A lot of people feel that their fellow citizens who believe in conspiracy theories are wrong—if not crazy. A recent poll found that voters who buy into these theories are in the minority, but that the minority, in some cases, is substantial.
Regardless of the controversy about them, the speed with which information about the latest conspiracy theories spreads through social media still reveals lessons about general human nature that marketers can use.
1. The Government Hired Adam Lanza: Focus on Being Trustworthy
Image via Flickr by torbakhopper
Conspiracy theorists have a knee-jerk response to distrust and suspect the government and the establishment generally. Whenever something terrible happens, such as the 9/11 attacks or the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings, conspiracy theorists emerge to say that the federal government has had a hand in it because of some political agenda.
While most people don’t distrust the US government quite this much, everyone can name examples of when our leaders at the highest levels actually did behave deceitfully: Watergate, Iran-Contra, etc. John Hardwig published a scholarly paper in 1991 suggesting that conspiracy theories are part of a growing skepticism of experts and the establishment, by everyone.
More to the point, everyone out there has been burned by someone,... Read more
Tags: Digital Marketing, Facebook, marketing, Social Media
Posted in Opinions, Social Media | No Comments »
B2B business strategies were much simpler back in the day. In the pre-Internet and pre-digital age, the target of one customer or buyer was an accepted viewpoint. We are no longer back in those days.
We are in the new digital age. This new age consists of more complexity, collaboration, co-creation, and new emerging buying behaviors. Recently, I introduced the concept of the Persona Buying Cycle™. It represents a view of understanding new buying behaviors via the B2B buying cycle. Designed to help us address not only new behaviors – but address new complexities.
The Why
Last year, I suggested a single view of the buyer was a dangerous road to travel. This view wired into B2B Business for nearly a century. We now live in a new digital age of audiences, influencers, procurement policies, buying teams, committees, social collaboration platforms, and more.
Mapping content strategy to this new world means factoring in more views than a single buyer. For B2B businesses, the dynamics of audiences, nurturing, insight, experience, and “consumer-like” branding are all new. These new dynamics are fast emerging as success factors for succeeding in the new digital age.
One of the key insights behind this thinking, gained through a collection of on-site... Read more
Tags: audience persona, branding, buyer persona, buyer persona development, buyer personas, buying cycle, content marketing, content strategy, Digital Marketing, market research, marketing, Tony Zambito
Posted in Creative Best Practices, Emerging Platforms, Opinions, Social Media, Targeting | 3 Comments »
In 2012, Facebook and Twitter boasted a combined user base of more than 1.5 billion users. With over 25 billion Tweets and 30 billion shared statuses a month on Facebook, social media has transformed how people share information. There is no area of society more affected by the rise of social media than large enterprises. Traditional advertising and public relations methodology has been turned on its head.
Instead of having tight control over public relations, there are now millions of consumers who are very eager to tell their network as well as the world about your product or service. News travels faster than it ever has. Product recalls, faulty drugs, malfunctioning cars and political controversies are able to spread like wild fire.
Social media as it turns out, helps to spread sentiment quicker than a PR department can mobilize. By the time a public mistake or controversial decision has been made, there is no turning back as the Twitter sphere and Facebook statuses will assuredly dominate the conversation. As New Yorkers witnessed this past November with the cancellation of the New York Marathon, social media does have a powerful impact on the decisions of organizations, governments and businesses.
If a brand fails to... Read more
Tags: Digital Marketing, social, Social Media, social media strategy
Posted in Social Media | No Comments »
At the recent Google I/O 2013 Keynote, Google announced a laundry list of new enhancements and services. Solidifying its’ game plan of playing offense rather than defense with innovation. Which, at this writing, is putting the challenge on Apple to respond.
My thoughts shared here are heavily influenced by a brilliant article from Mike Myatt entitled -Leadership Lesson: The Difference Between Google and Apple. Mike is one of our best thinkers on leadership and is the author of Leadership Matters . . . The CEO Survival Manual. Here is Myatt’s view on how Google is gaining the edge on Apple:
“…there is one very big difference between the two – Google plays offense while Apple has recently settled for playing defense. Apple is struggling to maintain its position in the market, while Google is expanding its position.”
Mike goes on to say it is this offensive mindset, which is putting the hurt on Apple. In essence Apple has ceded ground to Google, Samsung, and HTC while taking a defensive stance. The result: Apple’s stock has fallen by over 35%.
What really caught my attention and is well worth noting is the following statement from Mike:
“Google could have made the decision to stay solely focused... Read more
Tags: Apple, branding, buyer experience, buyer foresight, buyer insight, buyer persona, buyer personas, content marketing, content strategy, customer foresight, customer insight, Digital Marketing, google, online marketing, Targeting
Posted in Creative Best Practices, Emerging Platforms, Opinions, Search, Social Media, Targeting, Websites, Word of Mouth | No Comments »
Millennials (or, if you prefer, Gen Y) are growing up, making some of their first big-ticket purchases and changing the buying game.
This is particularly true for the automotive industry. Despite recent reports suggesting Millennials are driving less and waiting longer to get their license—at Jumpstart Automotive Group, Gen Y traffic has spiked 74% in the last five years. And, when I think about the Millennials I know best—my two boys—I can vouch for their desire to get behind the wheel (and out of the house). When it came time for them to purchase their own car, I was impressed by their depth of research and surprised by how practical they were in their decisions. It almost makes me want to give their taste in music a second chance. Almost.
Why is it essential that we understand this group of consumers? Well, according to the recent “Gen Y in the Driver’s Seat” study by Deloitte, Millennials (ages 19-31) represent about 40% of the nation’s car buying population—the largest consumer segment since the Baby Boomers. There are more than 80 million American consumers approaching the age of 30, which means that millions are moving into the new vehicle buying demographic each year. *... Read more
Tags: buyer persona, buyer personas, content marketing, content strategy, Digital Marketing, mobile marketing, online advertising
Posted in Opinions | 1 Comment »
Copyright © 2013 iMedia Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
