The death of intimacy

September 20th, 2004

A selfish, market-driven society is eroding our very humanity.
Martin Jacques has written a very powerful piece on our changing society.

He identified 3 important trends:

1). The rise of the individual

2). The spread of the market into all aspects of society

3). The rise of communication technologies, notably the mobile phone and the internet.

Jacques has made observations which I think are significant and thought provoking.
In the context of SMLXL's interest, there are important lessons to be drawn. That, if brands and businesses want to go down this route. And in many ways they are driven to do so. Then they have a greater responsibilty not to be invasive or intrusive. Or to make individuals feel their private space is being stripped away from them.
Our approach to this is what we call engagement marketing.
Importantly in moving into this space brands must learn the fine balancing act of acting commercially and socially.

Where the customer identifies that the brand/business is supplying something to them of real value.
It requires, a rethink for some companies how they market themselves and to question how they differentiate themselves. It also offers a great opportunity if businesses are prepared to think a little harder about their marketing strategies.
"Adding or creating value", whatever that maybe, will be the mantra for the next few years.
I think also that the mobile phone and the internet have also empowered customers, they are more knowlegable. They are more demanding and force companies to rethink what they do.
For example, there is currently a big debate about what we eat, what goes into what we eat and where it comes from. Fuelled by films like Super Size Me, the BBC's Fat Nation, numerous articles and lobby groups, who have taken more freely available information and formed the agenda.
The big supermarkets are aware that they must address the issue of people's growing paranoia about what goes into the food they eat.
So the relationship works both ways, and perhaps this more intimate dance will persuade companies to be ultimately more socially concious if they want their customers to reward them with their custom.
It might well be the turn of the financial services next?

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