Buggy Whips And Mousetraps

I need a digital campaign. I need a social media strategy.

The answer is yes you do and no you don’t.

You’ve heard this all before. Hearken back to the early 80’s when companies and organizations were scrambling to get their presence up on the burgeoning, worldwide web. Recognizing this shift in information dissemination and ever increasing consumer access to it, digital agencies sprang up like weeds and the so-called traditional agencies set up or acquired their digital divisions, only too happy to oblige their client’s requests. The dust having settled, agencies took on the role of “Agents of Change” and for the most part, skillfully trail-blazed their clients through the relative uncertainty of the early years of digital and social media marketing. In fact, talk to any agency worth their salt and they will bristle at the notion of “traditional and non-traditional” media and the term social media is fast becoming the “buggy whip” of today. For those of you who have never heard the term, let me elucidate:

Noun 1. buggy whip – a horsewhip once used by a driver of a buggy; “since buggies have been replaced by cars the buggy whip has become a symbol for anything that is hopelessly outmoded”

What does this all mean? Well, nothing new really. Marketers still need to be increasingly more adaptive and responsive to the more demanding and educated consumer. Today’s consumer has never been more empowered, savvy and hyper-informed. Your product or service must adapt to the changing needs of this consumer. It all comes back to the simple truth our entire industry has been based upon for decades. What is the key differentiator(s) for your product or service? What’s the benefit and why should they care? Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door. But in a global environment where PD is can be months rather than years to market, how many new mousetraps can realistically be invented? And even if you do, your competitor may just beat you to market.  Perhaps the question is better stated: Do you need a better mousetrap or do you need to better understand the mouse? The reality is, you need both.

In his recent article in Marketing, Daniel Tisch stated “When everyone is creating, curating and analyzing content, a smart strategy will engage not only the most trusted sources, but also the stakeholder, consumer or citizen who will have credibility with their peers. When professional journalists, bloggers, influencers and other citizens are engaged with intelligence and impact, the results can be transformative for brands”. Sourcing these trusted advocates, is a whole other subject for future discussion but suffice to say, they may be far closer than you think.

CREATIVE INTELLIGENCE Smart at the Speed of Business