Hi all,
I've been thinking about (especially online) marketing for a while now. Personally, I feel it has a tight connection with social behaviour and target groups. There is also strong link between UxD and marketing, in the sense that they both work with a target group in mind. However (note the polarization here) the one works for the target audience, the other works for themselves. I've seen marketing people (wanting to) try to create an 'online community around a brand or a product'. I've done a thesis on online social communities and I've always discouraged them to do this, since an online community exists for the community itself, not for someone who is trying to make money of it. The people in the community can smell the marketing strategies. To continue on that smell of marketing strategies, I am convinced people have developed a sense for detecting situations when marketing is trying to push products or services through one's throat (disrespectfully speaking). In that perspective, shouldn't it be wise for marketing to peak over shoulders of UxD people, to see how they address the client in a way that the client would respect (love!) your way of communication. One thing is for sure, marketing was indeed smart to realize that communities are very strong channels for selling products - take viral videos for example. But when people detect fakeness (marketing) in your viral - you're sorry you've tried. Marketing should truly and sincerely believe in their product and their audience and stand amongst them, instead of looking down on them as if they were ants in a petri dish. Apple has done an awesome job for that matter! I am not getting into product quality discussion but people actually sell Apple products for them, even when the product lets them down for whatever reason. Someone once said to me that "they've bottled forgiveness" - I think that's indeed an awesome way to express it. Of course through marketing, but there are other (maybe most?) factors accountable for the success. So does that make sense? Marketing should be more like user centered design? Could a traditional marketer even be losing ground here? Sincerely, Matthijs S. Rouw, MA Interaction designer TEMPEL Bureau voor Interaction Design & Usability Nieuwe Gracht 74-76 2011 NJ Haarlem T +31 (0) 23 55 18 023 F +31 (0) 23 55 18 024 I www.tempel.eu **** This is intended for the addressee only and may contain confidential business information. It may not be copied without our permission. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender as soon as possible and delete the material from any computer**** No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.4.7/1545 - Release Date: 10-7-2008 18:43 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
