Marketing Communication vs Conversation

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Traditional marketing methods push marketing messages to the consumer. For example, take the roadside billboard as an example of traditional push advertising. In the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin, they’re everywhere.

Many, myself included, consider these billboards an eyesore, not because they’re ugly or offensive, but because too many of them block the view of our beautiful countryside.

This isn’t a popular view among the business owners whose signs dot the landscape. Obviously a lot of eyeballs view these billboards and for some businesses this is an effective form of marketing communication.

Still, I wonder if it’s sustainable as we continue to move toward what some are calling a “Relationship Economy.” How many of these pushed marketing messages actually break through the clutter? If you step back and look at the question from your own personal experience, do you purchase the car because it looked great on the billboard or because your online research revealed it was a great performer, with excellent gas mileage, and credible third party reviews?

The billboard, television and magazine ads no doubt drew your attention, but today’s consumer wants and expects to receive more. We actively seek answers before we purchase. We look for real conversation, not just marketing-speak.

“All this ’social stuff’ represents power to the consumer, the people. The conversations people have amongst their relationships are creating the new economy.” ~ from RSS Applied

Read about the evolution from industrial era corporate communications to today’s social era on the RSS Applied blog.

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