Christopher S. Penn's Awaken Your Superhero - Latest Comments in Marketing Sucks

Re: Marketing Sucks

greg francke — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:47:14 -0000

Marketing as a paradigm causes us to 'commoditize' everything, replacing intrinsic value with one artificially induced by 'spin'. Perhaps the most revolting form of this is 'self-marketing'; as if personal identity was transferable to someone else.

Marketing a screwdriver is one thing, marketing a 'lifestyle' simply leads to shallow unhappiness on the part of the buyer. Which is of course the aim, as all marketing is directed toward its own self-perpetuation. What good (to a marketer) is a product/way of life that doesn't require further marketing? The 'self-help industry' is an excellent example of this.

Fundamentally wrong.

Re: Marketing Sucks

Christopher S. Penn — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:37:04 -0000

@Darren: good question. What would make you come back would logically at least be similar to what made you come here in the first place. Honestly, my personal blog probably isn't the place I'd first send you. I'd send you to something like the Friday episodes of the Financial Aid Podcast, which ALWAYS have free stuff, useful stuff, and silly stuff that's worth at least reading.

Re: Marketing Sucks

David Beaudouin — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:13:53 -0000

WOW! Sorry I missed this post when you first published it--clued in to it by Brogan. Terrific essay on why radical redesign on the concept of marketing is needed pronto. If you don't mind, I'm passing this around (with full credits) to like-minded pals--thanks!

Re: Marketing Sucks

Rob Metras — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:10:43 -0000

Would that all marketers be as creative and educational as you are Chris. You have taken a major problem,provided information, directed them to your products and done so in a way that solves peoples problems directly. It is no surprise that Twitter and Facebook users rail at the garbage that some marketers throw at them. Gen Y wants solutions that work, not b.s. maketing ploys.
Bravo. Keep up the good work

Re: Marketing Sucks

Darren Daz Cox — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 08:50:36 -0000

how about putting your money where your mouth is and give us something more than your sales pitch for 'better marketing practices' here? I like the premise of the article and because of social networking I arrived here but it's still you trying to sell me on something without giving much for "free".

What will make me come back? after all it's the relationship that matters these days right?

Re: Marketing Sucks

Liz99 — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 07:45:10 -0000

"the corporate equivalent of that guy in the bar who smells of equal parts aggression, fear, and desperation"...BINGO!

That's what I think of when I surf marketing, business, and trend websites that are trying to "monetize" social networking sites. They see a big pool of potential customers and they are intensely frustrated that they don't have a piece of the action. They are furiously waving red flags at their colleagues shouting, "Look at all of these people over here!"

Then I chime in with my idealistic, "If you commercialize social networking (more than it already is), you'll kill it completely. People won't Twitter or MySpace or FaceBook or MeetUp or whatever if they are going to have to fend off marketing pitches or, worse, attempts at viral marketing that are patently obvious. The appeal of these places is that people can connect with others who they share some commonality with (sports, music, industry, high school, etc.).

Corporations will never create genuine social networks on their own sites that can replicate this. The only exception I can think of is user support sites like Microsoft or other technology discussion boards but the reason most people visit those sites is because their software ISN'T working, not to compliment Microsoft on their fine, fine products. Second Life is commercialized but users can control how deeply they want to get into that virtual world.

It seems like marketers also want to control the message. You put up a Coke Fans bulletin board and there will be as many "Coke sucks" messages as people who like their product. But if you put in a moderating system, it drives people away in droves.

Basically, the day marketers control or influence online social networking (any more than they do), is the day it dies. People will just move on to something else.

End of rant. I just get a little sick reading marketing blogs that treat the "masses" as merely potential revenue sources. And most people are smart enough now to smell their contempt and stay away from contrived marketing campaigns. I'll step off my soapbox now.

Re: Marketing Sucks

RedJello — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:57:51 -0000

I'm a former marketer. I am now in sales. Love 'em, or hate 'em, every company needs a marketer to generate revenue. Marketing drives sales. Period.

Re: Marketing Sucks

Ed Roberts — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:06:34 -0000

AMEN!
Short term thinking is one of the biggest problems with not only marketing, but how we measure results. Short-term thinking creates short term results. Listen to the last Managing the Grey. Why was the Ford sponsorship of Manic Mommy's so successful? Because it built relationships. Instead of using an air horn for immediate results, it was a pat on the back and a friendly conversation that built influence for the long-term.

I'm also thinking of ways to expand on a sharing of ideas and insight in my own marketing initiatives. What do I have to offer? What do we as a group of people engaged in what amounts to a commodity product that will bring more people into the fold?

It's always a challenge, and something I know I am and will continually be refining. Thanks for your additional thoughts Chris. You nailed it on the head!

Re: Marketing Sucks

Richard Mondello — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 23:45:36 -0000

I obviously agree that marketing has a branding problem. But then again, I'm not the average consumer. I'm one of those people who refuses to watch TV because of the ads. Yeah, one of those people.

Watching people market themselves on twitter is just testing how much humility one can handle. There are people like Jason Calacanis who boisterously pimp their services left and right, but there are others like Chris Brogan and Laura Fitton who market themselves and their services by being human.

It'll be hard to rebrand marketing due to the jaded people out there, like me. But, I think you're well on your way.