When The Marketing Poles Reverse

Every so often, the earth’s poles reverse. North becomes south and vice versa. According to scientists, this geomagnetic reversal has happened many times in earth’s history – the last one about 780,000 years ago. Homo sapiens weren’t around then, but chances are the next time it happens, it will wreak havoc, at least for a while, until humankind can reorient itself to the fact that up is now down, and Santa and his elves have relocated to the North Pole somewhere in Antarctica.

We may have to wait a long time for the next geomagnetic reversal, but it looks as though the marketing poles are starting to reverse now. What marketers have traditionally used to orient their brands to the customer world around them is acting like a demagnetized compass.

Faced with an economic downturn and the need to demonstrate a clear return on budgets, more companies are reversing their emphasis from a reliance on traditional media to a reliance on digital media. Digital media is presently the only media experiencing any sustained growth. For an expanding list of companies, this reversal in the allocation of marketing resources creates the only plausible way to increase revenue in the face of shrinking consumer expenditures and tightening marketing budgets.

In addition, this reversal is also characterized by a changing reliance on more expensive paid media to a growing emphasis on earned media. In the past, paid media appeared to give marketers control over the direction of their branding and marketing messages, but the power of social media has shifted substantial brand influence to the consumer. The receiver of messages in the past has become the transmitter of messages in the present.

If we are now experiencing a reversal of the marketing poles, it is critical to remember that all directions are still important. Traditional paid media will continue to have a substantial role to play even if it isn’t the main cardinal point on the marketing compass. However, just as a compass relies on finding north to determine the bearing to all other directions, in the future, digital and earned media may become the new true north for marketers to establish their bearings and navigate their way to brand success.

In addition, no matter what the media of choice is to deliver the message, ultimately the success of marketing – at least from a company’s perspective – will come down to great ideas that make sure the the intended communication is not only noticed, but also in tune with the consumer’s brand experience for that product, service or company.