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Taking the high road with new media ...
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I was really hoping that this time things would be different. That the nature of digital media (analytics, open rates and data capture) will keep us from using false claims and misleading statements in order to secure a clients marketing dollars. But the end game is really no different and the difference between ‘sales’ and actual marketing will be just as prevalent in digital as it in traditional media.
I’m just saying…
Advertising professionals in traditional media have been trained to sell their product as the best solution for you regardless of your need. I don’t think that’s cool. Long term success in ad sales is accomplished when the clients’ needs are prioritized over your own (just for fun read that last sentence out loud to your sales manager … they love to hear stuff like that). Some of my friends in tradtional media get this ... some don't ... still others call soccer 'futbol' which is confusing and totally not relevant to this article.
As “new” (digital and social) media becomes more mainstream in a well balanced marketing strategy … we new media types will need to learn from history. Being honest and ethical in your sales efforts can be better justified by all the aforementioned analysis that we can provide…and I for one thinks that’s cool. We as an industry should strive to do business in a manner that is comfortable for our clients. This will differentiate us even further from people at Quik Trip selling TV and radio spots out of the trunk of their car.
Look…it’s early enough in the game where industry leaders can literally set the tone. We need to be intolerant of unethical business practices, internet MLM schemes (i.e. local ad link), and agencies that use misleading data to sell new media. I say we use our own devices (social media) to call people out and make them more accountable.
(Begin humming the Battle Hymn of the Republic)
We could blog about it … make it search-able … we could use discussion groups to warn others away!
(Stop Humming)
Unfortunately, where there’s money there’s greed… and where there’s greed there’s congressmen… wait…I mean dishonesty. I hate to think that we new media people will fall into the same misleading and exhausting ways of selling our products.
Unfortunately you are already starting to see the lawsuits related to falsified click throughs reports, multilevel marketing search, and mysterious SEO holy grails for a $150 buy in (they exist…I saw one once… it spooked my horse).
As more money comes our way so will the unscrupulous… soon after we can expect the ‘corporate’ structure to follow … then we can consolidate and turn everything over to HR so that we can de-humanize our industry and run our companies with fear and compliance. Eventually, Stanley Kubrick will make a movie out of it and Ben Stiller will star as Mark Zuckerberg. (I had a dream about this once…)
Bitter? I thinc not. I’ll be selling chocolate dipped frozen bananas to tourists in Costa Rica when that happens. Until then I just hope to stay involved in an industry that continues to share information in a positive way … one that strives to use technology to a better end.
At Rethinc we want to create better advertising for better clients (trademarked). Being honest and hard working comes easy to us … we’ve had all the compliance and fear beaten out of us. We’d like to know what you thinc … tell us you agree or disagree @ ed@rethincadvertising.com or leave a comment here for the whole world to see.
The best write up I’ve seen on local ad link: http://www.homebusinessblogs.com/archives/683/local-ad-link-scam-or-legitimate-advertising-opportunity
Click fraud? Say it isn’t so: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=110628
Oh no SEO: http://www.anywired.com/2008/05/7-signs-of-seo-scams
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