When did it happen? Somewhere over the last five years, a significant shift happened in the relationship between customers and brands and the subsequent affect it has on marketing. In reality, the change has been somewhat gradual, like grains of sand shifting piece by piece over time to build a changing landscape quite unrecognizable from the world we once new. For most of us living in the marketing and advertising industry though, it feels as though we were transported from Kansas to Oz over night given the enormity of the transformation and the speed of change happening in technology and information and the resulting complexity in approaching our everyday jobs.
In fact, the technology and information evolution is the inertia behind the change itself. Regardless of how the event itself precipitated, change has happened and as a result, it’s time for a change in our marketing approach. A marketing revolution is upon us, and the definitions tools, and processes which guide the profession for the last 60 years are ripe for revamp.
Before leaping to the here and now or even the future, a look back in time is worthwhile because understanding how we got here helps us to understand how and why the basic principles of marketing were created. A historical examination of our industry has recently become quite popular in AMC’s hit series Mad Men. Interestingly, Mad Men is set in another tumultuous time for the industry: when television entered the mix, and copywriting and visual imagery were battling it out. But let’s take a 40-year step back before that, and start where the conversation should begin in Participant Marketing – with the Participant – or, in this case, with the Consumer.
I am curious to find out how many people know the origin of the word "consumer" in America. It seems appropriate to start with consumer, but there are a number of additional vocabulary words in question: below the line, above the line, marketing funnel, audience, target, share of voice, creative brief... to name a few. I'm hoping you will begin the conversation with me, to help me change the language of our profession. A focus on language is important because it requires consciously approaching what we do differently. This seems timely given we are now opering in the Age of Participation and marketing is all about conversations -- so words should matter.
