Post-modern marketing 101

Create new value by confusing stuff

Sunday, 1 October, 2000

The disparate, hard-to-pin-down philosophy of post-modernism is now more than just the talk of
radical 1960s academics — or a confused architectural style. It infiltrates every area of our lives,
and business is cashing in on the confusion.

Academics will argue the toss about what exactly it is, but you can detect post-modernism at work
when roles, relationships and boundaries become fluid and objects become decentralised.

You see it in the blurring of family roles, where the traditional view of mum and dad is merging into
a complex network of step-parents and individuals all known by their first names. The ultimate
example is the Internet, a decentralised network of fluidity and random connections.

It is no surprise that post-modernism is creeping into business and, in particular, marketing.

Products, for instance, are blurring. The Gumwatch, a gum dispenser doubling as a watch, is one
of a number of blurred items by US toy company Crazy Planet. Of course, it doesn’t want to be
called that: “We don’t want to be a toy company and we’re not just another straight sugar item,”
says its president. It is something in between, like the edible building blocks it makes or fruit-
flavoured stamps that kids can lick off the back of their hands.

Candy makers (sorry candy-toy makers) say this sort of confusion is just another way to sell
candy, but it illustrates the point: from the blurring of cate-gories arise new opportunities.

Just try it yourself — blur the boundaries and you’ll find that new business opportunities abound.
For instance:

Competitors and friends. When Finnish-based Nokia spoke to arch rival Swedish-based
Ericsson, the result was Symbian, the industry initiative that’s behind the third-generation mobile
phone standard called Wireless Access Protocol (WAP). From such “co-opetition” has arisen a
new platform that some say will overtake Windows on computing.

Products and purposes. When you buy Nike, is it for comfort or for a statement? One thing’s for
sure: it’s not just because it’s a shoe. Marketers’ ability to see beyond mere product creates
enormous possibilities. For example, the makers of Pampers, the nappy brand, understand that
the brand stands for more than just nappies. It means “convenience for kids”. That’s why the
Pampers range now extends into practical kids’ clothing.

Users and manufacturers. Most Web experts, such as Creating Killer Web Sites author David
Siegel, argue that the best sites are built by the community they serve. Which is why companies
like Ford and GM are trying to find ways to let consumers into their factories to construct their own
cars — not just in colour and dashboard options, but right down to the shapes and engine specs.
It’s also why the most popular part of the PCWorld.co.nz site is the “ask the expert” column called
Press F1. In it, users and experts create their own content, posting their questions and responses
on the site.

Consumers and marketers. A recent US campaign for shoemaker Converse featured billboards
with almost nothing on them. The white space was left for the public to fill in. Who’s the marketer
and who’s the marketed here?
 Employee and employer. When employees are encouraged to buy company stock, are they
employees or owners? Whichever they are, there are harder and more involved workers. Stock
options are a key human resources tool in the New Economy.

Owners and customers. Imagine if the owners and customers could be the same people. US
company Stockpower claims (based on Bain & Co research) shareholders are 33% to 107% more
loyal to their companies’ brands than ordinary customers. Thus Stockpower sells direct marketing
services to businesses trying to leverage sales out of their shareholders.

So confusing things may help create new lines of business.

Ask yourself what line of business you are in and how you can mix that up to create something
new. Then ask what ways you have for letting your customers do the mixing.

How can you recreate the melting pot that is, say, America? For 200 years that country has been
throwing together such fresh and unusual combinations it’s no wonder it is such a dominant
economic and cultural force.

Though, to be honest, I’m still not sure Starbucks’ orange-flavoured iced coffee is a winner. But
then I don’t run the fastest growing retail chain in the world either.

Jake Pearce is a principal at Fast Forward Future Marketing.

You can read up more on Jake Pearce at http://www.jakepearce.com