I can’t go a day without seeing or hearing phrases like this at work or in industry blogs/pubs: “Who’s our target?” “The target is middle aged men who like to watch Dancing With The Stars, drink Coke Zero and…” “Let’s be contrarian! We’ll target moms!”

Whoa! Hands of my momma!

Seriously though, enough already.  We’re in the business of communications, engagement and fostering relationships between brands and the people who love (or LIKE) them.  We aren’t Navy SEALS.

Using words like “targeting” gets us into a distant, cold and almost clinical mindset towards  the people we are trying to talk to.   It makes it harder for us to “stand [in our audience's] shoes and walk around” as Atticus Finch might say.  As strategists, it is crucial to break into those shoes, take a stroll or two and discover insights.

So next time let’s try to resist the temptation to say “target.”

Here are a few of my favorite “target” alternatives:

Target as a noun

- People we want to talk to

- Audience

Target as a verb

- Talk to

- Communicate with

- Engage

What words do you like to use instead of “target?”

Cheers!

Ryan

I was walking across 139th street today and came across this family BBQ’ing ribs on a street corner and selling it to people in the neighborhood. It was surreal. They were BBQ’ing under NYC scaffolding! Under scaffolding! On the street! In Manhattan!!!

At anyrate, I quickly started a conversation and made a b-line to the collards. It ended up the cook was from Hollywood, SC. I know folks from down there, so we started exchanging family names and seeing if I knew any of their kin. I didn’t, although I’m sure I know someone if we talked long enough. It was a nice (and short) moment. Two people having two very different NYC experiences sharing stories and commonalities all because of food. It all goes with my theory that the most beautiful thing about food is not the flavor or taste, but the ability it has to bring people together. Good food has no borders. Good food doesn’t care if you are black or white. It doesn’t care if you are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddist, Hindu or agnostic. It doesn’t care if you are gay or straight. It doesn’t judge. It is just there to make you feel good. Give you strength. And bring people together. I love that, and I am pretty sure we could all learn from that as well.

As for the food… I’m definitely planning on going back. The collards were good, but they are also super authentic aka “fat back” seasoning. While I am authentically southern, I tend to prefer no fat in my collards. Next time I am having the ribs, and mac-n-cheese. When I do, I’ll try to sneak a pic. I didn’t feel comfortable taking pics today. I wanted them to know I took the food, and our moments we shared seriously. I didn’t want them thinking I saw them as a tourist attraction.

Cheers and bon appetit!

Ryan

I think we need to be careful separating “traditional” planning and “digital” planning. Planning in its purest essence is not about technology, it is about human truths. These truths are media/technology neutral. Technology changes, but why we use these technologies don’t.

AS AGENCIES:
Right now “digital” is still hot, because there is still a pretty substancial lack of knowledge about social and online in the big ad agencies. Eventually, these gaps will close up, and clients will no longer have a need to go with two separate agencies for their creative campaigns. We probably have a good 2-4 years until this gap closes, but there is already talk in some of the industry pubs of the inevitable. Infact, check this article out from this week’s AdWeek. It is reporting on a hunch I’ve had for seven months now…

What do you think?

Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be a guest at Bootlegger 21 Homage to Harlem Glamour.  The event, a launch party for Prohibition Distillery’s new Bootlegger 21 New York Vodka, was much more of a multi-sensory branded experience, than an alcoholic beverage launch party.

As soon as I walked in the venue at 76 Wooster, I felt like I was in a 1920s speakeasy.  Everyone was dressed up in period clothing- including an actor at the front door dressed as a Temperance preacher.  He warned me to stay away from the “evil spirits” inside.

Needless-to-say, I ignored him and continued to explore this intriguing branded experience.

A variety of entertainers kept the guests engaged throughout the night- including a jazz band, pianists, tap dancers, and even a burlesque performer.  Not only did these performers add to the atmosphere and engage guests, but they also gave people something to talk about both at the event, and online.

There are three things marketers can learn from this branded experience:

1.)  Give a lot. Get a lot. – When Prohibition Distillery designed the event, it seems they focused less on pushing their product, and more on creating a branded experience with their audience in mind. While the brand was present, it felt more like a meal compliment than a main course.   This approach felt genuine, and made me more likely to share my experiences with friends.

2.)  Build it.  Use social. And they’ll come. – The main way Prohibition Distillery promoted the event was through the social commerce company, Living Social.  The company sold tickets for $35/person, and…  Ba da bing! A few days later over 700 gangsters and flapper girls were at the event.

3.)  The details make the experience.   All five of my senses were activated, creating a highly memorable and positive experience that I associate with Bootlegger 21.

Do you have any recent examples of great branded experiences?  What made them great?  Share below, and let’s start a conversation!

-Ryan

**Note:  Prohibition Distillery gave me three free tickets to the event.

The video made me think: is this going to be our future? Will our perspective of “reality” change? How will this effect our future relationships? Business? Advertising? While this video seems far out, it isn’t necessarily impossible as this TED Talk shows.

What are your thoughts?

* A big thank you to Jai Jones for sharing the video.

Click on the image for the original source.