Over a quarter of a century later, the research principles still apply. This Newsweek article features the work of Cragan and Shields -- dealing with "dramatism," which was the working term for Symbolic Convergence Theory (SCT), before SCT had a name.
The theory, application and research methods have all been refined, but it's interesting to see it's early form. Modern versions of these applications and methods are part of Sanctioning Agent's SymbolicID process.
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28 February 2006
27 February 2006
Is Freedom Just Another Word for Many Things to Buy?
Interesting article from Sunday's NY Times (hat tip to Christopher). One of the authors of the article is Barry Schwartz, who has previously examined the impact of "choice" in today's climate. We continue to see a paradoxical relationship with choice, as we see brand extensions and offerings sometimes confusing and irritating consumers. Too much choice can end up meaning too much noise in the channel, so to speak, and some product cannibalization.
In a normal trip to grocery store, I too become frustrated with my traditional brands (Colgate, Coke, Minute Maid). I used to buy Colgate, red and white tube. Simple. It was easy and it was a social decision, as I was raised in a Colgate house (I was horrified at my first sleep over to find my friend's family was a "Crest" family). Then there was Colgate gel - hmm, gel or paste. Gel was OK, but Colgate paste was a friend.. Now there's Total, Lumenous, Simply White, etc. I need a mapping wizard to bring me from the old to the new. The same with Coke. Before it was Coke. Coke was it. Now, there's Coke, Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Coke, Caffeine Free Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Coke with Lime, Diet Coke with Lime, Cherry Vanilla, Diet Cherry Vanilla, Zero, Coke Mascarpone, Coke Mascarpone with Hazlenuts etc. Minute Made, (part of the Coca-Cola company) has done the same thing, From one to many - with or without pulp, added vitamins, added calcium, etc. Perhaps we should debate the merits and faults of brand extensions later.
Perhaps too many choices prevent us from building communities around brands. Beyond frustrating consumers, we continue to cultivate a post-modern isolation. Without a strong parent or umbrella brand (and its brand equity), I think the bastardization of 1:1 marketing may be devaluing a brand rather than enhancing it.
However, I can see where choice, done in a manageable way, can help a consumer increase their connection to a brand. It is the pro-side of novelty (vs. redundancy). A great regional/micro brewer in the Twin Cities is Summit. Summit has a handful of varieties available at any given time they have about three to five beers on the shelf of the local liquor store. There are four beers available year-round and there are four seasonal brews - one for each season of the year. Like pitchers and catchers reporting to Florida and Arizona, a true sign of spring, for me, is the ability to buy Summit Mai Bock. The redundancy (reinforced experience, brand foundation) is enhanced by this manageable novelty a seasonal brew.
At times it's hard to argue with The Boss, "there's 57 channels and nothing's on."
In a normal trip to grocery store, I too become frustrated with my traditional brands (Colgate, Coke, Minute Maid). I used to buy Colgate, red and white tube. Simple. It was easy and it was a social decision, as I was raised in a Colgate house (I was horrified at my first sleep over to find my friend's family was a "Crest" family). Then there was Colgate gel - hmm, gel or paste. Gel was OK, but Colgate paste was a friend.. Now there's Total, Lumenous, Simply White, etc. I need a mapping wizard to bring me from the old to the new. The same with Coke. Before it was Coke. Coke was it. Now, there's Coke, Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Coke, Caffeine Free Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Coke with Lime, Diet Coke with Lime, Cherry Vanilla, Diet Cherry Vanilla, Zero, Coke Mascarpone, Coke Mascarpone with Hazlenuts etc. Minute Made, (part of the Coca-Cola company) has done the same thing, From one to many - with or without pulp, added vitamins, added calcium, etc. Perhaps we should debate the merits and faults of brand extensions later.
Perhaps too many choices prevent us from building communities around brands. Beyond frustrating consumers, we continue to cultivate a post-modern isolation. Without a strong parent or umbrella brand (and its brand equity), I think the bastardization of 1:1 marketing may be devaluing a brand rather than enhancing it.
However, I can see where choice, done in a manageable way, can help a consumer increase their connection to a brand. It is the pro-side of novelty (vs. redundancy). A great regional/micro brewer in the Twin Cities is Summit. Summit has a handful of varieties available at any given time they have about three to five beers on the shelf of the local liquor store. There are four beers available year-round and there are four seasonal brews - one for each season of the year. Like pitchers and catchers reporting to Florida and Arizona, a true sign of spring, for me, is the ability to buy Summit Mai Bock. The redundancy (reinforced experience, brand foundation) is enhanced by this manageable novelty a seasonal brew.
At times it's hard to argue with The Boss, "there's 57 channels and nothing's on."
Are the Olympics Relevant?
This article from MediaWeek, made me think "are the Olympics relevant?" Personally, I think so, but I think they represent a devalued entertainment currency. The explosion of other competitions (X-Games, for example) and speed of other media outlets seems to have taken the wind out of the ratings sale for NBC. I knew Bode Miller failed before each event, I didn't need to watch. However, if there were events that I like (biathlon, hockey, snowboarding and speed skating). Outside of hockey, these are all novelties for me. I don't get to see these every day.
NBC's Web site had excellent traffic, but the TV ratings lagged. TV ratings in general are a different beast compared to thirty, twenty, even ten years ago. By understanding the needs of viewers and advertisers, I think NBC could reshape the Olympics as a viewing experience. It will be interesting to see how viewers, sponsors and advertisers embrace Bejing 2008 and Vancouver 2010.
How would you reshape the Olympics to make it more relevant?
NBC's Web site had excellent traffic, but the TV ratings lagged. TV ratings in general are a different beast compared to thirty, twenty, even ten years ago. By understanding the needs of viewers and advertisers, I think NBC could reshape the Olympics as a viewing experience. It will be interesting to see how viewers, sponsors and advertisers embrace Bejing 2008 and Vancouver 2010.
How would you reshape the Olympics to make it more relevant?
25 February 2006
Fast 50: Demographics
Information from Fast Company regarding their "Fast 50" and other trends. All of this can be found in their latest issue which also looks back at the first ten years of the publication.
New Media
There's an interesting post and discussion at Fast Company regarding Craig's List. http://blog.fastcompany.com/archives/cat_publishing_broadcasting.html
Remember "new" media is not just replacing the "old," it changes the way we communicate. The laws of communication don't change, but the rules of context do. This applies to almost all technology, if you don't understand the process, technology can help you automate your screw-ups.
What do you want to accomplish? How does your media approach (tools and process) work towards that end?
Remember "new" media is not just replacing the "old," it changes the way we communicate. The laws of communication don't change, but the rules of context do. This applies to almost all technology, if you don't understand the process, technology can help you automate your screw-ups.
What do you want to accomplish? How does your media approach (tools and process) work towards that end?
24 February 2006
Righteous, Social and Pragmatic "Dramas": An Introduction
We live in symbolically created world -- sometimes they overlap and sometimes they don't. Our symbol systems and world views can be segmented into seven symbolic visions or dramas. This is the foundation for Symbographic research. These dramas provide a lens through which we can see the way communities, tribes, organizations, customers segment and organize. The visions are righteous, social, pragmatic, social-righteous, social-pragmatic, righteous-pragmatic, and no vision. From a brand perspective, the no vision a dangerous place to be, as the market will position you.
Righteous visions are those that deal with issues of quality and excellence and may have a religious fervor. "If you want it done right, you do it yourself."
Social visions are those that deal with issues of people, service, humane ways of doing things, or peer group influence. "It's not what you know, it's who you know."
Pragmatic visions are those that deal with issues of price and emotional detachment. Pragmatic heroes want things done that are cheap and easy. "I just need the fastest, cheapest option available."
These visions can change from product to product or service or issue. You may purchase your gas for righteous reasons (only the highest octane is good enough for my vehicle) and, yet, are pragmatic when it comes to your choice of beer (free is for me, or it's all the same, I'm not going to spend that much on it).
So, value is created not by price, but by symbolic perception. The brand equity may be for social reasons or righteous reasons. Even pragmatics can pay a bit more for something they won't have to worry about.
My uncle, mentor, and former professor, John Cragan, uses two quick reference points to help drive these concepts home. Bananas and Oil.
If you've ever participated in a road race or fun run, you're familiar with the fruit and water tents at the end of the race. Now thinking about the people coming to the tent after the race:
The righteous runner says "Potassium. That's what I need to avoid cramping."
The social runner says "Look at all of my fellow runners gathering, seems like a great chance to hang out and talk."
The pragmatic runner says "Hey, free fruit."
When it comes to motor oil:
The righteous car owner says ""I'll do it myself." (they might even enjoy this task)
The social owner would say: "I'm having my trusted auto mechanic do it for me" or "we've always taken our cars there."
The pragmatic hero would say: "I'm going to Jiffy Lube because it's quick, cheap, and easy."
Think about this from a market segmentation perspective. Look at the communities forming around brands, products, services, politics, etc. You can get a much clearer picture of your personas or lifestyle marketing. Do your Symbographic research and then look for the breaker variables when it comes to the demographics and sociographics of the communities you're trying to reach. As McLuhan said, the world is re-tribalizing. Our tribes are now forming around (mass) media and identity and are not bound to simple geography. Utilizing a Symbographic lens, you can better understand where your constituents derive meaning, motive, emotion and identity in their lives. You might be trying to sell social benefits to somebody that just needs a pragmatic solution.
*The above is based on the work of Bormann, Cragan, and Shields developing Symbolic Convergence Theory (SCT).
Righteous visions are those that deal with issues of quality and excellence and may have a religious fervor. "If you want it done right, you do it yourself."
Social visions are those that deal with issues of people, service, humane ways of doing things, or peer group influence. "It's not what you know, it's who you know."
Pragmatic visions are those that deal with issues of price and emotional detachment. Pragmatic heroes want things done that are cheap and easy. "I just need the fastest, cheapest option available."
These visions can change from product to product or service or issue. You may purchase your gas for righteous reasons (only the highest octane is good enough for my vehicle) and, yet, are pragmatic when it comes to your choice of beer (free is for me, or it's all the same, I'm not going to spend that much on it).
So, value is created not by price, but by symbolic perception. The brand equity may be for social reasons or righteous reasons. Even pragmatics can pay a bit more for something they won't have to worry about.
My uncle, mentor, and former professor, John Cragan, uses two quick reference points to help drive these concepts home. Bananas and Oil.
If you've ever participated in a road race or fun run, you're familiar with the fruit and water tents at the end of the race. Now thinking about the people coming to the tent after the race:
The righteous runner says "Potassium. That's what I need to avoid cramping."
The social runner says "Look at all of my fellow runners gathering, seems like a great chance to hang out and talk."
The pragmatic runner says "Hey, free fruit."
When it comes to motor oil:
The righteous car owner says ""I'll do it myself." (they might even enjoy this task)
The social owner would say: "I'm having my trusted auto mechanic do it for me" or "we've always taken our cars there."
The pragmatic hero would say: "I'm going to Jiffy Lube because it's quick, cheap, and easy."
Think about this from a market segmentation perspective. Look at the communities forming around brands, products, services, politics, etc. You can get a much clearer picture of your personas or lifestyle marketing. Do your Symbographic research and then look for the breaker variables when it comes to the demographics and sociographics of the communities you're trying to reach. As McLuhan said, the world is re-tribalizing. Our tribes are now forming around (mass) media and identity and are not bound to simple geography. Utilizing a Symbographic lens, you can better understand where your constituents derive meaning, motive, emotion and identity in their lives. You might be trying to sell social benefits to somebody that just needs a pragmatic solution.
*The above is based on the work of Bormann, Cragan, and Shields developing Symbolic Convergence Theory (SCT).
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