Hello everyone.
I decided to write for you because it is Thursday, so you are probably more eager to get to the pub than do what ever you do to make rent. So I decided to provide you with a distraction until then. You are welcome.
To all of you people that read my last blogpost, thank you. As you know, I am extremely interested in viral videos and viral marketing. A vital aspect is providing content online which has the possibility of going viral. I know. What a no brainer. Yet, not everyone seems to recognise this. I just read this super interesting article which talks about the big brands participating in this new way of reaching people.
I have to say, from a personal experience - interesting and tailored marketing is the only way to reach me (well, I would like to think so at least). I may be a bit more internet savvy than other people, but I don't really think so. I spend my time on the internet doing three things. Social media, watching videos (mostly on YouTube) and researching what ever I am interested in at the time (can be university related, product related, learning how to braid my hair, what ever).
As I have a bit of an obsession with marketing, I notice what is trying to be aimed at me. And do you know what. I HATE when it works. I would like to think of myself as an individual who makes informed decisions. Which I know is bull****, as I am very impulsive and make decisions on the go (hey, at least I know).
A YouTuber I recently discovered is Grace Helbig. I do not know why I like her so much, because she does nothing or talks rubbish most of the time. Anyway, I am completely hooked. One of her videos she does a (ironic) make up tutorial where she goes: I don't know, I'm using this what ever drugstore foundation, I think it's called FitMe (from Maybelline).
And guess what. Suddenly, the brand started to follow me. I have seen countless of the modest adverts on the side on my browser (not the annoying ones that take up your whole screen) and it is the promoted product in Boots (where I regularly go). Suddenly all I want is that stupid foundation. I went to Boots the other day to try it. It is exactly the same as all the other ones I use. The same. But I really want that one.
This is the perfect example of successful product placement and targeting the right audience. And now I am giving you perfectly free advertisement. Well done Maybelline. You get a gold star.
The opposite to this is known as interruption marketing. The examples are everywhere. Television adverts, the ads before YouTube videos, people stopping you on the streets and my personal favorite: the flight attendant at the exact moment you almost fall asleep telling you about some 2 for 1 on a luxurious cosmetic product. I don't know if this is just me living in London for too long, my generation or a personal thing, but I (do my best to) COMPLETELY ignore all of this. I know these techniques work to a certain extent (which is why they are used) but they are also really irritating. I have developed a system where I always mute the YouTube adverts, ignore everything the flight attendant ever says and I never, ever take flyers. I keep joking about they could hand out checks for £1000 and I would never know.
And by the way, I am extremely easy to trick into spending money I should not. Marketing people, if you are not succeeding - you are doing it wrong. Also, I am interested in marketing so I actually watch advertisements from time to time. If you have pi**ed me off so much I absolutely refuse to, again, you are doing it wrong.
I wrote a post earlier this year asking commercial organisations to stop lying to me. I think this specifically applies here in the UK, where the market is so dense, every single thing has been exploited in every way possible. If you show people interest, they expect you are lying to them in order to get money out of you. I know this, because I have worked in sales. The majority of people could not get out of talking to me faster. And I am super charming.
PS. I'm rushing to this meeting where more people like me talk about how awesome the internet is and how it is the only way to do stuff now, so I have to rush. I have almost finished the spell check but I know it is not quite there yet, I'll finish it tonight. Dear internet, please don't murder me.
PS. I'm rushing to this meeting where more people like me talk about how awesome the internet is and how it is the only way to do stuff now, so I have to rush. I have almost finished the spell check but I know it is not quite there yet, I'll finish it tonight. Dear internet, please don't murder me.