The New "M-E" Generation

In my last article, I touched on how we, as advertisers, should be working harder to embrace consumer self targeting. They do it already. Hell, you do it already. The simple act of searching for something on Google or Amazon is a form of self targeting, even if in minimalist terms. But, what about when they go to Amazon and read the hundreds of thousands of product reviews already uploaded to the site. No amount of advertising can combat a slew of poor reviews.

So how does this all work, anyway?

I'm an enormous music fan. I spend way too much of my time searching for new music to listen to and write about. Even so, the days of sifting through the album racks at my local CD store are long gone for me, now existing in some state of nostalgia in the back of my brain.

And while I'm constantly looking for new music, I'm hardly ever swayed by any amount of advertising for it. In fact, my general music snobbiness precludes me from buying anything in that fashion. Now, I spend some of my time on trusted sites like...

Continue reading Paul's super-awesome fantastic Mad Ave. Journal article....

Comments

[Tim Jackson]

Dude, I didn't realize you are budding; does it hurt? How many buds are we talking? Is it like a potato? Sounds painful and I'm sorry- get some lotion or something.

Great article and totally accurate. The ad dinosaurs are going to fight the process tooth and nail- for the rest of their remaining days (which are hopefully few). The rest of us will win out as the "old way" fades further and further.

Just go "be" with your customer- your community of users- and they will happily let you participate. Participate and listen- if you talk, make sure you ask a question, or at least answer one. Being a member of their community goes a lot farther than going to where they are and then hijacking their space... Bad move.

Ok, hope those buds clear up soon. I'm down for the count with severe bronchitis or pneumonia... so it's back to sleep for me.

[Sean Howard]

I second Gavin's post. This is brilliant Paul. Did you see me? I was three rows back waving the lighter back and forth... ;)

[Paul McEnany]

Damnit, Tim, you must get better, my friend! And thanks for the comment, you couldn't be more right on. That's the only way to succeed anymore. You gotta get your hands dirty and participate!

Sean- Thanks, man! I miss lighter waving, we need to get back to that. Have you noticed that it's switched from the lighter to cell phone waving? That shit's hilarious...

[Tim Jackson]

I thought I was gonna barf the first time I saw a cell phone go up in the air at a concert... sad, really.

I'm almost human today. Hope your buds are clearing up too.

[Sean Howard]

lol. Don't worry Paul, they're banning cell phones cause they have cameras in them. ;)

[Paul McEnany]

Buds are doing well, my friend. :)

And, thank god. Stupid cell phones.

Hold on a second, though, I have to talk a call...

[makethelogobigger]

Interesting thoughts. When it comes to choosing music, I think it starts even closer to home: what we hear first, not necessarily what reviews we read.

Especially to find new bands. I listen to a lot of stations online and if I hear something, I just check the playlist. The review process may work for most, I just know that I haven't yet been able to find reviewers with tastes matching mine, no matter how much amazon.com recommends their alternate choices at checkout.

[Paul McEnany]

Bill-

I'm right there with you. I guess I don't really take any reviewer at face value, but they have more hits than misses for me, and they usually upload an mp3, too. If not, I can just jump over to MySpace and hear four of their songs anyway,

So, definitely the review isn't ever enough, but I guess it just makes it easier to find samples of stuff I'm likely to like.

And, I don't really buy much music from Amazon, so I don't know much about their recommendations. But, Itunes' are very, very good. I check the "just for you" section on an almost daily basis, and that alone has put a pretty hefty dent in my pocketbook!

Anyway, thanks for coming by! You're blog kicks much ass, and I've been reading for a long time. I appreciate it!

[makethelogobigger]

Hey thanks for the words Paul, as does yours. Been busy trying to visit every blog that links to me and read them all but as you know, it takes so much time. I have a steady diet of about 15-20 each day I scan for stuff but can't seem to visit all the ones I want though.

It was easier last year when there were only like, four people reading mine.

;-p

I use amazon more for used stuff. I agree too that iTunes has some cool stuff. What I really like about the way online streaming stations have done it is the way they link to their playlists so you can instantly find where to buy it and if people like it or not.

Radioparadise.com for example has threads on each song played so when you check out a song, you can also see who hated/liked. It's actually there I can see if someone who liked a song recommended something else. Of course you deal with the usual "this song sucks" feedback too, but that's the inter-world-wide-net-web.

;-p