Comments on: Why do we do these things? http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: danlevine33 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4179 danlevine33 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:54:37 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4179 Great post.<br><br>For me...<br>Each example has a social component to it. We choose to engage, to interact, to experience. It's why inbound marketing works well. Provide the right medium (maybe one, maybe more) and let your customers come to and/or find you. Great post.

For me…
Each example has a social component to it. We choose to engage, to interact, to experience. It's why inbound marketing works well. Provide the right medium (maybe one, maybe more) and let your customers come to and/or find you.

]]> By: danlevine33 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6642 danlevine33 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:54:37 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6642 Great post.<br><br>For me...<br>Each example has a social component to it. We choose to engage, to interact, to experience. It's why inbound marketing works well. Provide the right medium (maybe one, maybe more) and let your customers come to and/or find you. Great post.

For me…
Each example has a social component to it. We choose to engage, to interact, to experience. It's why inbound marketing works well. Provide the right medium (maybe one, maybe more) and let your customers come to and/or find you.

]]> By: Donna Jolly http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4180 Donna Jolly Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:26:42 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4180 Why do we do it? It's like loving someone with flaws. You know they have flaws, yet you still love them. We go to these type of events because we want something out of it, maybe a hot dog, maybe a bootleg CD, maybe one of those silly temporary tattoos or an animal balloon---it could be anything. What we don't want is to be exposed to the barkers and pushy hawkers, but we go anyway, because we want the rest of the experience, enough that we are willing to put up with the things we don't want. The good quite simply outweighs the bad. That is, until we go and realize that it is too crowded, too hot, too many crying kids and too many pushy hawkers. Then we leave and swear, "We'll never do that again." Then we'll forget what bugged us a few months down the road, and it starts over, all fresh. Why do we do it? It's like loving someone with flaws. You know they have flaws, yet you still love them. We go to these type of events because we want something out of it, maybe a hot dog, maybe a bootleg CD, maybe one of those silly temporary tattoos or an animal balloon—it could be anything. What we don't want is to be exposed to the barkers and pushy hawkers, but we go anyway, because we want the rest of the experience, enough that we are willing to put up with the things we don't want. The good quite simply outweighs the bad. That is, until we go and realize that it is too crowded, too hot, too many crying kids and too many pushy hawkers. Then we leave and swear, “We'll never do that again.” Then we'll forget what bugged us a few months down the road, and it starts over, all fresh.

]]> By: Donna Jolly http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6643 Donna Jolly Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:26:42 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6643 Why do we do it? It's like loving someone with flaws. You know they have flaws, yet you still love them. We go to these type of events because we want something out of it, maybe a hot dog, maybe a bootleg CD, maybe one of those silly temporary tattoos or an animal balloon---it could be anything. What we don't want is to be exposed to the barkers and pushy hawkers, but we go anyway, because we want the rest of the experience, enough that we are willing to put up with the things we don't want. The good quite simply outweighs the bad. That is, until we go and realize that it is too crowded, too hot, too many crying kids and too many pushy hawkers. Then we leave and swear, "We'll never do that again." Then we'll forget what bugged us a few months down the road, and it starts over, all fresh. Why do we do it? It's like loving someone with flaws. You know they have flaws, yet you still love them. We go to these type of events because we want something out of it, maybe a hot dog, maybe a bootleg CD, maybe one of those silly temporary tattoos or an animal balloon—it could be anything. What we don't want is to be exposed to the barkers and pushy hawkers, but we go anyway, because we want the rest of the experience, enough that we are willing to put up with the things we don't want. The good quite simply outweighs the bad. That is, until we go and realize that it is too crowded, too hot, too many crying kids and too many pushy hawkers. Then we leave and swear, “We'll never do that again.” Then we'll forget what bugged us a few months down the road, and it starts over, all fresh.

]]> By: danlevine33 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4178 danlevine33 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:54:37 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4178 Great post.<br><br>For me...<br>Each example has a social component to it. We choose to engage, to interact, to experience. It's why inbound marketing works well. Provide the right medium (maybe one, maybe more) and let your customers come to and/or find you. Great post.

For me…
Each example has a social component to it. We choose to engage, to interact, to experience. It's why inbound marketing works well. Provide the right medium (maybe one, maybe more) and let your customers come to and/or find you.

]]> By: Phil http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6644 Phil Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:57:28 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6644 1. We love small businesses and hate big corporations.<br><br>2. Barkers are AWESOME and we all wish we could do that.<br><br>3. Super Bowl ads are HILARIOUS! We normally hate advertising because it is not entertaining and not relevant. Here, they are vastly entertaining, sometimes even more than the main program! 1. We love small businesses and hate big corporations.

2. Barkers are AWESOME and we all wish we could do that.

3. Super Bowl ads are HILARIOUS! We normally hate advertising because it is not entertaining and not relevant. Here, they are vastly entertaining, sometimes even more than the main program!

]]> By: Donna Jolly http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4177 Donna Jolly Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:26:42 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4177 Why do we do it? It's like loving someone with flaws. You know they have flaws, yet you still love them. We go to these type of events because we want something out of it, maybe a hot dog, maybe a bootleg CD, maybe one of those silly temporary tattoos or an animal balloon---it could be anything. What we don't want is to be exposed to the barkers and pushy hawkers, but we go anyway, because we want the rest of the experience, enough that we are willing to put up with the things we don't want. The good quite simply outweighs the bad. That is, until we go and realize that it is too crowded, too hot, too many crying kids and too many pushy hawkers. Then we leave and swear, "We'll never do that again." Then we'll forget what bugged us a few months down the road, and it starts over, all fresh. Why do we do it? It's like loving someone with flaws. You know they have flaws, yet you still love them. We go to these type of events because we want something out of it, maybe a hot dog, maybe a bootleg CD, maybe one of those silly temporary tattoos or an animal balloon—it could be anything. What we don't want is to be exposed to the barkers and pushy hawkers, but we go anyway, because we want the rest of the experience, enough that we are willing to put up with the things we don't want. The good quite simply outweighs the bad. That is, until we go and realize that it is too crowded, too hot, too many crying kids and too many pushy hawkers. Then we leave and swear, “We'll never do that again.” Then we'll forget what bugged us a few months down the road, and it starts over, all fresh.

]]> By: Steve Dersch http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6645 Steve Dersch Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:23:17 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6645 I would say in the first two examples, the "solicitations" contribute to the overall atmosphere AND attendees can then choose whether to further engage or not. <br><br>I might argue that the Superbowl commercials example is not as good an example. Perhaps what happens outside the stadium/inside is a better comparison (not so much on TV). I would say in the first two examples, the “solicitations” contribute to the overall atmosphere AND attendees can then choose whether to further engage or not.

I might argue that the Superbowl commercials example is not as good an example. Perhaps what happens outside the stadium/inside is a better comparison (not so much on TV).

]]> By: Phil http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4176 Phil Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:57:28 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-4176 1. We love small businesses and hate big corporations.<br><br>2. Barkers are AWESOME and we all wish we could do that.<br><br>3. Super Bowl ads are HILARIOUS! We normally hate advertising because it is not entertaining and not relevant. Here, they are vastly entertaining, sometimes even more than the main program! 1. We love small businesses and hate big corporations.

2. Barkers are AWESOME and we all wish we could do that.

3. Super Bowl ads are HILARIOUS! We normally hate advertising because it is not entertaining and not relevant. Here, they are vastly entertaining, sometimes even more than the main program!

]]> By: whitneyhoffman http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6646 whitneyhoffman Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:56:04 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2009/07/19/why-do-we-do-these-things/#comment-6646 I would argue fairs are kind of like the mall. The purpose you're there is transparent. Many times it's community oriented, helping friends and neighbors, finding the small, one off batch of blueberry honey, etc. It's the bespoke, unique, non-mass produced all in one place, that you'll never find in the mall- The Purple Cow mall, in essence.<br>Carnivals, even things like the Car Show or Home Expo with its more high pressure and niche pitches have brought their share of ginsu knives into my house (And I have to admit I still love those silly knives- they work as promised.) I am not big on high pressure pitches, but I do know what to expect in those places, so I am prepared, and if I decide to bite, I know what I'm doing.<br><br>The Super Bowl ads, in contrast, I think have become the academy awards of the advertising industry- it's the largest and most expensive platform in TV, so we watch to see how people are using this short-format to try to win the prize- and to see what the long tail effect it has (or doesn't) for the company. We're even less concerned about the actual products than we are on how they pull off the creativity required for this high stakes game. It's "Advertising Survivor" (tm) - boom or bust for the ad agency and the client.<br><br>But the heart if the question is this- people are perfectly happy to opt in to situations where they have an opportunity to buy or engage with something new or unique. It's time limited, it's not every day. It's what Seth Godin talks about in permission marketing.. People who show up to these events know what's in store and give their permission to market your socks off to them- but that's not the case with most interruption methods of ads. I would argue fairs are kind of like the mall. The purpose you're there is transparent. Many times it's community oriented, helping friends and neighbors, finding the small, one off batch of blueberry honey, etc. It's the bespoke, unique, non-mass produced all in one place, that you'll never find in the mall- The Purple Cow mall, in essence.
Carnivals, even things like the Car Show or Home Expo with its more high pressure and niche pitches have brought their share of ginsu knives into my house (And I have to admit I still love those silly knives- they work as promised.) I am not big on high pressure pitches, but I do know what to expect in those places, so I am prepared, and if I decide to bite, I know what I'm doing.

The Super Bowl ads, in contrast, I think have become the academy awards of the advertising industry- it's the largest and most expensive platform in TV, so we watch to see how people are using this short-format to try to win the prize- and to see what the long tail effect it has (or doesn't) for the company. We're even less concerned about the actual products than we are on how they pull off the creativity required for this high stakes game. It's “Advertising Survivor” ™ – boom or bust for the ad agency and the client.

But the heart if the question is this- people are perfectly happy to opt in to situations where they have an opportunity to buy or engage with something new or unique. It's time limited, it's not every day. It's what Seth Godin talks about in permission marketing.. People who show up to these events know what's in store and give their permission to market your socks off to them- but that's not the case with most interruption methods of ads.

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