When I was in the UK recently, I came across this …
Now you may laugh and snigger at it – especially in these days of social media – but I think it’s awesome.
No seriously I do.
Because as much as technology has allowed interaction between audience and brand to be done on an unprecedented scale … I would argue it rarely creates the same sort of emotional positivity and connectivity that a good old, sit down and chat can achieve.
[And no Northern, it’s not just because it involves tea, regardless what you may say]
Yes … yes … I know if you work out the cost that a copper talking to 6 old ladies in the local library, it will be nowhere as cheap as them having an online conversation with thousands of people at once, but reach doesn’t mean effectiveness, even if too many in adland think it does.
A long time ago, when we had cynic, we were working with MTV and George tried to convince them to ditch their email communication approach and start sending them letters. I remember the horror in the audiences eyes when he said that, but his point was that many of the modern generation haven’t experienced the joy of having a letter addressed to them that wasn’t some sort of bill, bollocking or bullshit and it would have a disproportional impact on them compared to yet another email cluttering up their inbox.
They said no. Fools.
Now I don’t know how many people attended ‘cuppa with a copper’ … and I’m fairly positive the audience was probably made up of the elderly or parents rather than kids … but the fact is, sometimes talking to someone or being heard by someone sat in front of you has a transformative, sustainable effect and while we’re in the business of helping our clients achieve their business goals, it’s worth remembering that while we all want the next big thing, it’s sometimes the old and small that can make the biggest impact.
Sometimes.