brand marketing blog

For some 'old school' marketers, the thought if having to relinquish their love of traditional media (TV, press, magazines, radio etc) is like asking Linus to throw away his blanket. They are oblivious, or turn a blind eye to the diminishing efficacy of traditional advertising mediums and methods. But facts are facts - advertising as we knew it (and as Proctor & Gamble mastered) is no longer the silver bullet.

Consumers have the power to switch off to marketing messages and are doing it. Besides, we're all tired of being 'sold to' with carefully constructed product and brand propaganda.

Social networking and online viral marketing is such a new discipline that most marketers and advertising execs are struggling to get their heads around it. Business owners are anxious for better ROI on advertising spend and are seeking new answers. They have heard about social networking and online viral marketing but have no real grasp on how to leverage it.

On the other extreme you have the online zealots who believe (and preach) that traditional advertising is dead and buried and that the answer lies exclusively on the web and in online communities. They are no better than the 'old school' marketers, believing theirs is the only way.

Marketing success today, and definitely as we move forward, will come to those who effectively integrate the new social networking mediums such as blogging, Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn etc (and lots of new ones that haven't been invented yet) with traditional media and mainstream advertising. Building an online community of followers or a tribe of like-minded individual will add significant value and extension to any traditional advertising campaign.

What marketers have to realise right now is that building an online community or tribe is a slow process, fundamentally different to traditional 'immediate response' adverting. If you don't get involved now you will be left behind, that's a given.

You must be patient and give your online and social networking efforts six to twelve months to develop credibility and gain a meaningful following before you really see results, but once you gather critical mass, the longevity of your efforts will be stunning.

Don't let your competitor beat you to it.