Intriguing info... Vanksen's Marketing 2.0 Trends for 2010

Thanks for the link, Dave.

The article seems to me to combine three ideas. First idea is that all businesses need to become astute about online marketing and social media. The second idea is that being clueless works even worse online than it does in print. The third is that the agency is oh so hip and well connected and informed, and since you can't figure it out yourself, you need to pay a lot of money for someone like them to guide you. The key giveaway is the reference to "e-reputation," (not just the word used once but the concept, throughout the article) -- as though the basic human qualities of evaluating other people are somehow magically different, just because there's some digital technology.

Two out of three wins ain't bad.

The article praises Facebook, and proclaims that sites that meet user demands for security will do well. No mention of the Facebook security issues that have been in the news.

"brands that use blogs for campaigns.... will likely use available tools or appropriately-equipped agencies..... These options also let them outsource the time necessary to develop an authentic relationship..."
Can someone else develop an authentic relationship on your behalf? This strikes me as a fad as likely to see as sending someone else to job interviews and dates in your place, because they are better than you at "developing an authentic relationship."

"Proper disclosure ("This post sponsored by...") is now a given (which is great). Frankly, we should expect the same standards from traditional media..."
I'd love to see that.

"on TV (at least on cable) or in the press -- not merely just as guests but as moderators or active contributors to the storytelling process."
That seems to imply that outside of mass media, what happens is not actually a storytelling process: an implication that doesn't make any sense. Most bloggers are far more effective at real storytelling than most big-media, big-company ads.

"The influence of women...the beauty and fashion industries....his population -- often ignored by the majority of markers..."
I'm confused by this paragraph. Is the idea that women are ignored by most marketers? That the beauty and fashion industry doesn't care about marketing? Either claim makes no sense.

"We'll also see growing numbers of sales outlets outfitted with interactive screens, innovative interfaces, holograms and augmented reality features."
While that would be impressive and cool, I think it's far more likely to see this in a luxury Vegas boutique than in the local Wal-Mart, at least any time soon.

"The plot thickens: instead of stacking new techniques onto existing ones, brands will have to completely reconsider their basic in-house marketing strategies."
Those of us right here on the WF, right now these days, have the opportunity to create, share and apply strategies that blow clear past traditional "basic" strategies.

"Many marks make the mistake of believing that they are popular when they did little else but buy and exploit the attention of users (using irritating, interruptive advertising methods)."
On the other hand, all that yelling still sometimes works. Michel Fortin didn't get his wish of Web technology putting an end to the long sales letter.

"left us in the habit of stocking up tools without actually using them, or even investing time in learning their capabilities or limitations."
We see that here all the time on the WF, don't we!

"When the film "New Moon" launched, BestBuy asked Facebook fans what their favourite vampire books and films were. The top 50 products mentioned were prominently sold on BestBuy.com, and gratified fans responded with pleasure to a brand actually listening to what they had to say -- and making it possible for them to purchase the objects of their current obsession."
This could have been done by any store that sells books and movies, couldn't it!

Chris

great read... it really opens you mind to the possibilities especially with the way things are going and how more and more things are eing based on the net won't be long before ecommerce outweighs brick and mortal business