I recently discovered the show Mad Men—yes, I know I’m way behind the times on this television phenomenon, but running two small business ventures simultaneously for the last few years has seriously cut into my media viewing!
If you’ve seen the show, maybe you’ve been as fascinated as I have at the glimpses it provides into the old days of marketing and advertising. Now, I certainly won’t argue with anyone who wants to try bringing back the tradition of having cocktails and canapés during business meetings (see photo). But aside from that aspect of 1960’s marketing, I’m happy to see that the industry has come a long way (and not only in modifying its retrograde gender roles).
Oh sure, there are still plenty of patronizing, cheesy, or lowest-common-denominator marketing and advertising campaigns I see every week. But the direction the marketing industry as a whole has taken and where it’s going now is towards ever more meaningful engagement with consumers. The most successful marketers listen to the customer, and are responsive and respectful of what they need and want.
Modern marketers understand that it’s not just about putting together a clever advertising campaign. Marketing is a cyclic process—from product design to advertising to sales, then gathering customer feedback that informs the next generation of product design. The customer is at the core of this cycle.
In recent years, the emergence of social media has shifted more power into the hands of consumers. This infographic provides some historical perspective on the evolution: A (Kind of) Brief History of Marketing.
In upcoming posts, I’ll talk more about whether social media marketing is right for your business and how to get it working for you in this new marketing age. Meanwhile, I think a Mai Tai and some finger sandwiches are in order.