everywhere.  Buses are wrapped, urinals are covered, tattoos on people and even naming babies.  Really?  Who’s benefiting from this great innovation?  It is like toilet papering a house to get attention.  All it is doing is annoying consumers and costing retailers more money.  And the money spent on advertising?  It’s paid for by increasing the price of the products, without increasing their value.

With all of the innovation today in communication, you’d think someone would build a platform that gives consumers a voice.  Marketing should be a two way communication between consumers and retailers.  Consumers tell retailers what they want and retailers respond.

Today’s internet allows people to communicate and share video, documents, conversations in real-time across continents.  Grandmothers can view live-streaming video of their grandchild’s first steps from miles away.  Social platforms allow old friends to connect every day, not waiting for the 10 year reunion to see what’s going on.

The opportunity to communicate is here.  Advertising agencies need to find a platform that bridges the gap and allows the two way conversation to take place.  It’s time for marketing to catch up with the rest of the world.

– Mike Paine, Consumer Experience Guru