January 1, 2006
disrupt or die
A successful advertising creative asked me this question a few months ago:
TV clearly is not the magic bullet it once was for advertisers. It’s been on the wane for quite some time now.
And people’s attention is splintering in many different directions. The online world being the biggest beneficiary of BIG TV’s demise. No argument there. But as an award-winning Superbowl ad writing type, can someone tell me how blogging specifically could help let’s say, the likes of Budweiser who need to reach a mass audience?
My response at the time (to the industry as a whole, not to him per se) was my usual, “Have a nice death, Dinosaur”.
But having some time to think about it, here’s another thought.
As I’ve said before, in terms of marketing, blogs are not selling channels, they are disruption channels.
And when I talk about disruption, I’m talking about the disruption of the company, not the disruption of the potential customers’ purchasing behavior.
So to Madison Avenue, let me ask the question:
So you want to build a blog for your client. What part of their company are you trying to disrupt? And what makes you think they’re going to let you?
If you don’t know the answer, your client doesn’t need you to build them a blog.
[UPDATE:] Euan Semple adds a thought:
What Hugh says applies just as much IMHO to the use of blogs inside organisations. If you don’t face disruption, don’t see the benefits of disruption or don’t think you can handle disruption then don’t go near social computing tools in your business.
I have had a number of conversations recently with people along the lines of “Why should we get into social computing when we already know what we do, know what needs to be done and know how to do it”. I don’t know what world they are living in but it is certainly one which I have never experienced.
Changing times?
From Hugh, gapingvoid.com — disrupt or die,
Hugh… when I talk about disruption, I’m talking about the disruption
of the company, not the disruption of the potential customers’
purchasing behavior.
Disrupt or Die
Hugh Macleod has a great post today about marketing using blogs: As I’ve said before, in terms of marketing, blogs are not selling channels, they are disruption channels. And when I talk about disruption, I’m talking about the disruption of
Does Budweiser need to reach a mass audience (except to justify itself to its major trade customers)?
Or does it need to reach a series of smaller audiences (one of which might be its trade customers)?
Not trying to be contrary, but TV viewing figures for 2005 appear to be actually on the up, and considerably so.
No link to online sources (and too lazy right now to dig), this is info given to me by a media buyer acquaintance. And no, he doesn’t make any money off feeding me misinformation.
You helped double Stormhoek’s sales by going to the blog. Yet, blogs aren’t sales channels. I’m confused.
Dave, advertising’s main problem is that it is both expensive and annoying. And getting worse on both fronts.
Sure, folk in the biz can argue that there are little niches where that is not the case, but for the most part the industry is a disgrace to chivalry.
Andreas, just because people are watching more TV doesn’t mean Madison Avenue’s business models are sucking less.
Can you say Tivo?
Can you say Google and SEM?
Aye Hugh, I agree with you and the sucking business model. As I’ve said, I am not trying to be contrary.
I’m just saying that the mantra ‘TV is on it’s way out’ doesn’t appear to be holding water anymore. The networks had some considerable successes with a couple of water cooler shows last year. ‘Lost’ comes to mind, ‘Desperate Housewives’ is another. The result? Viewer figures on the rise — and not everybody has a TIVO, especially outside the US.
TV and the online world serve two different purposes. When I want to be entertained without interaction then TV is still the way to go. And watching a couple of commercials is, for most viewers, a fair price to pay. Allows for a bathroom break, to get another beer from the fridge. As long as we have a TV industry that is paid for by advertising dollars we’ll have Madison Avenue pushing commercials.
My own company is build around a different business model. We charge for the idea, not a 15% commission on the media buy. We do that because it allows us to do two things: We give value to ideas. and we can be impartial.
Umm, as an Australian, I would like to ask “What’s a Tivo?”.
At least I know what a blog is. There’s hope yet.
Alannah: Tivo is a service that lets you save shows to your Tivo player (a personal video recorder with a large hard drive), then replay them later. The option of zapping commercials automatically makes Tivo an ad killer. This differs from the VCR in ease of use, ability to automate some functions, and volume of shows you can copy. We don’t have it in Canada, but I hear a lot about it from American friends, etc.
“in terms of marketing, blogs are not selling channels, they are disruption channels”
This makes the hairs on the back of my neck do a little dance!
Thank you!