Exposing and Demystifying the New Normal of Marketing and Research

Join contemporary culture and research thought leader Mike Farrell (SVP, Research & Strategic at Conversion Marketing and former co-founder/CIO at Youthography) in a lightening-paced overview of the changing media landscape and what this means for those of us in the research community. Head’s up – more ongoing and consistent connection with the marketing function is part and parcel of this new reality.

It is a great understatement to say that there is a major change going on in the way we, as people, as citizens, as consumers, and as brands and organizations communicate with each other. To state the obvious, this has been technologically-driven. But, as always, it’s the cultural resonance and lasting impact wrought from technology that propels us in new directions and into new ways of thinking.

Perhaps nowhere has the connection between technological and cultural change been made more evident than in the marketing and communications industry. Consumers, citizens and both the online and offline communities that we are a part of now represent – and in no small way – our future major media vehicles: citizens and consumers ARE the new mass media.

This is having a huge impact on how we shape our communications strategies. Fading quickly are the days when a major mass media buy was THE first big step to drive awareness and get people into a consideration mindset. The focus is shifting from “paid” to “owned” and “earned” media.

Brand owners and marketers need to think more like editors and act more like publishers; always working with their evolving advocacy network and engaging this extremely valuable asset with insight-driven content that educates, empowers and entertains.

These are the new priorities. However, as Mike points out, “the medium has changed, creating significant cultural shifts, but not at the expense of the core values and needs that continue to bind us together as ghosts in the machine – this is no time to throw the baby out with the bath-water. “

There is no doubt that increased cultural presence and power is more in the hands of modern citizen-consumers than ever before; smartphones and iPads stand as perfect metaphors for their expectations – “what I want, when I want, how I want.” But this ability to rapidly access more information and connect with more people has not diminished the timeless human need to develop and nurture deep connections.

As an example, despite a wild increase in the number and variety of friends that a mainstream North American teenager can, and does, have, when asked about their inner circle of closest friends the number seldom goes higher than five – a figure that has transcended the centuries.

What does all this mean for marketing and for research? What are some tools and approaches that the research industry needs to integrate into its day-to-day? What is “brand publishing” anyway? And what are some key trends that stand as identifiers of the now, and importantly, the near future of MARCOM and research?

Let’s throw it all up in the air and see how things shake out!

This event is presented by the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association Alberta Chapter.

For more information on this luncheon event and other MRIA Alberta events, please visit the MRIA Events page at http://www.mria-arim.ca/ALBERTA/Events.asp

Registration is in advance, by October 3, 2012