I had dinner with a few clients the other night and after several bottles of wine our conversation quickly devolved into salacious banter – celebrity gossip, prep school escapades and sex. I love a good raunchy conversation.
The conversation hit a feverish pitch of hilarity when one of my clients turned to the table and said, “I know there’s hundreds of ways to have sex, but to be honest, I’m most comfortable in the missionary position. Plain and simple, that’s how I like it…” After a spate of uncontrollable laughter, I thought about his comment more and wondered if there was a larger message for ad agencies and digital marketing firms here.
What if my client was speaking in code on behalf of legions of marketers and really crying for a return to the basics – ‘missionary marketing’ – like TV, print, radio, uncomplicated Websites built in HTML with a touch of Flash and good old lead-gen banners and landing pages? What if he was begging for simpler, straightforward marketing solutions predicated on audience needs and desires (e.g., being in-touch with your love making partner) – not agency whims. What if this whole dinner was staged by him and his colleagues so they could communicate with me through storylines and other examples, ‘We like you Brad, but don’t be a douche like the rest of the idiots in your industry. Recommend what’s right for our customers not what’s going to win SS+K awards…’
I’m convinced that too many agencies are looking for ways to stand out in a crumby economy and a crowded market place and as a result marketers are suffering the consequences. As agencies continue to look for their next Gold Lion at Cannes — some big viral hit or social sensation – they’re becoming tone deaf to the only thing that matters in marketing; understanding what consumers want and delivering results.
Like post-pubescent teenagers who recently learned how to f**k, we’re overzealous and eager to show everyone our new moves (I learned this one playing Twister with my grade school friend…I learned this one from my friends mom…). It took me until my late twenties to realize that I didn’t need to bust out every move in my lovemaking repertoire to get it right (although my wife would probably debate this point, but that’s another blog post entirely). I just needed to pay attention to her needs.
I’ve been encouraged by the return by many of the pure-play digital shops to simple, less extravagant Web sites built on blog backbones like WordPress (e.g., see Big Spaceship, EVB and The Barbarian Group’s Web sites), and a philosophical understanding among a chosen few industry leaders that not everything needs to be blingy and have a confabulator built into it, but too many of my brethren are still chasing the sex fantasy.
Here’s my advise, stop trying to impress everyone with your new found skills and get back to ‘missionary marketing’ if that’s what is required to connect with consumers in a meaningful way.
Stumble It!
Darling, you certainly know how to get a girl’s attention. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Although I do think you could have found a slightly more aesthetically pleasing (and arousing) visual.
Taking notes from you my love. Still waiting to see your Ted speech but thoroughly enjoyed your opening remarks and the words you chose to get peeps attention — especially the men. Keep on showing us the way. In the meantime, I’ll look for more pics (btw…got any?).
Brad, the sex metaphor is probably more apt than I should elaborate on. Here are a few coitus cliches that it wouldn’t hurt the industry to consider metaphorically speaking.
Sex without a relationship behind it.
Selfish sex where the partner’s need doesn’t figure in.
Sex that’s over in like 2 minutes.
No call back the day after.
Cold, hard, fast, direct-to-the-deed sex. (No foreplay.)
Claiming monogamy and having sex with others on the side.
…my point is less about the position during the proverbial sex (aka the technologies, new, old, or otherwise) and more about the nature of the relationship with the person you’re boinking (i.e. and for my purposes not the agency-client pairing but the agency/client-customer pairing).
I look around and often see an industry that talks about conversations, relationships, meaningful engagements and then acts like a lounge lizard putting on their best designer tight jeans and a heavyv dousing of AXE and then saying whatever they think is necessary to get the pants off (and maybe buying someone a few watered down drinks in the process).
The trouble is, people have a radar for the lounge lizard and either use the user or ignore him completely.
And from the lounge lizard’s perspective; anyone who’s ever succeeded in conning someone into the sack knows, the relationship after the fact is often short, unpleasant (possibly even hostile) and can earn said lounge lizard a reputation around town.
..Okay, have I exhausted this metaphor enough for you?
Brad
While I agree with you on much of the post I think there is one point that may be missing.
People often gravitate towards what they know, what they feel comfortable with in order not to try new things that may create a deeper connection with their brand and/or may be what is necessary to adjust to the changing marketplace and consumption patterns of their specific target.
I always get my knickers in a bunch (just staying on message) when I see agencies and brands trying new “look at me!” type creative simply for the sake of generating attention for being cool (Skittles?) or to try and win an award, but I also cringe when I see brands using traditional media simply because it is easy and they feel comfortable with it, despite perhaps it’s declining effectiveness.
As Edward Bernays put it:
“the various instruments of propaganda, and their relation to the masses, are constantly changing. If he is to get full reach for his message he must take advantage of these shifts of value the instant they occur.”
A solid marketing plan is cross media, utilizing the most relevant and cost effective routes to brand success for the specific needs of that brand. If you keep the consumer and the brand challenge in focus and adapt to the changing nature of the marketplace, then you can succeed. If you are shouting too loud just to prove you have the biggest dick in the room, then you have failed.
Cindy, I too await your TED talk being released, long overdue!
You said it brother. So true. Great points from all.
Please note, I’m not advocating a return to ‘missionary marketing’. I think a cross-functional marketing plan is critical to succeed in the atomized environment we now live in; however, I loathe agencies aping each other and the winners of major awards simply to put a trophy on the mantel.
I know it’s trite, but everything begins and ends with the consumer.
OK…I see what you’re getting at. But I’d suggest, if anything, a “Missionary Mentality” while embracing the new. Completely ignoring the innovation will lead you to fall behind the competition and fast – because consumers are always looking for the novel and exciting. Keeping design and tactics simple and clean – missionary style – while still adapting to the innovation that’s expected by consumers and being delivered by the competition is the key.
Yup! Totally agree David. Thanks for your feedback.
Nice info, useful for my job.. thanks a lot…