The fundamentals of marketing are always going to be the same, but with the landscape changing at the speed of technology, what matters most now is how one activates the fundamentals. Smart marketers know that they need to get ahead of the trends and anticipate the next big things, or else be devoured by their competitors. Here is what I believe could be some of the most interesting developments next year: Transparency will become the most important tool of marketing. Consumers are going to continue to exert power and influence. The idea of radical transparency is something that few brands are taking advantage of now, and most brands fight it. Next year the best brands won’t be those with the best stories, or sort of made up fictional stories, but those that will give an accurate and real time picture of what they are doing in the interest of the…
There’s a buzz in marketing circles these days about companies reaching out to audiences by being open, honest and truthful. There’s a theme circulating in PR social circles, repeated in this blog’s meta data, parroted by public relations experts and amateurs alike, on the need for transparency. Many claim to follow this sage advice. Some speak of it in their marketing and PR materials, and more join their ranks each day. Few actually follow through with it. “Show them an authentic lifestyle.” “Relate to your customer daily.” “Show the human side of what you do.” Fantastic statements, all around. But what does it mean? How is it executed? How does it really help the average Jill? And in today’s spin-hijacked media world, why the heck should anyone believe any of it, anyway? In reality, they shouldn’t. Not the words anyway. Not just the words. As C-level executives are beginning to…
