Thursday, August 21, 2008

the new consumer

doesn't consume material goods: new jeans, the latest razor, new Nikes, Mr. JoeBob's insurance policy that can get the best discount around, or even the dinner for only $9.99 at TGIF's. The new consumer consumes content: podcasts, blogs, flickr photo albums, social media conversations, text messages, YouTube videos.

Content is what we all need to be producing now. Ripe from the AP Conference, content is the new creativity. What does our audience want to consume in terms of content? In this Internet and connectivity driven world, content is "the goods." What can you produce that people will want to share? What can you produce that people will want to add to, mess with, and get their fingers in?

And that's just it, and also maybe why many companies haven't gotten on the content bandwagon, is because content can also be created by consumers, so we're all competing in the same pool. AHHHH, no control, says the stodgy, traditional company, let's just talk to them (not with).

Everyone is creating content. It will be the brands and products and companies that facilitate the creation and sharing of content that will be rewarded with loyalty, love, and customers. CUSTOMERS of content. CREATORS of content. Maybe we'll finally replace the age-old consumers with talking to the creators. That sounds nice. :)

I just read an article, i can't remember the source, that said in this post-broadcast age, retail will reign. Well just think about it: a retail environment is filled with content! A retail environment provides a context to enjoy the content within, which is even better and more conducive to retention. So what can we call customers of content? Think about it. Plan for it. It's here, the age of content.

2 comments:

Nguyen Duong said...

dig your post today. i recently sat in ze frank's prezo on “Catching Contagious Media: How to Maintain and Grow an Audience in the Emerging World of Online Media." Ze suggests that brands take an Experience Forward vs Content Forward approach.

The Content Forward model is when brands push their content out there for us--we as consumers have to sift thru all the “crap” to get to the good stuff. how many shitty YouTube videos of white kids rapping at a Taco Bell do i need to see before finding a gem like Radiohead's Remix?

With the Experience Forward model, Ze suggests you engage your consumer at all levels of the dialog, from passive (e.g. viewing and voting) to active engagement (e.g. reviewing/commenting and creating mash-ups/videos) and celebrate their embrace of your web authorship/content creation tools--it’s about the experience! push out the cool experience, and the kids will come to you...and create!

Anonymous said...

People will always consume nikes, jeans and shirts. we don't walk around naked. But never before has the word augmented product meant so much. And we're still broadcasting, but broadcasting is no longer linear and one way - a nike site with video, interaction points etc is broadcasting - but it's two way. And it lets you in on the augmented products. It creates favourable associastions. But the day you produce a lower quality shoe - you're in trouble. Nike is ALWAYS a good example because they have top of the line shoes in quality, associations and culture tap-in.