It is once again time for FutureM, the Massachusetts Innovation
& Technology Exchange (MITX) conference that examines and celebrates the
convergence of marketing and technology. I covered FutureM last year with musings
about the future of marketing (digital) as so boldly stated by the various
conference speakers. This year is actually quite different.
We have clearly passed the point where it’s useful to
distinguish between “traditional” and “digital” marketing: as one speaker
noted, we live in a mobile world; therefore, all marketing must somehow
converge the two. And so it seems that this year we (appropriately) have more
questions than answers. From where can we gather meaningful consumer data (the
new buzzword: “big data”); if we do so, who should have access to it—and,
perhaps most important, what should they do with it? Where will the next big
ideas come from?
These are important concerns. To even begin to address them
we need to back up to the fundamental question that has mystified, entertained,
and stymied marketers forever. It is: what uncomplicated, authentic, rational value
proposition will inspire the engagement that we seek?
Because as Jim Speros, EVP of Fidelity Investments,
explained to a packed house, this is an age of constant message bombardment. Although
this idea is not especially new, the data on how extensive the bombardment
actually is caught me off guard. When technology evolved so that mail could be
targeted to specific households, we worried about “cutting through the
clutter.” And there were only four “platforms” then: print, broadcast
(TV/radio), outdoor, and mail! Now, of course, we have multiple devices, and
more coming. Today I saw a talking shoe, and of course Google Glass.
But now, as then, the technology is only as good as the
messages it carries. We have less time than ever to make our point to consumers
before they must decide whether to move on, and we will have less than that in
a year. The attention deficit is inadvertent. Consumers can’t help not having
more than a few seconds to share with us.
And so, of course, we start with the basics. You have to
know what you’re on the planet to do; all the creativity flows from there. Are
you a beverage company, or an organization that refreshes this world, inspires moments of happiness and optimism,
creates value and makes a difference—like Coca Cola? Are you an entertainment conglomerate, or a creator of the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences
and related products in the world, delivering a “seamless” experience of magic—like
Disney? Are you a sports team—or have you noticed that modern-day sporting
events are both game and experience?
Once you know, the possibilities are endless.
The knowing is called “positioning.” There is a classic
positioning formula that has helped many get started (and has been tweaked many
times for task forces of all shapes and sizes!). It is some version of this:
To [your
potential consumers, defined], [your
product or service] is [a category
that provides context, like “children’s footwear company”] that [promises something that is compelling from a
rational and/or emotional point of view; a promise] because [your proof points, the things that make this
so].
If you try this, you may well find that at the end you have
something that is interesting—to you. But you also may have the gut sense that
it is not emotionally resonant, that nobody else will care. And you will be
correct.
Try this instead:
We believe in [something that makes you get up in the morning, like “the health and
wellbeing of children”]. Our company creates [what you do, like “high-quality footwear and related products”]
in order to ensure that [describe the connection between what you create and
what you believe, like “young feet are
cared for as they grow”] so that [the outcome you want to see, like “children develop healthy allignment and
participate in fun activities with proper support”].
The answer to the question, “Where will the next
big ideas come from?” is … right here.
