Every once and a while I will engage in a conversation with someone — whether in the office, on the road, at Cannes, at the local eatery, you name it — and they will say something that inspires a barrage of new thoughts. In each instance the statement’s effect on me frequently goes unnoticed by the giver, while in my mind it sparks a very intense and enduring stream of thoughts which for weeks change the way I approach life or in this case marketing.
This is one of those instances, and I can’t believe I was not able to verbalize this before.
For most of modern marketing, we have operated on a constantly revolving cycle of campaigns, the goal of which has been to pique interest and in doing so drive sales, ensure retention, or create awareness. In most instances these campaign run and spark a quick burst of conversation or buzz, which then diminishes over length of the campaign. In the end what are you left with? One word: Silence!
