DISQUS

francois gossieaux · 1 year ago

Hi Max - I expanded on my thoughts here - http://tinyurl.com/624wma. I'd be interested in your thoughts.

maxkalehoff · 1 year ago

Hi Francois,
Just read your expanded post on new scope, new tactics and new value. Boiling that down to the new game of openness and customer community, I agree with everything you say. However, there's also a paradox with embracing openness. It's actually very difficult to interpret what your customers and prospects say and what they really mean. Or if what they really mean will lead to any innovation, or if they won't sidetrack innovative development underway. Moreover, the greatest innovations often don't come from listening to your customers and embracing them, but through intuition or leapfrog thinking. You know the old Henry Ford saying, "If I'd listened to my customers, I would've built a faster horse." Sure closed thinking and customer disrespect is out. Openness and customer communities are in -- in a big way. But the new openness also requires a new discipline -- a balance -- so as not to thwart from new, breakthrough ideas that don't necessarily originate from what a customer says. Interpretation is very difficult when it comes to customer listening and applied innovation.

James · 1 year ago

Hi Max, here's my question:
In an immersive digital media world of micro markets and micro marketing, where audiences and interactions are fragmented and creating their own experiences, does systemic marketing work? Is it appropriate?

(What I mean by 'systemic marketing' is one message to many audiences, and one message staying the same over time, according to a system and not according to context.)

maxkalehoff · 1 year ago

James,
I think there will still be a place for systemic marketing. If for any
reason, because it is impractical to change directions at every interaction.
Secondly, because of scale. The nature of the product is a big variable.
Some are high-end and service oriented, often chasing features,
customization and personal service. Others will be focused on mass and
scale, doing what will resonate with 80% of the market.

Joanna Pena-Bickley · 1 year ago

what bothers me is when brand managers want you to make a viral video. I told them i can make a socially relevant video it is peers, consumers and targeted consumers in passion based communities who make it viral. silly marketers. we have to educate them it not about them - its about the consumer and what they can do for them.

http://joannapenabickley.typepad.com/on/2008/06...

maxkalehoff · 1 year ago

That's write Joanna! It's all about helping the community do its job better! Otherwise, get out of the way.