|
I’m looking at you, big corporation. I’m looking at you,
small business. I'm looking at you, Mr. Executive. I’m looking at you, teacher. I’m looking at you, student. You
have no more excuses. Become a media company.
I didn’t understand the concept either, until David
Kirkpatrick wrote about it in November of 2006.
“Why buy ads when you can control the content instead?” Let me repeat that on
Mr. Kirkpatrick’s behalf “Why buy ads when you can control the content instead?”
It’s that simple. Anyone can be media. Anyone.
What does this mean? This means the game has changed. It
means that if you plan on being in business in the 21st century,
then you have to do this. If you
aren’t doing this, if you aren’t using these tools, then you aren’t a 21st
century marketer. With each passing month, old school advertising fades and the
digitalization of media steps more and more into prominence. Soon, analog will
be dead. Next will be traditional advertising. We’ve said it hundreds
of times, you must adapt or die.
It may seem overwhelming, but the wonderful thing is how
absolutely simple this is. It costs very little. The barriers to entry are
almost zero. You have no excuses. Stealing from Nike’s mantra: Just do it.
Guy Kawasaki illustrated just how easy this is. He goes by numbers, and in doing so, pretty much calls out anyone who makes any
excuses about not entering this game. And this game is the Internet. It amazes
me how many people still don’t get it. You must participate in this space. The
time is yesterday. You’re already behind.
This is a next step in evolution. The web affects us
differently than television, radio or print. It’s both passive and active. This
experience is unique. We participate with what we buy in a new way. And we
especially participate with our brands in a totally different way. This is why
brands must understand this. And this is why every brand needs to truly
understand that they now have the opportunity to be the media.
So, going forward, when I’m asking to be fed (and we’re always asking to be fed), you can feed me directly. It doesn’t have
to be through a conduit any longer. You used to have to sponsor. Done properly,
in the future, you will own the whole program.
 |
