| Ok, so marketing's dead. At least we don't have | | | | consumer habits. Habits are deceptive and will lead |
| to be quiet about it. But has someone told the | | | | you astray. Any and all purchase decisions are |
| CEOs? CMOs? Agencies? Many are refusing to | | | | inspired by desires, birthed from indulgence and |
| see the light, or hopelessly choosing not to act | | | | the caving to self-gratification, AT ANY MOMENT. |
| accordingly. Denial's no longer an option. | | | | Chaos is a given. The typical goes unnoticed. |
| Brand loyalty is an ancient myth passed down | | | | Distractions are not only everywhere they're |
| from generation to generation of ad execs. If it | | | | portable-in our ears, in our eyes, and in our hands. |
| weren't long lost folklore, Starbucks would not | | | | Products need talent agencies. Oh, and, where's |
| currently be losing market share with such a large | | | | my ROI? We know what you're thinking, CEOs of |
| fan following. Starbucks customers aren't turning | | | | the world. You want to know how to combat this |
| their nose up at the Italianese names of their | | | | hedonistic and hormonal decision-making and come |
| favorite coffee drink, as some donut and burger | | | | out on top of all the ruckus. |
| shops would have you believe. (Kobe beef | | | | Well, first of all, companies have to be up for |
| connoisseurs are not putting their honed palates | | | | anything--product enhancements, image-altering |
| on the shelf and heading to McDonald's because | | | | creative, packaging overhaul, a major |
| 'hamburger' is so easy to read.) Those competitor | | | | re-positioning message at any time, re-branding, |
| coffee joints may have the spotlight now | | | | or even a complete halt to any campaign at all. |
| because of convenience and cost, but give | | | | Investigate your consumer. Don't get bogged |
| Starbucks the tools to inspire purchases(TM), and | | | | down in behavioral targeting, get savvy with their |
| give that fad another week... Is this a talent | | | | hormones and what entices that biological |
| contest? No buts about it. Finally we're realizing | | | | reckoning to action. |
| that even coffee drinkers are pretty | | | | In their new book, 'Impotence in the Boardroom: |
| brand-promiscuous? Polygamy of this sort | | | | MySpace Caught an STD,' authors, Yvette Bowlin |
| wouldn't happen in a brand-centric world, you say? | | | | and Sonni Carr, unveil new concepts about |
| What about the experiences associated with | | | | consumer behavior with their Desire |
| products? Loyalty doesn't live there either. | | | | Forensics® and they use MySpace as the |
| Consumers are only inspired to make a purchase | | | | prime example of how thinking inside the box will |
| if there is instant gratification involved. Does your | | | | get you nowhere fast. In fact, they call this |
| product fly off the shelf with attractive | | | | stigma an S.T.D.-strategically transmitted disease. |
| packaging? Does it offer that adrenaline rush? | | | | Not strategically aligning with the consumer's |
| That hormonal instinct is constantly taking new | | | | hormones will age and kill your product or service |
| shape, personality, form...shifting, changing, molding, | | | | quicker than any consumer review could. |
| maneuvering-it's unpredictable. It's the | | | | MySpace chose the gray hair. The disease is |
| pleasure-seeking energy inside of us that prevails | | | | pervading every aspect of Madison Avenue, |
| regardless of our rational, or logical, cognizance. It's | | | | Silicon Valley, Wall Street, Hollywood...no one is |
| what we falsely label as our needs, but actually | | | | immune. The culprit: mental impotence-in the |
| are our desires disguised as needs. It's what | | | | boardroom, in the office, on the golf course, in |
| justifies altering purchase plans years in the | | | | the benz, on the phone...everywhere. Fatigue, |
| making. It is the force behind our inability to | | | | inertia, and inaction lead to boring, irrelevant, and |
| control our own irrational, illogical actions. Ah, | | | | deadly. Exercise your mind, and your company |
| hormones. | | | | offerings, to stay ahead of those stuck in the |
| What marketers should be comprehending now is, | | | | past, stuck in their role, stuck in their ways, |
| simply put, that our purchases are inspired | | | | basking in old glory. This is mental impotence at its |
| primarily by our hormones. How do you influence | | | | finest: stuck. |
| hormones? Thanks to the movement toward a | | | | Believe it or not, CEOs, CMOs, and Agencies, |
| more liberal society, it's acceptable to 'do | | | | consumers think with their hormones. Their |
| whatever the hell you want' and not have to | | | | hormones drive them to meet their desires. Your |
| answer to anyone for it. Increasingly, society | | | | product or service has to become that desire. In |
| allows this and caters to that rebellious, free spirit. | | | | the midst of chaos, recession and distraction, we |
| Now, with hormones out of captivity, free to | | | | all need to focus on attracting hormones, sparking |
| rage-no more pretending to be something they're | | | | instant gratification. Don't be the abyss in the |
| not--consumers have allied with their hormones | | | | boardroom, cold and immovable amidst the |
| and triumphed in their irreverent, inconsistent | | | | real-time marketplace and genuine consumer |
| ways. | | | | concern. It's all about satisfying desire-always has |
| Impotence in the Boardroom | | | | been. |
| The main point in the matter is: do NOT trust | | | | |