You are who you are. Or is it, you are what you wear, buy and use?
According to this blog, it is the latter. The blog contends that social objects are the future of marketing. As far as I'm concerned, it is the present!
I don't know about you, but when somebody walks by with an iPhone, I notice. If I see a kid stroll by me in some limited edition Nikes, that registers with me too.
And yes, there could be a decent MP3 alternative to the iPod, but I'd rather have people see me rocking those white ear buds, knowing that I am up to speed with the current trends of mobile listening.
So the question is, who isn't representing some form of a social object? If I really wanted to, I could identify about five social objects a day that I basically advertise to the people I interact with (and don't think I haven't made it be known that I FINALLY purchased a Mac laptop that I'm currently using to write this blog).
Like joining a club to be around like-minded people, these days we are 'socializing' via our clothes, MP3 players, and cups of Starbucks coffee and I think it is a good thing. Call it a nonverbal icebreaker.
If your company wants to succeed, it needs to have a social object marketing plan. Let your customers do the work for you. Cross your fingers and hope that you get the right people representing your stuff though.
And in the meantime, I'll be on the lookout for the cute girl listening to an iPod, wearing a Portland Trailblazers T-shirt while drinking a Starbucks coffee.
3 comments:
You said it. Now to complete the whole thing you just have to post a Powerpoint template that people can use to sell this idea to their bosses :)
Depends upon your target audience, though.
I still remember the look on my friend's face as he tried to impress a group of us in his office with his new Mont Blanc fountain pen.
He first pulled it out with a flourish and displayed it... to no response.
He then said it was a Mont Blanc - and 2 of us nodded.
He went on to explain what it was, how much it cost, and how it was a 'name brand'.
Finally, as we were on the way back home, one friend mused aloud: "What was all that fuss about his silly ball point pen?"
:)
All success
Dr.Mani
Sure, ok, having an ipod and drinking Starbucks coffees can be trendy, but it doesn't become that way until everybody has them. I'm walkin around carrying my Boyd's coffee drink and nobody gives a crap cause nobody else thinks its cool to carry around Boyd's coffee. I'm so insightful, right?
- Dr. Alyssa
Post a Comment