ChaCha. Ask Away.

It’s no argument that old advertising strategies aren’t working in new contexts. Millennials are really good at tuning out and/or avoiding mass media–TV, newspaper, radio, even online. Advertisers want to be where their
audience is, but their audience has tended to disregard them.

So what’s the new thing to try? Mobile, because everyone always has their phone on them, and is always engaged by it.

But when it comes to Mobile, everything becomes personal–anything unrequested is creepy spam.

My question: Is chasing after them in one more place going to change their habit of ignoring it?

Absolutely not.

What do we do now? Rethink. Redefine.
Ready or not, a new way of thinking about advertising, sponsored content, business/consumer relationships, etc. is inevitable. A re-definition, if you will. “Redefining” doesn’t necessarily require thinking harder about the
issues; it just requires thinking differently.

So forget everything you know about what advertising is “supposed” to be. Don’t look at Mobile as being “where consumers are”. Look further, at what consumers are doing on their mobile phones, and how they are doing it:

What do people want out of their phones? How do people use their phones?
Well, at their core, phones are meant for conversations. People use their phones personally, socially, conversationally, and to obtain information that they need at any given moment.

What are conversations like?
Again – simple, obvious answer. Don’t think too hard.

I put together some illustrations of conversation, because there isn’t just one kind of conversation. Each illustration represents a conversation of a different depth. And by the way, this is the direct result of some very serious and extensive research about how to have a conversation (sarcasm):

Conversation 1: All conversations start somewhere.
Sometimes these “conversations” are cliché, but other times, that’s all the conversation you really need. It’s safe, it’s friendly, and it’s a good starting place.

Conversation 2: Small-talk? Or genuine interest.
This is when you start feeling each other out, getting acquainted and comfortable.

Conversation 3: Make no mistake – this is real.
These are the most uninhibited and meaningful conversations. Friends like these sacrifice time, money, and energy for each other.

Share your thoughts:

* What kinds of things do advertisements have in common with conversations?

* How can advertising be conversational?

* What benefits might there be to approaching mobile advertising conversationally?