Futurologist: You’d Be Better Off Marketing To Stoners
Today’s connected consumer is a harder target to hit than a joint toking stoner. So said eccentric and spirited Austrian futurologist Dietmar Dahmen at Sydney’s Sitecore conference yesterday.
Dahmen quoted a recent study to highlight the point. He said: “Half the room is given a mobile device, the other half are given a joint to smoke. The half with marijuana were more focused and able to multitask than those on their mobile.”
For marketers, mobile devices might be the greatest godsend or the worst enemy. And Dahmen added that timing is everything.
“Being there with the right message at the right time is priceless, being there with the wrong message at the wrong time is disastrous,” he said. But insists messaging that’s too personal becomes creepy. “You can be too personal, but you can never be too relevant. Relevance isn’t necessarily being personal, relevance is simply giving someone the right information at the right time,” explained Dahmen.
In order for marketers to deliver relevant messages to their consumers, they must embrace technological change. Throughout the seminar, Dahmen made specific references to the benefits of staying ahead of the pack with wearables, NFC, iBeacons and sensors – and how such technology provides intimate data which can be used to individualise marketing to specific consumers.
“If you rob a bank with Google Glass, that’s really good. You’re already a step ahead which means the others are a step behind,” said the futurologist. In fact, robbers have found great value in stealing Google Glass.
Dahmen explained that people base purchasing decisions on emotion. “The strongest link to your customer is emotion.”
“Technology is not the emotional connection but facilitates the emotional connection,” he said. The Austrian futurologist recommends putting the customer in the centre and organising the experience around the customer not the screen. “The emotional bond needs a screen, but only because the emotional bond needs presence – you need to be there.”
So when do marketers need to be there, exactly? Now, said Dahmen.
“Now – as you all know as marketeers is very, very effective. If you have something that is time sensitive – like a sale that ends today. It’s up to 500% more effective than if the low price is constant,” said Dahmen. “How now is now? Now is really quick – Boom! 400 milliseconds,” he added. It’s the time it takes to know whether you should “fight or flee” or the time it takes to like or dislike something – it’s the time it takes a person to develop an an emotional response to something.
And the modern day description for why people respond urgently to the now – well, that’s easy, it’s FOMO. “We take out our phones 150 times per day. We want to share our experiences with our friends, even when we’re in the moment. We’re the most distracted society of all time. Constantly distracted by our devices,” said Dahmen.
The other thing that is relevant is the opinions of others. Humans find security in what Dahmen calls “peer-surance”- if you’re peers like it, you’ll like it. If they don’t like it, you probably won’t either. “47% of people trust advertising according to Nielsen, while 92% trust other people,” he said.
Dahmen referenced a study of identical coat hangers sold on ebay for the same price. “The study revealed that the hangers which were rated five star outperformed the lower rated hangers by 800%,” he said.
75% OF CMOs believe there’s been more change in the past 2 years than the last 50. And over 50% of those CMOs don’t feel in control anymore.
“The more data they have about their customer, the more removed they feel from that customer. That’s why it’s important to feel the customer again,” said Dahmen.
Technology has never remained static. “In 1870, the world belonged to cans. Everything was preserved in a can cans, cans, cans, cans, cans – then in the 1930s, the world belonged to ice. Block ice was delivered and you had wooden boxes to put the ice in. The 1950s – the world belonged to the fridge, everybody had an electric fridge. My question to you is: How many can producers moved into ice? None. How many ice producers moved into refrigerators? None.”
Dahmen argues that many are guilty of saying, “Oh look! Another one of those idiots with Google Glass. Hahaha – that will never go anywhere.”
“We see it happening. We saw mobile coming and so many companies didn’t even consider implementing a mobile strategy. Their websites weren’t mobile optimised. They all saw it happen but they didn’t act,” suggested Dahmen.
Why? Because humans are intrinsically lazy. Dahmen said: “Generally, we all fear change and science suggests we like to be doing the same thing over again. Which means we’re lazy.” For consumers, laziness is especially relevant. “It comes down to how hard the consumer has to work to get something – it’s called access cost… If your website is too complicated and requires high mental cost, consumers will switch off,” revealed the futurologist.
If you don’t adapt to a low access cost, you’ll die.
Human life needs adaptation and business life needs adaptation. Charles Darwin said: “It’s not the strongest, nor the most intelligent that will survive, but those that are most responsive to change.”
“If you have an idea, you’re blind to the better idea. Like the bee, the bee only sees the one way out. It’s unable to consider a better option.” “You have to unlearn the old to then learn the new – and we hate that change. If we do need to learn, we copy what already exists using our mirror neurons – it’s in nature, we love copying things,” says Dahmen
William Bernbach, an American advertising creative director and one of the founders of DDB said: “Rules are what we break, the memorable never emerged from a formula.”
“Who breaks rules?,” asked Dahmen. “Outlaws!” (which is probably why the robbers embrace Google Glass.) “If you’re a victim on the other side, you’re passive, you excuse yourself rather than get the job done,” he said.
“The mobile revolution is here and was demanded by the users,” said Dahmen. Facebook was not mobile and users demanded the social media giant go mobile. “62% of the ad revenue (for Facebook) is from mobile. If you don’t go mobile, you’re neglecting what the customer wishes,” he added.
Old advertising was mass oriented and with high reach but low relevance. “A big poster with lots of people in front of it.” Today, advertising is low reach but extremely high relevance. Dahmen beseeched the audience. He said: “Be more individual, more relevant. Less like a book and more like a letter. A book is written for a general audience but a letter is very personal and very individual.” He called it “the narcissim of marketing”.
Please login with linkedin to comment
ADAD Advertising Standards Bureau Brita Water Gary Mehigan JCDecaux Matthew Gain Samsung Galaxy 5S theFarm Wayward SonLatest News
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.
Entries For Five Decades Of Advertising Graduates Awards Close On Monday
Entries for the Five Decades of Advertising awards close Monday. And no extensions! Any bribery is open til Wednesday.