The Marketing Continuum
Last night my PiC said to me, "Your idea is amazing, I just worry about you couching it in marxist terms. People may get stuck on their hang ups about communism." And, he is pretty much right. My comments are rife with naysayers on socialist government structures and how they failed historically. Yikes.
I am not advocating for a communist government. Hell, I have no business talking politics. I'm just a marketing schmuck. ;)
I'm talking about where we are at in the process of how much of a voice/choice/and ownership of production that the people have in the marketplace today...and being both fascinated and enchanted by the genius of the commons, I am advocating a widespread adoption of this.
So, there is the marketing continuum (above). I don't believe the word Pinko is offensive. I think it has a history of strength (being the label put on the people who stood up against the McCarthy Witchhunts - these people straddled the promise of capitalism and the neighbourly values of socialism).
But as a Pinko Marketer, I'm going to step back and get you to tell me.
[tags: pinkomarketing, cluetrain, marketing]
5 Comments:
Tara I agree with your general premise, but instead of 'get out of the way', I think it's about being smart enough to understand where consumers are headed, and then clearing a path for them. They will get to their destination regardless, we can either help them, or act shocked when they arrive at a point that we never saw coming.
Example: The RIAA continues to pursue litigation against music fans that it deems are 'illegally sharing' music files. Obviously a business model that's built around an industry suing its own fans isn't going to survive. The Canadian record label Nettwerk has not only come out against the RIAA's actions, it has created a Save the Music Fan Foundation, a non-profit that uses donations for the purpose of 'fighting RIAA lawsuits'. CEO Terry McBride has repeatedly said that the recording industry needs to stop fighting file-sharing, and instead adopt it as the only viable business model for the industry.
By their actions, Nettwerk is helping to clear the path for consumers to more freely share music, IOW, they are helping consumers arrive at a place that they would eventually reach anyway.
Yikes didn't mean type a thesis! Again I agree in principle, and also agree that the majority of marketers don't 'get it', and DO need to get out of the way!
Don't sell yourself short! Advocate away for communism, socialism, anyism that makes a change for the better. I just wish I had something for you to market!
@mack
I LOVE that! Clear a path! That's even better...I would add that you clear a path, but don't expect people to follow it. They may still make their own (because you presume a direction when you are clearing a path). Effing eh!
I'm going to repost your comment in a post if you don't mind. ;)
@db
Thanks so much. Phew! I'm not totally crazy. ;)
What's wrong with just getting out of the way?
The best software I know gets out of my way. The best products I own get out of my way. Anything that doesn't is either shiny new, or annoying.
And you only get to be shiny new for so long, so the trick is to quickly get out of the way.
Well, the other thing is that they are wholly opposed to the underlying theme of Marxism as it has developed, and much closer to the Hayekian spontaneous orders of which markets are but one example.
Have a read of Two Kinds of Order for the important distinction.
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