Do More With Less: Lead Innovation
October 12th, 2009
Trend guru Jeremy Gutsche’s advice, while applicable to marketers and CEOs, is just what we need: Make a cultural connection.
Whether we’re fighting budget battles or striving to raise awareness of consumer insights, a cultural connection could be just what tips the balance. Unlike reports and presentations, cultural connections imply engaging your audience to think new ways by DOING, not just by listening.
So maybe plopping one your decision-makers on the phones to talk to real consumers isn’t so terrifying after all…
And how else can we engage those people we’ve worked for years to influence? Risk a failure!
John Cronce — Jockey
Pretty lively discussion going on about Jeremy Gutsche’s keynote presentation on Facebook. On the question of how to connect culturally to teens / twenty-somethings, John writes:
“Engagement: that’s what he says connects at a cultural level. And while the tactics may be demographically distinct, the strategy works across all of them. Harley Davidson has engaged its consumers for years. Note how they actually tatoo the brand on their bodies. Way more impact than a TV spot or print ad. I think Jeremy would say that the tactics end up being shaped by a confluence of trends, consumer insights and creativity. As a trend guru, he spent quite a while on this, and he’s got a new book on the subject. I believe it’s on Amazon.”