Skip the Sales Posts and Deliver on Experience

We're a long way from anyone being able to predict the future but valuable research is giving us a better idea of where society is headed, what the millennial consumer values most, and what direction marketing needs to take as a result.

In the past, marketers told consumers what they were supposed to want from a brand and developed creative around gimmicks and facades to coerce and persuade. But consumers are smarter than that now. They can see through the facades and demand a more open and honest relationship with brands. Credibility is being defined by truthfulness and integrity. So now marketing is driven by the wants and needs of the customer, and sales teams everywhere have been scrambling to adapt and evolve. Authenticity no longer becomes an option. Either you embrace it, or it will be forced upon you.

When I started in this business, advertising was very one-dimensional, and creative was all about messaging. But times have changed. When it comes to brand credibility in the digital era, nothing speaks louder than honest and purposeful engagement. Therefore designers and art directors must think more holistically about the process to be successful. Traditional behavior and consumption patterns are gone and study after study is showing that the largest generation in the U.S. value socially conscious experiences and causes over innovation, great products, and brand popularity. These key values persist across the millennial age spectrum and signify more of a shift than just a trend. 

So skip the sales posts and deliver on experiential content. Foster and nurture emotional connections that reward engagement and empower identity. 

Across the board culture is starting to spend time and money very differently. In fact, the brand experience is driving consumers like never before, and creates more opportunities for storytellers like myself who are enthusiastic about smarter creative that skillfully translates a client’s needs into authentic and enjoyable brand engagement.

Consumers have high expectations of brands for sure, and with this shift in how we spend our money, it stands to reason that marketing and creative budgets must shift as well.

Who Will Champion Your Story, and Bring Your Brand to Life?

I see it all too often. A product, service or customer experience fails to resonate with buyers and therefore Marketing is left spinning their wheels trying to bridge the relevance gap with messaging and positioning. This is the traditional way we’ve always done it. But it’s not very effective anymore.

Everything a business says and does nowadays is dictated by the consumer, but it is frustrating the glut of entrepreneurs we now have flooding the marketplace looking to strike it rich with their dream concepts or inventions.

Shows like CNBC’s ‘Shark Tank’ cater to them. One after the other, vying desperately to find funding and validation for what they believe the buyer needs and wants. But only those who are realistic and relevant prosper.

This is not a problem exclusive to entrepreneurs however. Corporations alike suffer from being self-centric and not customer-centric. Honestly, I love branding and storytelling, but what I love even more is when I see employees who connect with the story and bring it to life throughout the customer experience the way Walt Disney did back in the day, and the way Apple does today. It’s believable. It’s authentic, and it remains all about the customer and the customer's experience.

Yes this means more training, organizational change, investing more internally to maximize employee engagement and empowerment. But it’s worth the investment. Otherwise, your company culture crumbles and your message loses credibility. Your brand becomes irrelevant and gets tossed around every agency in one last ditch attempt to resurrect it with a veneer of creative window dressing that won’t hold up amidst the scrutiny and transparency of social media and today’s digital landscape.

Throughout the buying process, it’s the emotional buy-in of your customer that qualifies your content, uncovers a winning story and produces effective messaging, not the other way around. Success is cultivated from the inside-out.

From David to Goliath. How Challenger Brands Become World Changers.

Big brands get it. At least many of them do. Yet challenger brands and start-ups especially are vulnerable in large part to a lack of vision and purpose. Vision is imperative. Every company has one, or desperately needs to stop what they are doing to find one—a clear picture of their brand’s strategy and direction. Without it, you’re going nowhere, and the marketing people responsible for driving your brand are spinning their wheels without a roadmap or GPS.

We also know that a vision should be big. It should be bold. It should be easy to define. But more importantly it must be relatable. Everyone seeks connection and a cause to champion, but if your brand isn’t a vehicle for either, then you’re not relevant and you’re not the focus of conversation. You remain just a challenger. The goal is to unseat the market leader and win people’s hearts right? Sure, mission statements help to articulate what a brand wants to do, and how it will realize its vision, but carrying that out is another story. Speaking of stories, what is your story and how is that story perceived and received by the world at large or community you wish to influence? What are your values, beliefs and definitions of what guide your brand’s culture and decision-making processes?

Emotional Relevance:

Is your story more like a fairy-tale or a well-crafted documentary? Does it read like a motivational manifesto and resonate with the passions and pursuits of its audience? An engaging story isn’t static or self-serving, but fuels its followers while directionally connecting everyone to the overall goals and objectives of the company. It doesn’t exclude, but invites everyone to the party. It speaks the love language of those who are listening, and inspires cult like loyalty. Apple was once the underdog. Now it’s a giant. Macy’s has magic. What’s your mojo?  

Does your story and the strategy for telling that story connect with your audience and validate their emotional investment and loyalty? Are you adaptive, creative and courageous enough to lead and innovate when others are complacently following? These are the questions that need to be answered before a compelling story can become more than just a story, before it can assist a brand’s mission or deliver quantifiable results, but create movements that alter the world in a meaningful way and leave behind legacies for future generations to follow. This is how Davids can become Goliaths.

If I'm Not 'Feelin It', I'm Not Buying It.

Imagine a world of emotional detachment and disconnect. I’m not just referring to an inability to connect with others emotionally, but an inability to connect with your own heart and the subconscious motivations which drive behavior. Seems inhumane doesn’t it, and if you ever find yourself in that world, find a good therapist, because psychologists warn of all sorts of mental health issues and implications.

Many of us, if we’re honest, find it very difficult to turn emotions on and off. In fact, we’ve all experienced intense emotions in some very passive states: our hearts race when we identify with a fictional character on a movie screen; certain environments, smells, or interactions with people unconsciously trigger past experiences and send signals to the body and brain to respond accordingly. Remember how irrationally motivated and out of balance you felt when you first fell in love? Emotions are attached to associations we make about the way we view ourselves and the world in order to guide choices and largely prepare us for action, either positive or negative. It’s the way we’re wired. Unless you're a robot.

Love and loyalty is driven by this process, and smart marketers understand this. Smart marketers know how to put this knowledge to work. Unfortunately, the people who make decisions about a brand or business, aren’t necessarily from the same school of thought or on the same page. We’ve seen the case studies and documented the failures that result when a brand fails to take into account the emotional programming behind what people buy and why. 

Countless studies have been conducted about the power of emotion and unconscious associations underlying consumer behavior are what send brands either into the Stratosphere or the trash can. I’ve always said this, and won’t back down from this approach, because it is extremely rewarding and not as mysterious or laborious as some would lead you to believe. There is a general consistency to this paradigm that transcends the sales or technology treadmill because it is what drives the treadmill, just as simple gender and demographic differences affect the way brands have always been marketed.

More and more are finally getting it I think, and are seeking to discover what motivates and maintains loyalty; even leveraging those insights, but when everyone within the leadership structure of a business isn’t on board, an identity crises ensues. Brands rebrand and change ad agencies like underwear and undermine the very essence of what differentiates us from the devices we attempt to live our lives through every day.

Branding Isn't Rocket Science… Yet.

There's a how-to book or two out there about satisfying the core emotional needs of customers. Perhaps you've heard of it. 

I hate how-to books. But that's another topic for another time. I do love to talk about advances in marketing however, and point out truths that are often overlooked. For a while now, brand strategists have encouraged the business world to embrace the value of emotion in selling products and as marketers see the value of appealing to consumers’ heartstrings, some powerful insights have begun to emerge, which is awesome. We've finally reached a paradigm shift in perspective. But we've also tried to make a science out of something very abstract, intangible, and somewhat ethereal. We decorate it with catchphrases and package it in some rather verbose and esoteric language only planners seem to use.

Now to many, I'm just an art director, but I say it often. Brands that can bypass the head and reach the heart and soul of a consumer will always outperform the logical appeals and positioning of their shortsighted counterparts, because the heart is more involved in making decisions than our heads. That much has been proven, although for some there remains much debate.

Emotions are powerful motivators and can be powerful economic levers, but without a proven psychological theory to tell us where, when, and how to extract emotional insights, opportunities are lost some will say. That's certainly true, but trying to measure the heart with intellectual metrics in my opinion is like trying to breath under water without gills. We know in part, and even see in part, and as a creative I for one can appreciate the mystery of how this all works.

Psychologists for years have tried to unlock the secrets of the subconscious to reveal the hidden meaning behind our conscious thoughts and behaviors. But trying to decipher raw emotion sometimes is like pinning Jell-O to a wall, especially when we continue to handicap ourselves with a fact-based, quanti­fied approach. It's like the left-brain trying to comprehend the right without an interpreter and vice-versa. 

No one loves strategy consultants, market research and consumer insights more than I. But sometimes it gets unnecessarily convoluted and complicated. We need to simplify the process I think, go back to basics, and at times trust our gut because it knows the terrain, and isn't prone to the paralysis of too much analysis. One thing I know for certain. The day we develop a fool-proof formula for the psychological and/or sociological underpinnings of how and why people use products and services, many of us in marketing will indeed become redundant and find ourselves looking for a new career. But don't hold your breath. I don't see that day coming any time soon.

Is it Really About Brand Engagement or Getting Hitched?

Loyalty. Commitment. Marriage. Sure, not the sexiest or most marketable of phrases, but for brands, it's the Holy Grail. Yet, before we even go there however, we need to talk about engagement. Yes, engagement in all of its meanings. It's the latest buzzword branding gurus have been throwing around for some time now, and anyone who's anyone knows just how important it is for a brand to relate relevantly with the world in an alluring and compelling way, both online and off. However, most conversations on the subject are confined to the former and revolve around content since this is now the primary way people connect and interact with brands.

Therefore, it's important to point out that in the era of content marketing how important it is for brands to be real, because up until this point we've seen more than our fair share of desperate, tacky, and predictable attempts to manufacture "engagement" based upon conventional and cheesy call-to-action tactics. The internet is more than a content delivery system, and engagement is not about creating something gimmicky for people to share but rather the right kind of content. Otherwise engagement remains just shameless and sophomoric. Content is only king so far as it provides the building blocks to something powerful people can affectionately align themselves with and passionately champion and defend offline as well. The roadmap to the heart hasn't changed, just the tools are different. Brands that insist on intrusively 'selling' themselves through traditional advertising strategies or asking for likes, followers, and retweets won't survive or garner enough interest or enthusiasm to warrant the type of commitment needed today to keep quality customers engaged and involved.

Sexiness by itself isn't enough. Commonality alone doesn't cut it. Neither does an attractive promise or price. It's a combination of factors that makes for relationship material and a level of emotional buy-in most brands would kill for, because ultimately it's what drives us as people. It's the secret sauce. It's about relationship. Otherwise your brand will just be left standing at the altar.

Why I'm Thankful for the Economic Downturn

I began my career like any art director or designer does, doing production, paying my dues. But in time, and with some hard work, I finally moved my way up the responsibility ladder, and was able to sink my teeth into some fairly creative and challenging work. But eventually I became bored. I wanted more. I just couldn't put my finger on it, but I knew I wasn't just a designer. I wasn't being challenged. Yet the days grew into months, and the months into years of not doing anything about it. It wasn't until I abandoned the cushy corporate paycheck to pursue my passions that I was finally able to spread my wings and grow. 

Upon being promoted to creative director of an agency startup, I found myself a lot more involved in the strategy and planning behind campaigns; not to mention pitching and presenting to clients. I was hooked. While I still love design and remain very competitive in that arena, I've been devoting more and more of my time to copywriting and brand strategy over the past five years. But much of that came about only because I was forced to explore new opportunities, and at the same time, rediscover what I really wanted to do with my life, and what was inside of me all along.

Like many small agencies at the start of the recession, a downturn in business meant I was now on my own to find new employment. After several attempts to land something comparable however, I turned back to freelance and contract stints for survival, and soon found myself on a new journey to uncover what really motivates me most. 

You see, it isn't until life squeezes us sometimes before we learn what we're truly made of, and what we were put on this earth to do. Adversity corners us and demands of us to ask real questions, to search for real answers about the future, especially when it's our future being called into question. Only then can we come face to face with our strengths and our weaknesses and come to terms with what makes us special. It's about focus. It's about destiny.

At first I was bitter, but now I am better and more equipped to handle the challenges that come with finding the right fit. When you don't know who you are, there will always be someone with an agenda who will either mold you into what they want, or keep you stuck in a cycle of discontent and dysfunction, which never works out for either party. Great teams are built around people who not only enjoy what they're doing, but are uniquely gifted to fulfill the role and function their position requires, and that's a win-win for everybody.

Marketing Isn't Dead. It Just Got a Wake-Up Call.

I love it when industry pundits make generalizations without accounting for how different we all are, or how diverse human behavior really is. One size never fits all, and painting with a broad brush is extremely shortsighted. In fact, even among hispanics alone, there are more sub-cultures and market fragmentation than any other people group.

What I'm driving at, is the notion that traditional marketing is dead (at least, the science, rationale, and thinking part of the selling process is dead) or no longer needed somehow, because consumers have full control over their own purchasing decisions. Or do they?

For years, gurus have been saying that the digital era pushed aside old rules of engagement and made way for an exciting, new marketing landscape. I don't dispute that. But one thing hasn't changed all that much, and that's the way our brains make decisions. Everyone is influenced by something, and that changes dramatically depending on who you talk to on any given day.

I've heard the arguments. Consumers no longer wish to tolerate annoying advertisements or traditional marketing methods that disrupt their busy lives. They strongly despise any business or brand that tells them what to buy and why. Instead, consumers know what they want and how to get it. Unfortunately, that's not what the research shows, or what common sense would dictate.

Sure, we all have access to a world of information via the Internet. We can research our own products and services online. We can read forums and see what others are saying about brands. We can contribute our own thoughts and reviews. We can follow key people on Twitter or Facebook and even write our own blogs. But how many are actually doing that, especially for day-to-day purchases?

Statistics show that the average person isn't doing all these things before they go to the store to pick up a gallon of milk or some laundry detergent. People are creatures of habit, and many things along the retail path-to-purchase influence the decisions we make. For instance, many decisions are often determined at the last minute.

It's true, the Internet has transformed the way we shop, and marketing has had to adapt to the cultural shift. Instead of just broadcasting a message, brands and businesses are actually returning to the days when they used to engage consumers in a two-way conversation about their needs and concerns. Somewhere a long the line, we lost sight of this principle and consequently, our way. Involvement is a valuable, but often overlooked investment. It's about championing a movement; not just a message, which involves anything that helps your brand become an industry leader that people love, trust and loyally align themselves with.

Rather than paying for expensive ad space, or spewing out press release after press release, brands are forced to participate in a new process or perish. But that doesn't mean we should all become digital PR agencies and digital marketing firms. That's just over correcting. Businesses are as different as the consumers they serve, and there's no cookie-cutter formula that works for all brands. That's why an integrated approach works best and we need to focus our time and attention accordingly. This is not about a digital revolution, but an uprising that brings the customer back into focus where they rightfully belong.

Champion a Movement, Not Just a Message

Anyone who knows me at all, knows how much I love to talk about branding, the future of brands, and the importance of social media, although that term is a bit dated now that global interconnectivity is within everyone's grasp today. In this parallel universe, interactivity has become the new norm and participation is hardly an option. In fact, life will never be the same, as marketing itself is being re-branded. Yet I refuse to spew the same esoteric rhetoric your run-of-the-mill social media marketing guru can provide these days. You know, the type that go on and on about engagement, social purpose and responsibility? The same group who started out years ago with an an insatiable preoccupation with tactics and technology, as if platforms like Twitter or Facebook invented the art of conversation and communication between human beings and brands.

But make no mistake, they all know one thing to be profoundly true. The conversation is definitely different. But while most businesses are studying how the internet keeps changing, they ought to focus their time and attention on how the internet is changing their business. That's the biggest variable in all of this. People are different. Attitudes are different. Tolerances, routines and behaviors are all different. The consumer is different. The world itself is very different.

The internet has empowered customers, and now THEY call the shots. They own the conversation. They dictate what they want from a brand. As Saatchi CEO Kevin Roberts has said in a keynote speech in Cannes, "return on investment," or ROI, should be dubbed "return on involvement." In essence, marketing has moved from interruption to interaction in the battle for customer attention and relevance. Endearing brands know how to champion a movement, not just a message.

Then there are those who still point to the old adage that content is king. Really? Content is just the hors d'oeuvres served at your cocktail party. That doesn't make it king. Your guests are king. Your social network is king and the conversations that revolve around their content is king. Social media isn't just a content delivery system, anymore. It's about community, connectivity and the collective causes of cultural movements that arise and become a rallying cry for brands and their followers. Those who get that are king, in my opinion, and that's all I have to say...for now.

Discovering Your Inner Steve (Jobs)

When Steve Jobs, the visionary of Apple died, I think the whole world stopped for a moment. At least it did for me. We all lost something that day. We lost something special, someone special. We lost an innovator, creator, and charismatic leader. We lost an icon. But I'm not here to get all gushy though. After all, he was still human, an eccentric and hot-tempered perfectionist who reportedly used to scream at employees. But what he accomplished is almost unparalleled. With recent comparisons to Thomas Edison or Henry Ford, Jobs instinctively knew what the consumer wanted, and he gave it to them. More importantly, he knew what you wanted even before you did, sometimes. He saw what could be, before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone could ever imagine. He understood his purpose in life. He understood that good wasn't necessarily the best. He wasn't distracted by what everyone else was thinking or doing–he knew what he needed to do and went out and did it, all with a sense of urgency, no less.

From what I hear, he didn't believe in surveys, didn't test his products. He was that sure of himself. How many of us are that confident? How many people believe in themselves and go out and prove it? But that's the DNA of a true leader and innovator. They know their way is the best way and they're bound and determined to point you to it. They are the prospectors of this world, and for them the possibilities are endless. They invest in the future, and fearlessly go after it. They have something to prove, something to contribute, something they are destined to give to the world, and somehow they deliver. Perhaps it's luck. Perhaps it's fate. Perhaps it's pure genius. Whatever IT is, I think there's something in all of us just waiting to be discovered, if we're willing to make the investment and have the courage to trust in our instincts. Steve trusted his, and he was right more often than he was wrong. As I often say, a compass and map will get you far in life, but to actually see where you're going, requires vision.

Social Media for the Rest of Us Who Aren't 'Experts' Yet.

Anyone who's been in marketing for any length of time knows that marketing success requires making a connection with your audience. To do this, you first need to understand what's important to them, and more importantly you need to speak their language. It used to be in years past that marketers would broadcast or disseminate a message around what they wanted their audience to know or hear rather than the other way around. In today's socially mediated world however, that approach doesn't fly. Even the term audience, is somewhat antiquated.

Marketing is now centered around conversations that relate relevantly within personal, social and cultural engagement because you can no longer 'talk at' people, you have to interact with them. You have to connect with them based on their needs and interests. Of course, this is nothing new either, as most research analysts can attest. Market research traditionally dictated the approach and strategy of ad campaigns. But today, research is conducted publicly on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter, and may even replace the need for paid focus groups one day. Maybe. But again if all advertisers try to do is gain more followers or gather free metrics for the purpose of manipulating buyer behavior, they've missed the whole point of what social media is about.

No, it's not a magic bullet, or bag of tricks, and simply adding a fan page will not make you instantly credible. That's pathetic. Let's be smarter than that. But the potential is there, nonetheless, and yet somewhat ambiguous even to the 'experts'. Still I like to think of it as a virtual greenhouse for growing brands into pop icon status the likes of which have rarely ever been seen.

But don't just drink the Kool-Aid. Embrace the principle and merge it with what we already know.

For instance, Apple didn't become what it is today through clever persuasion, but by purposeful participation; by listening and then doing. They relinquished control and allowed the consumer to take ownership of the brand. Anyone who ever bought an iMac or iPod first bought into an ideology, or way of looking at the world, way before the emergence of social media, or it's stellar customer service for that matter.

Humans are creatures of habit, and although the world has changed, we really just find new ways of doing the same old things. Marketing today is not so much about an audience or demographic, but the way a brand fits (or doesn't fit) into our global community of socially connected circles both online and off. So when you begin to lose touch with your customer, and your customer with you, the relationship dies, regardless of where it began, and so too does your bottom line.

Redefining "Full" in Full-Service

There's an age old saying which applies very well to advertising. "Out of sight, out of mind." Back in the days of TV dominated reach and frequency, this principle ruled the lives of media planners for decades. Of course, today's metrics have changed somewhat, but the principle hasn't. If you're not in sight or not within an ear shot, you're likely to be forgotten. You need to be front and center in the minds of your partners or consumers. But the way you go about that is certainly changing and what you do when you get there, makes all the difference. Cutting through the clutter is a nice cliche, but doesn't (if you'll pardon another) cut the mustard anymore.

Through traditional and social media channels, brands can now interact in more meaningful ways that relate relevantly within personal, social and cultural engagement in order to cultivate advocacy and loyalty. It's an integrated approach that keeps you in the conversation, and keeps your footprint fresh. How you measure that, is another discussion for another time. But one thing is certain. All forms and channels of marketing and advertising must be equally as important or equally validated if full-service agencies are to truly serve their clients effectively.

Despite claims to the contrary, traditional is not dead, and social media is not a fad. It's here to stay, and has already revolutionized the industry. Be wary of any consultant or expert who tells you there is only one way to do things. There isn't. All need to work together for the good of your brand; transparency and credibility, forming and connecting to communities of influence, and nurturing relationships built on mutual trust.

What we need to watch for and be mindful of going forward however, is that the research is still in flux because our society is in flux and students of culture are constantly aware of it. Some of the findings are somewhat counterintuitive because we continue to see a shift in the way people live their lives, the evolution of habits, values, and priorities, etc. But the human mind still seems to work and respond predictably in different ways to different stimuli, and knowing this vital aspect of psychology will go far in helping you get the most out of your marketing mix and creative strategy. For instance, a message received through passive or relaxed viewing of a television spot is received quite differently than one competing for the attention of someone actively engaged online, or driving distractedly past a billboard in rush hour traffic for that matter.

To illustrate my point, many advertisers are shifting more and more of their budgets to digital media yet still feel they don’t have a handle on advertising in a digital context. Hence, all the experimentation as many are learning what works and what doesn't in our new socially mediated world. But there's one guideline which cannot be overstated. Choose your advertising medium mix based on its strength in relationship to your purpose and what you're trying to accomplish. Remember everyone gets to tell your story now, so it takes the right mix to clearly articulate your brand, it's promise, product offering, and what the customer can consistently expect to experience by buying into that story, and investing in a relationship with you.

Social Soliciting Prohibited?

I'm not that old, but old enough to remember when people used to hang signs outside the front door of their business or home that read "No Soliciting". Actually some still do, but many sales people have already gotten the message. Soliciting is not socially acceptable anymore. Well, maybe not in the physical world. In the digital world however, we see a far different standard, albeit for now. Yet if history is any indicator, we may need to be careful. So far though, marketers continue to use every available avenue online to increase their business or brand recognition efforts like never before. It's becoming blatantly obvious and social marketing is not only gaining ground, but threatening to completely overshadow traditional forms of marketing and advertising. In fact, some agencies have already abandoned traditional in favor of digital altogether.

This is because social or online media offers something that traditional media doesn't, and it's exactly what sales people need in order to survive, but have been desperately deprived of in years past. It's about interaction. Period. The internet allows businesses to interact with customers in ways they have not been able to in a long time. And like an alcoholic who hasn't had a drink in awhile, many are impulsively overdoing it in ways that are irresponsible and self-indulgent. I mean some have focused their entire advertising around the latest popular social media channel, offering to reward you or enter you into a contest if you like them on Facebook. As if Facebook or Twitter for that matter, was the end-all, be-all strategy for success.

Most people are wising up to it too, and research shows it. If you're not engaging customers in ways that are relevant to them, than you are nothing more than another distraction or uninvited intruder vying to break into their world.

Yeah, plenty of us tweet, blog, digg, facebook, or whatever. But for the most part, people have a life outside of their social networks, though more and more companies act like you don't sometimes, and therefore, put their credibility in jeopardy by just jumping on the bandwagon, because this is what's hot right now. Sure I get it. But these cookie cutter copycats are mere novices just muddying up the waters.

"Experts" know that social media is not a one-size fits all formula. Each company has different goals and objectives, and what works for one client might not for another. Just ask Burger King or Pepsi. Simply applying a process over-and-over, may in the long run, serve only to desensitize and annoy people, and like the days of pop-ups and pop-unders, force advertisers to once again reorganize and rethink how to best get your attention and support their bottom line: business performance and thus ROI. Great brands understand the pros and cons and make thoughtful approaches to connect with customers and partners in a credible and integrated way. Sometimes that means not doing any social media at all; (God forbid), or doing so under the radar so that at least in the digital world, they never overstay their welcome.

Diversity with Dignity: A Celebration of Distinction

Much has been written about multicultural marketing and rightfully so. Nationwide, the minority population is steadily rising and now makes up to 35 percent of the United States with Latinos making up the majority of that percentage.

The rise in the minority population is due to recent sharp increases in minority births, especially among Hispanics, who accounted for more than half of total U.S. population gains last year. There are now roughly 9 births for every 1 death among Latinos, compared to a roughly one-to-one ratio for whites.

Ethnic lifestyle sensibility is not a luxury, it is a requirement for executives of any consumer brand, these days. But unlocking the code to brand loyalty and relevancy across multiple cultures is not a politically correct conversation. Rather, it is a brave and fearless one not everyone is equipped to handle, especially if your attitude toward diversity is biased, convoluted or less than dignified. You have to know what you are talking about and not just be a minority yourself. You have to put ego aside and be open to different ways of looking at the world.

For instance, ignorance is lazy and prone to generalization. Urban is not the same as ghetto, and vice versa. Not all Latinos are Mexican, and not all Mexicans are here illegally to take our jobs, and crowd our streets. Not every Asian is a restaurant owner. These are just stereotypes, but must be broken if we are to reach the core of what resonates across cultural boundaries.

This pertains to creative as well. I've seen well meaning designers and art directors perpetuate stereotypes of their own. Too much of what passes for multicultural is just a nod to an impoverished, tacky, or otherwise disadvantaged aesthetic. But this is a horrible disservice. It takes more than a spicy splash of color or festive border to command credibility. To build and maintain relationships that gain market share and customer loyalty with a diversity of audiences, requires a deeper commitment beyond kitsch and cliche.

Multicultural marketers should never go ghetto, and by ghetto I'm not referring to a place, but a standard. It's just distasteful and undeserving of what diversity affords us by it's very definition.

Diversity is dynamic, spirited, lively and forceful. It challenges us to embrace our differences; to be extraordinary–and extraordinary transcends race, gender, and socio-economic status. My grandmother was a hard working and inspirational immigrant who understood this principal. She knew how to call forth value from deep within herself.

"Speak well. Look great, and be intelligent", I've heard Tyra Banks say once or twice to her contestants. That's an old school concept, but one that made her excellent throughout her career as a model, and today as an entrepreneur and prominent media personality. Excellence is devoid of any prejudice. It is culturally impartial, but like polish, adds luster to what lies underneath, enabling every color to shine in all its brilliance. Honoring excellence is one thing. Honoring culture is another. But what I'm talking about is honoring excellence throughout culture and that should be something we all can celebrate.

Is Conversational Marketing Worth Talking About?

In light of the challenges brands face in the digital landscape, conversational marketing has become a popular strategy employed by social marketers. But it also depends on who you talk to. As most would acknowledge, conversational marketing evolved from The Cluetrain Manifesto's assertion that markets are nothing more than conversations, and that marketers need to reconsider conventional one-way communication with consumers. At least, that's what I got out of it – and I don't disagree, in theory. But how do you have conversations with people with the intent of promoting a product or service? Not an exact science, is it? And then there's the whole internet thing and its transformation of the marketplace. The whole dynamic keeps changing.

When it comes to social media, I am certainly no expert. No one is. But I'm always looking at the big picture. For those who didn't see it coming, social media is like the big gorilla in the room that no one invited but you also can't ignore.

Sure recent studies suggest that social media has no significant impact on direct sales, but it does on brand equity. Perception is everything when it comes to branding, and to ignore that fact, would be short sighted to say the least. The brand that endures is the brand that wins. To some degree, social media activity is imperative, but itself is no magic bullet, as some would hype.

For instance, not all companies are convinced that tweeting is a necessity, even ones that believe in social media. Quantitative executives focused on ROI are still trying to figure out it's value. As a channel for one-on-one customer conversations, I believe Twitter is a great way to find out what people want from you as a brand.

Conversational marketing is gaining traction in the blogosphere but it's not a new concept. Despite what some may think, social media is not all that different from traditional marketing as long as your philosophy is the same. Stop talking at consumers and focus more on building relationships and starting conversations; even if that conversation begins first in someone's head. That much you can control, at least subliminally. Plant a seed and watch it grow.

Sure, the internet has changed the way people connect, but the rules have not changed. Conversational marketing should be a fundamental shift in thinking and approach; not just a term to describe the notion of connecting directly to the marketplace online. It's more than viral or word-of-mouth, but rather an effective and rather inexpensive research tool driven by social media and its various communication channels.

Unparalleled in potential and unlimited in scope, cyberspace has a taken on a life of its own and social media offers many ways to interact and participate. So stay relevant and stay in the conversation but don't try to control the conversation. That will just backfire. The more you let consumers in and make them a part of the process, the more they will connect with your brand emotionally and give you a leg up on the competition.

Frozen by Fear

I read in a blog the other day how a recent neuroscience study showed that fear drives us more than we ever would care to admit. Makes sense. I don't think that comes as a shock to anyone. In fact, in this economy, everyone is in survival mode these days, for fear of losing everything they have worked so hard to obtain. Needless to say, this is not the best time to take risks.

Or is it?

Especially in business during economic downturns, those who learn to manage their fear have been able to turn lemons into some rather tasty lemonade, as it were. But those who do not, become paralyzed to do anything to promote their business.

When it comes to building businesses and brands, it's all about solutions and meeting needs. Everyone would agree the recession has changed society and culture to the point we can no longer look at the world the same way or go about doing about business as usual. That's just the nature of change and when things change, we all have to adjust.

This certainly opens the door for innovation, but not everyone will walk through it. Only the strong survive and I'm not just talking no guts, no glory here. No, this isn't merely about courage. This is about character. Character that says, if I truly have something to offer that's of any value, then discounting my brand is the last thing I should be doing right now. Character that says, everyone else is freaking out, but I'm going to stand strong knowing that this is just a test, and if I pass, I'll reap a reward for years to come, because my brand never stopped being relevant. If it did, then that's a discussion for another time, but the point I'm trying to make for everyone else is this: Failure seems to always follow its best friend, fear.

Business has always been about sowing and reaping and right now many are seeing the field as ripe unto harvest. So staff up and send your sales force out knowing that your return on investment is imminently at hand.

Save the Agency: A Contrarian View of the Ad Biz

As a student of culture, I've always been drawn to the account planning side of my industry. And as a creative, that knowledge is crucial in being able to motivate people. As a marketing professional that knowledge is also crucial in being able to motivate people to the point of opening their wallets, falling in love with a brand, changing culture, etc. But let's be frank. Some see this as sleazy manipulation and have come to hate advertising as a result.

As a cultural observer, I know how difficult it can be for businesses and brands to gain momentum and market share in this very savvy, sensitive, and cynical world we live in. But every business needs to grow (and grow fast) or we'll all be in big trouble. So in the greater sense, I know that advertising and marketing is not evil. It serves a purpose. It's still a service. Yet not everyone agrees, and some agency execs are going to great lengths and expense to get inside the hearts and minds of consumers to influence and persuade buyer behavior to gain a competitive edge. You can dress it up any way you like, but that's what it is.

In my opinion, if I possess the power and knowledge to change culture I want it to be used in a socially responsible way; not just to move more hamburgers in a nation with escalating health care costs. But that's the beauty of free will. I don't have to sell myself out. There are plenty of noble business and/or non-profit pursuits to promote and market with the skills and talents I've been given. I can use my power for good in order to make the world a better place, or I can keep pandering to the highest bidder and just pad my pockets. I'm sure lawyers have the same dilemma, except their compensation structure is much different. The term "starving artists" has some truth to it and creatively dominate people all have to do what they have to do sometimes to feed their families. Many of us at times have compromised our values and ideals just to survive in life. But no one forced us to. Again that's the beauty of choice. We all get to choose, just as we can choose to judge or not to judge. Those big agencies with even bigger critics provide something far more valuable than mere target practice. They provide paychecks; paychecks with good pay to creatives who desperately need to work right now in this blistering economy.

Common Sense or Emotion?

I'm a Stella, Heineken, and Modello sort of guy. It's all about taste for me. Stella also fits with my perfectionist personality. But it's not something I sit around and think about it all that much. So when I see those commercials with the Miller High Life delivery guy rant, I almost want to go out and buy a pack–well, almost. My own common sense kicks in and says, "It's still the same cheap beer your dad used to drink." But then again, I'm not the target demo for that beer. I have discriminating tastes, and lofty aspirations. Yet at the same time, there's a practical side of me that appreciates value, and the emotional power of this campaign taps into that hidden, unseen realm of pet peeves I harbor about inflation, excess, and wasteful spending. The delivery guy speaks to me, and inspires me to champion his cause. This is yet another Saatchi success. With Kevin Roberts and his Lovemark philosophy behind them, they understand what psychologists and sociologists have known all along. Your heart tells your brain what to do, not the other way around. This is also why I continue to believe that long-term emotional connections beat out short-term ROI for the vast majority of consumer goods and services. Consumers connect with and are persuaded by what's behind the brand, what's behind the promise.

This campaign also does a great job of relationship targeting. As I've always said, "know your customer," and matching your brand to a small group of consumers may be the most important thing a company could ever do. If you're the common man, (and most of us are) then these ads are scratching you right where you itch. In addition to being funny and a great piece of storytelling, the ad is the brand. High Life is an economical beer, and there is no reason to apologize for it. Instead, they embrace the mantra of the working man to perfection and make me want to follow. I know I'll eventually buy, and for reasons my head can't rationally explain. It's a heart thing.

Antisocial Media

I think we can all agree that relationships are the essence of any successful business. And in today's world, many business relationships are forged, developed and sustained online – via email, discussion forums, social networking sites, blogs, Twitter and the like. But then there are those who don't get it, don't want to get it, and won't ever spend enough time online to ever get it. Should they be ignored or disregarded as out of touch, old school, or behind the times? Perish the thought, please. To do so would be irresponsible and yes, even snobbish. Whether or not we'd like to admit it, these individuals are everywhere and not just in the over 50 crowd. They too have buying power and prefer not to follow like sheep into cyberspace in order to interact with the world. They prefer meeting face-to-face; not on Facebook. They're out-of-home, on the move, and living life, in their own way. They will still respond to traditional forms of marketing and advertising because from their perspective, social media is more of a paradox than a preview of things to come. Do I understand it or even advocate their point of view? It doesn't matter. What matters is that as a marketing professional I must listen to them, and recognize their right to be heard, and thus be able to recommend ways for my clients to retain them as customers. Everyone is different, unique, and as valuable as the next person, even if that person is seemingly taking communication to another level. In the quest for brand loyalty or market share, no one can be ignored in this economy whether explicitly or implicitly.

Selling the experience: Are you relevant?

Welcome to the way brands break through today. Through Experiential Marketing. Experiential marketing is more than a PR stunt or special event. It's the fundamental philosophy behind the next evolution in branding. Today's consumer is savvy, selective and yes, cynical. To reach them, requires a connection on multiple levels. Of course as we all know, the world is cluttered and fragmented. Shortened attention spans put higher demands on brands to make a quick impression, or money is simply wasted. While thirty second spots on radio and television once had a great impact, modern technology has changed the playing field. Yet the needs and desires of consumers remain relatively the same. Selling an experience becomes a sense of rapport between product and consumer which only serves to reinforce an individual's values, goals and ideals.

Appealing to a variety of senses, experiential marketing can tap into that special place within the human heart that fosters inspiring thoughts about what could be, without ignoring practicality. Understanding what the consumer is likely to think and feel, is a great tool in evaluating a brand's relevance, because the impulse to purchase is short-lived. An enduring brand must relate to both lifestyle and worldview. It must appeal to prevailing beliefs and personal agendas to capture more than just attention, but admiration, and ultimately, adoration.

Yes, this means looking at what you say and how you say it. But more importantly assessing where you engage your customer and at what levels. It makes all the difference--between who buys today, and who will continue buying tomorrow.