With 6 months left in 2015, its a good time for marketers to pause and take stock – to then setup where we will lead our brands and fans in 2016.
To appreciate where we’ve all come from, let’s take a trip back through time to the 7 posts (many of which became books) that redefined marketing for our new Connection Age.
The 7 posts that redefined marketing
- 1998. Permission Marketing. More than 15 years ahead of his time, Seth Godin, prophesied what would be required for Brands to be able to communicate to their target audience/s. It is inexcusable that even in 2015, many brands are still insisting on interruption marketing. Here is the antidote.
- 2000: Unleashing the Ideavirus. / The Tipping Point. In the same year, Seth Godin and Malcolm Gladwell each released a book that would help us understand how things go viral. In Unleashing the Ideavirus, Seth would go on to, fittingly, prove his point as his book became the most read eBook of all time. Malcolm Gladwell would also go on to give marketers the three necessary ingredients for anything to go viral.
- 2003: Purple Cow. Seth Godin would again make a new contribution to marketing-speak in clarifying what it takes for brands to stand out in a (now) globally competitive environment.
- 2004: The Long Tail. Wired Magazine editor, Chris Anderson, debunks the Industrial Economy belief that profits can only be made in the ‘Short head’ of markets. With careful research and data from Amazon, he roadmaps the counter-intuitive and enormous business opportunity found in ‘The long tail’ of the web.
- 2008: 1000 True Fans. Building on the foundation of The Long Tail, Kevin Kelly (found of Wired Magazine), shares why a creator only needs 1000 true fans from anywhere in the world in order to replace his/her job. An essay, not just for those looking to quit their jobs, but a mindset shift for those looking to build a business.
- 2008: Tribes. Seth Godin expands on his earlier work and puts language behind our self-organisation into global long tail tribes (as distinct from traditional local interest tribes) – and what this will mean for marketers.
- 2009: Free. Chris Anderson drops another bomb as he challenges brands worldwide to grow by giving things away for ‘free’.
Your Turn
What resources have you found to be most influential in shaping your online marketing?
Please comment below (or hit ‘reply’ if you are receiving this via email).
2 Comments
jonathonsciola
True. So true. If you have any respect for Seth Godin also check out Marc Andreeson. He is similarly prolific, prodigy of the technological front.
Adam Sugihto
Hey Jonathon,
I didn’t realise Marc Andreeson was blogging! Am now subscribed 🙂
ps. I remember when Mosaic first came out!!! Was an absolute mindblow…