Social Conversation Overtakes Traditional Marketing

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Over on Madison Avenue Journal, Levenson and Hill New Media and Marketing Strategist Paul McEnany has written an article that discusses the rise of social media and the increase in consumer control over media which, when combined, has had a tremendous effect of the pillar of traditional advertising. While highlighting ad:tech San Francisco sessions that cover aspects of this discussion, Paul urges us to stop thinking about what we do as advertising and he's right. Advertising is shouting a message at people. Clearly, the power of that model as quickly losing its luster.

With people's increased connectivity and control over what they consume, marketers are finding it very difficult to "herd" demographic groups together to advertise to as easily as they once could. It started with media fragmentation. Remember when we thought 100 cable channels was a lot? And it continued with the growth of the Internet and the most recent explosion of social media which has absolutely changed the advertising equation. It's far from the one way street it used to be.

While it's unclear whether the current notion of conversations and conversational marketing will ever be fully adopted, it's very clear people are communicating and consuming media in a far different manner than they were as little as ten years ago. It is the challenge of marketers to dive deep into this muck, get dirty and rise to the surface with new means of communication. We don't have all the answers. We never will. But we can admit the old ways are gone forever and work together towards a new model whatever that may be.

by Steve Hall    Apr-19-07   Click to Comment   
Topic: Opinion, Trends and Culture   

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Comments



Comments

WoW! Paul wrote a very intersting article on the new open approach to advertising that is evolving rapidly.
The requisite question for advertisers paul described: "?"how will this help someone do something better, or faster or with more enjoyment?" isspot on!

Last night, btw, Fergie, candie's new spokesperson sang "Me Myself and I" on American Idol...;)

Posted by: arthur on April 19, 2007 2:20 PM

Paul is a young, smart, talented baddass. I'm glad Adrants is listening. Madison Ave. should too.

Posted by: David Armano on April 19, 2007 2:26 PM

This is new thinking???? What the hell is that diagram supposed to mean anyways?.....

Posted by: kyle on April 19, 2007 2:38 PM

Congrats to AdRants for picking up Paul's post. There is something to be said for creating advertising that flows rather than smacks you in the forehead. While a good smack gets your attention its the growth of the message that really lasts. Bravo to Paul -

Posted by: Bob Glaza on April 19, 2007 4:40 PM

Thanks for posting this Steve! And, thanks to everyone else for the good words!

Except for that guy Kyle, he totally sucks. :)

Posted by: Paul McEnany on April 19, 2007 10:32 PM

Great pickup, Steve. It is fantastic to see someone pull all these ideas together, show how they can impact on the lives of consumers and then put forward some of the challenges that we face as an industry.

Posted by: Gavin Heaton on April 19, 2007 11:49 PM

sorry, Paul, nothing personal....I was on George Parker's blog Adscam before Adrants and I guess he just wore off on me. :-) LOL
Honestly, it's too bad more people in the industry aren't better aligned with your way of thinking. To support your article, see this week's BrandWeek that had Don Schultz of Northwestern's Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) department discussing this very thing.
Peace
Kyle

Posted by: kyle on April 20, 2007 4:33 PM

"It is the challenge of marketers to dive deep into this muck, get dirty and rise to the surface with new means of communication. We don't have all the answers. We never will. But we can admit the old ways are gone forever and work together towards a new model whatever that may be."

Spot-on as always Steve, and thanks for mentioning Paul's kickass article.

Posted by: Mack Collier on April 23, 2007 12:00 AM

Very cool summation -- social marketing is indeed where things are at. Perhaps advertising is dead, or it has evolved in this way and will continue to. Interesting times ahead...

Posted by: Gunther Sonnenfeld on April 23, 2007 3:06 PM