With media fragmentation and the rise of web 2.0, advertising is losing momentum and even worse, productivity. It cannot be considered a magic potion for selling anymore. Advertising has damaged Marketing (with capital M). It has even stolen its name. It kidnapped the Client to make it a “target”.
Internet forces us to be much more transparent. Having a good product will be “sine qua non” because one catches the liar before the cripple. But it won’t suffice. Marketing will continue to involve communication, advertising, product development, market research and that’s why we’ll soon be facing a big budget redeployment from advertising to “engagement”. Engagement is the new advertising. In fact it is much more than advertising. Engagement includes advertising, the “good” advertising.
And Internet will be the natural space in which strength ties and relationships with customers who have become hyperconnected and much more social than ever.