Just when you thought it was safe. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse. Just when you thought there was light at the end of the tunnel. You get whacked; it gets worse and the light turns out to be another searcher like you…
Lest you think I am on a downer or a negative nay sayer (my regular readers know better), let me be clear: I am merely stating reality as I see it. And, reality as I see it is that we haven’t seen the end or bottom of anything.
My crystal ball is cloudy and the visionaries and prophets of our world economies clearly don’t have a clue! Talk about cloudy…
So what are we to do?
Here is a clue – waiting for the phone to ring with good news – isn’t the answer.
Another clue – wringing your hands and bemoaning your fate – won’t cut it either.
Truth?
I don’t have the answer. No, I am not weaseling!
But I do have the key…
Embrace the situation; own it; make it yours and ours; don’t run from it or pretend not to see it. Get on its back and ride it. Hard.
Look at what you do; what you say; what you think. Feel the world and let it wash over you; influence you; inspire you.
Add your own spin; be positive; look for ways to make a difference.
Don’t get locked into anything; the rules have changed and are changing even as I write.
And listen to this:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Charles Darwin
Now imagine that not only are you strong but that you have strength behind you. And imagine that you are not only smart but that you have heritage, legacy and experience behind you.
And now imagine that you can take all of that and use it as an engine for change – constant change quick change, focused change – you get the picture.
Many people believe that Darwin is about the Lion eating the gazelle – not true – because in that scenario both the lion and the gazelle evolve to the better – both need to be responsive to change.
I have no doubt that the fittest will survive….the only question is who –
Isn’t actually the “Survival of the fittest” philosophy the basis for most of our problems? What about changing to “survival of the most intelligent”. Or “survival of the most humane.”
Power to the peaceful.
With the current credit crunch, there is a tremendous likelihood of some more corporate bankrupties. And in anticipation, companies will be tempted to pull back on their advertising and marketing investments in order to conserve cash. Of course, if these investments are working, this is cutting off the nose to spite the face. So, we should be convincing our clients that their marketing investments are productive and, indeed, that their direct marketing investments are more productive and accountable than other marketing investments. (A little bit defensive, I admit.)
In the case of Microsoft Advertising, we are proposing a direct-to-their-customers communication which emphasizes the low cost per exposure and high accountability of online advertising.
The Darwinian analogy is attractive, but we need to recognise we’re in a bunch of symbiotic relationships with retailers and manufacturers.
Their survival and growth depends on consumer behaviour. It is the mutual exchange with our clients – all about stearing consumer behaviour, and spend, towards the clients – that our fitness depends on.
As the tide goes out, we need to develop what we are sure still work well, so that when the tide comes in we can take up the rest of the potential.
Tom.
Love this. You know I believe strongly that six billion people want my worst day. Meaning even in the darkest of time we got it pretty good, we are healthier, smarter, and richer than we have ever been. So know the question is what are we doing with that power, how are we transforming? If necessity is the mother of invention what what is today’s necessity – because last I checked we are the inventors – so it’s a buyers market.
Is there really anything called “Safe” in this world?
Change is inevitable and there is no reason to fear change. Instead, we should gather whatever strength we have in us and see what we can do with it. “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” If digital is the path Direct Advertising needs to tread, we will lead the way. Leaving you with something I read in a book, “Who moved my cheese?” by Spenser Johnson.
Change Happens
They Keep Moving The Cheese
Anticipate Change
Get Ready For The Cheese To Move
Monitor Change
Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old
Adapt To Change Quickly
The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese
Change
Move With The Cheese
Enjoy Change!
Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese!
Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again & Again
They Keep Moving The Cheese.
Many people believe that Darwin is about the Lion eating the gazelle – not true — and here is/was my point — this is not the vision of the violent hordes marching on the poor huddled masses — that is a wrong reading of Darwin and I guess you could argue that the wrong reading has contributed to some/many of the worlds problems — Darwin is about those who can change who are able to cope — who use their brains; intuition; innovation — whatever to face the new world — Power to the Peaceful who help change the world,,