When I
first saw this title, I was shocked! As a marketer, what am I doing here if
marketing is dead? But after I read this article, I really believe that Bill
made a joke on us, or he just tried to attract our eyes. (He really did! Look at
the long page of comments!) The whole article tells us that traditional marketing
is not useful anymore, and marketing is turning into a worldwide social network
based on mouth-to-mouth advocating.
I do
agree the reasons he generate about people are getting numb about traditional
media ads, CEO always want to see real increase on sale in such a competitive
world, and some marketing people market by the way they thought but not
customers really need. I do think he gave us a really good idea about how to
market in a new way. Letting customers market product by themselves is really a
smart idea. This marketing way is low cost, low human resource use, and low
time cost but still can gain high efficiency and good reputation for company.
However, can we really say that marketing is dead, or step back, traditional
marketing is dead? Can we really get rid of TV and radio, which have been accompanied
with us when we were little kids? Can we really adapt the living environment
without print ads or TV commercials at all? Can you? At least I can’t.
How about
laggers?! They reject to use internet, even computer! All the information they
gain from are traditional marketing methods. OK, maybe you will say that most
of them are old people who cannot lead the market at all, and maybe tens years later,
this kind of people won’t exist at all. So how about the developing countries? Only
2.2 billion, about a third of world populations, are using internet. (http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm) How about the other two third of
populations? Give up introducing products to them and making money from them?
The way Bill introduced is a good marketing method, but if we marketing only
depend on it, we will face to so many problems.
If we
only go with “community-oriented buying experience” and build brand reputation
in a small community, there will show up too many uncertain possibilities.
Brand imaged would be different in each different community. And how if there
are some bad comments on our product？ We cannot even control them since the “marketers” are
all customers. What’s more, the distribution will be crucial to each company
since people can only know you by using you. You have to make sure that every
little community sells your product. However, if a product shows up in TV,
people from all around the world will know this product, and they will buy this
product no matter in their city or other cities while travelling if they like
this product.
Bill
mentioned social capital in this article and thought that the “new marketing
helps its advocates and influencer create social capital”. How do you think
about that? We need to eat every day and social capital cannot satisfy our
essential needs at all! I would rather to choose a 25% discount card!
I like
the idea of “customer advocates involved in the solution you provide”. However,
as Bill said himself, it only can be used on non-profit program. We cannot deny
that everybody is economic motivated.
All in
all, the way Bill gave is a smart marketing choice, but we cannot say this
method can replace traditional marketing. Maybe traditional marketing will be forgotten
in the future, but we only can say maybe.
We will
see it, together.
Reference:
Marketing Is Dead, BILL LEE, http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/08/marketing_is_dead.html
Hey, Nan, I have the exact same feeling with you!! I was really astonished by the title! Luckily, the content is more positive than the title! Lol. I like the part you mentioned about the laggers, think about our parents, or even our grandparents, can they get use to the digital marketing? I doubt it! As I pointed out in my blog, the laggers may prefer the push strategy rather than the pull strategy. They are not familiar with technology, or even refuse to use the computer. Also, they may value more for their privacy, because after all, not everyone is willing to share his/her purchase feedback publicly. I agree with you that social media will occupy a large part of future marketing, but it cannot totally replace the traditional marketing.
ReplyDeleteGood job. Your analysis developed me a lot of farther thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI like people to use figures to prove their argument. Thus the figure of people who do not use internet is a good point to make your argument solid.
It is true that marketers pay more attention to the young customers via internet. How about the old people who haven't adopt the habit of browsing the internet? Take my family experience as an example. My mother is excellent in using internet. She even can purchase products via TaoBao. But my father doesn't like internet much. The most time he spent is still on the TV. Therefore, traditional marketing is still effective at least to my father!
Another important factor need to be considered is the buying decision. Who makes the final buying decision in your family? Your parents or you? Here I wanna use the example of IKEA in the furniture market. Young generation adopted the brand idea of IKEA very much. But what about your parents? Do your parents prefer to purchase cheap furniture and assemble/delivery the furniture by themselves or select furniture with longevity, well-assembled and delivery included? I trust most parents vote on the later option in China. The local expensive furniture center is still their favorite when comparing with IKEA since they still put more emphasis on quality and longevity instead of trendy and cheap-price. In this scenario, traditional marketing seems more important to invest in local TV commercial, print ads, promotion brochure and local PR events.
When can the traditional marketing be banned? Probably when the young generation, who adopted well with the social media and internet, gains the buying decision power in their families.
Thank you Iris! Good examples! Even me, I have to say, sometimes prefer go to stores instead of buying online.
DeleteIn addition, to the social capital point, I have different opinion from you and Julia, which I comment on the Julia's post. If you are interested, you can check there.
ReplyDeleteHa! Nan, Is it "Are you killing me?" or "Are you Kidding me?" Both work for me! I am shocked too.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I want to say is that I really find the "social capital" a great new concept. There are people, a lot of people, who actually care about their influences online or on social media. For those people, who can't be rewarded with money, it is quite smart for marketing people to find a way to go around. In addition, the point of fostering customers with strong social influence is really smart. It's like a process of sharpening a weapon. It will pay back someday.