The days of mass advertising and big brands are over.
There are now a gazillion channels and a gazillion choices of stuff to consume.
Previously it was all about who could buy the most TV, magazine and newspaper slots. But who watches ads anymore?
The mass is melting. At the moment, it is a trickle, but give it another 5 years or more, with all of us being able to produce, create, share, broadcast and find what we desire, then the changes will be enormous.
The internet has created the connected generation, who trust their social networks’ shared experiences rather than the voice of the brand.
In addition, the internet has enabled us to market to all of the different and weird demands, that previously the mass brands couldn’t. They have been satisfied with creating ordinary stuff, efficiently and profitably for the masses to consume.
Now the different, creative and innovative can find people who appreciate and desire what they create and make money from supplying that want.
As the mass continues to melt and the classic bell curve becomes flatter, then the brand will matter less and less. It will no longer be a tool to help the masses identify one producer over another in order for the producers to sell average stuff to an average mass.
It will now be to do with the person or company that creates what small niche communities desire and it will be the ones who deliver exceptional experiences for their customers from using their product or service that will be the success stories.
No one will care what colour your logo is on your average sugary slop drink, or whether there’s a yellow, pink or orange ‘M’ on your average beige burger.
People have woken up to the fact that their ‘weird’ taste can be catered to and they do not have to put up with ordinary shit delivered to them by giant corporations.
They have switched brands off and they don’t give a shit about what ‘values’ they have attached to it or what colour the logo is.
They care about getting what they really want and now there are people who will give it to them.
Small is the new big and they don’t need to hide behind a brand.
Philip Dodson 