I recently spent some time reading Hugh Macleod's blog where I found this interesting interview with author and famed ad man Mark Earls who wrote Welcome to the Creative Age and Herds. Two books that have sort of re-defined the brand conversation… read that here:
What I liked about the post was the discussion that this whole "brand" conversation that swirls around our business is really just a bunch of crap…and its time for some richer thinking about how to connect with consumers. Earls calls it the "Purpose Idea". Here's how he defines what that is and why you should care:
"Put really simply, the Purpose-Idea is the "What For?" of a business,
or any kind of community. What exists to change (or protect) in the
world, why employees get out of bed in the morning, what difference the
business seeks to make on behalf of customers and employees and
everyone else? BTW this is not "mission, vision, values" territory -
it's about real drives, passions and beliefs. The stuff that men in
suits tend to get embarrassed about because it's personal. But it's the
stuff that makes the difference between success and failure, because
this kind of stuff brings folk together in all aspects of human life".
Surprisingly, this is a scary idea in marketing, and advertising in particular. Mainly because it makes the rigor of brand strategy seem more like something to hide behind. As if passion and belief are, of themselves, not enough for the metrics obsessed. Of course the heart of this discussion is really about value creation and why a market should reward your enterprise with existence, not to mention financial success. Influential marketers are an essential part of any conversation that brings people together in real life… way past the advertising.
I think that most marketers are still way too charmed by math and analysis when it's about what it has always been about: emotion! For some reason I don't think some marketers feel good about betting the farm on emotion… that's too squissy… and yet every great movement's essential component has been passion.
That means you have have a big purpose idea… one that is personnal, real. It has to create value based on its ability to connect people in their real life… where they are at risk of making other choices in an era of endless choices. When we work with client's who are positioning their ideas, products, services in the marketplace we try to engage the conversation from this point of view… their stuff has to really matter. We want to know what's going on here that really matters to people and why. In my opinion this insight is essential in creating experiences people love.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Marketers do get caught up in metrics. By keeping the primary focus on wanting to measure the minutiae at the cost of understanding what moves people is at the heart of this.
You want to go beyond just fulfilling someones need. You want to create desire-almost a lust-for your product. You see this with the iPod and the iPhone. Sure they fill a fundamental need, but the form and function create a “coolness” factor that creates desire and emotion, “I have to have one.”
If marketers can get to that point they will truly be making the connection.
Kudos on a good post.