More and More

If as marketers we attempt to interrupt and push messages onto unsuspecting consumers, even when reaching the right targets, we’ll be playing against the odds,…a losing hand nearly every time. Even world-class advertising is being ignored and filtered-out. A more consumer-centric approach is required, “heck”, demanded by today’s purchasers.

Brands have to be ready to capture attention and be available when customers want them. They have to able to identify when the customer is willing to open a crack in the armor and embrace their brand message. Relevance in marketing has never been more important. Marketers require a service mindset where people are playing the role of customer advocate.

Think for a moment about the accelerated pace of evolution for marketing as a whole, competing for attention in a rapidly changing world around us. The new garage level marketing starts-ups and well-funded entrepreneurs are building their economic models to serve this challenge, counting on “big-brand” marketing budgets for revenue. And innovation is spurring some reasonable results, as witness Google's Adwords success and their rumored GPhone ambitions.

At the same time, we see more advertising appearing in even more possible places. Staircases, supermarket aisle floors, city planters, and body painting, (hmmm….) are all employed to capture that last glimpse of consumer recognition.

This leads me to an article I recently read and enjoyed, “4,000 Ads a Day, And Counting”. Good stuff, where you will learn that the “average urban dweller is exposed to between 3,000 and 5,000 advertising messages every day.”:|| (Like a stanza in a sheet of music, you are instructed to go back and read that last sentence again.) Imagine this possibility for a moment, even if the data is overstated by as much as a factor of two, the odds are heavily weighted against advertisers getting their message through, or consumers even being the slightest bit interested. One advertising message, every 21 seconds, every day. Repeat…

I went to the 2007 MIXX and OMMA conferences in New York City. Speakers repeatedly emphasized the point that customers are in control. This “revelation” is now so eschewed that it borders on common knowledge, even if marketers still struggle to make sense of it. But the speakers missed the notion that consumers still have a continual and increasing barrage of messages coming at them, every waking moment. So, even if the consumer at the moment is filtering out that ad, multiple messages fill the gap and continue competing for her attention. You are either beating the consumer OR beating the consumer filter. Therein lies our challenge, to standout and make sense, to be relevant.

We're at that point where consumers have more choices, command greater control and are empowered with better tools to fight back, yet we continue to barrage them with ads. Beating the consumer into submission with repetition is not working. Being invited to reach her with relevant messages is working.

clarity - october 2007

clarity - october 2007
Kelly Stone has joined the Lucid team to help us prepare for our optimistic projections through late 2007 and throughout 2008. There’s more about her below, and you are invited to reach out to her at kelly.stone@lucidmarketing.com. She’s nice, quite competent, and we are glad to have her here. Another industry conference is coming up, soon and on the heels of Advertising Week in NYC. Kevin was there and shares his comments, though be it with a somewhat reserved tongue in cheek! We will be at M2Moms in Chicago in a couple weeks, eager to hear how marketers are adjusting their efforts to reach this penultimate consumer, …or not. Of particular interest is how agencies are reacting to the ebb & flow of today’s business climate. I’m looking forward to expressing some comments on that in our next edition of… Best, John W. King
in this issue
lucid news Welcome Kelly Stone lucid analysis More and More - by Kevin Burke
lucid news
Welcome Kelly Stone Lucid is proud to announce the addition of Kelly Stone to our team. Kelly will hold the position of Marketing Manager, responsible for developing and executing innovative marketing promotions for our clients. Kelly joins Lucid with over six years of marketing experience in the shopping center and retail industries. In her previous assignment with Simon Property Group, Kelly held the position of Area Director of Business Development where she worked with local and national brands including Citizens Bank and Citadel Broadcasting to create effective and measurable marketing solutions in the Worcester, Massachusetts marketplace. Previously, Kelly was the Marketing Manager for a premier General Growth Properties shopping center. In that role, she developed and executed the center's marketing plan, led local public relations initiatives and worked with retailers such as Sephora and Swarovski to create custom on-mall marketing plans. Additionally, she oversaw the Customer Service Department and gained a valuable understanding of women as consumers through managing the consumer research studies. As Marketing Director for Michael Beaudry, Inc., a designer jewelry line, Kelly coordinated agency relations, publicity events and trade shows while developing and managing local and national co-op advertising campaigns, which primarily targeted women. Kelly was also instrumental in the creation of “Dinner with the Designer” events, which was created with the core client in mind, the woman of the house. Kelly earned her Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Northeastern University. Recently married and relocated from Massachusetts, Kelly enjoys spending time with her husband Steve and energetic Shih-Tzu, Coco.
lucid analysis
More and More If as marketers we attempt to interrupt and push messages onto unsuspecting consumers, even when reaching the right targets, we’ll be playing against the odds,…a losing hand nearly every time. Even world-class advertising is being ignored and filtered-out. A more consumer-centric approach is required, “heck”, demanded by today’s purchasers. Brands have to be ready to capture attention and be available when customers want them. They have to able to identify when the customer is willing to open a crack in the armor and embrace their brand message. Relevance in marketing has never been more important. Marketers require a service mindset where people are playing the role of customer advocate. Think for a moment about the accelerated pace of evolution for marketing as a whole, competing for attention in a rapidly changing world around us. The new garage level marketing starts-ups and well-funded entrepreneurs are building their economic models to serve this challenge, counting on “big-brand” marketing budgets for revenue. And innovation is spurring some reasonable results, as witness Google's Adwords success and their rumored GPhone ambitions. At the same time, we see more advertising appearing in even more possible places. Staircases, supermarket aisle floors, city planters, and body painting, (hmmm….) are all employed to capture that last glimpse of consumer recognition. This leads me to an article I recently read and enjoyed, “4,000 Ads a Day, And Counting”. Good stuff, where you will learn that the “average urban dweller is exposed to between 3,000 and 5,000 advertising messages every day.”:|| (Like a stanza in a sheet of music, you are instructed to go back and read that last sentence again.) Imagine this possibility for a moment, even if the data is overstated by as much as a factor of two, the odds are heavily weighted against advertisers getting their message through, or consumers even being the slightest bit interested. One advertising message, every 21 seconds, every day. Repeat… I went to the 2007 MIXX and OMMA conferences in New York City. Speakers repeatedly emphasized the point that customers are in control. This “revelation” is now so eschewed that it borders on common knowledge, even if marketers still struggle to make sense of it. But the speakers missed the notion that consumers still have a continual and increasing barrage of messages coming at them, every waking moment. So, even if the consumer at the moment is filtering out that ad, multiple messages fill the gap and continue competing for her attention. You are either beating the consumer OR beating the consumer filter. Therein lies our challenge, to standout and make sense, to be relevant. We're at that point where consumers have more choices, command greater control and are empowered with better tools to fight back, yet we continue to barrage them with ads. Beating the consumer into submission with repetition is not working. Being invited to reach her with relevant messages is working.