In ways even he could not have imagined, Marshall McLuhan‘s 1960’s theory has come to pass: The Medium Is The Message.
Proof is all around: People ricochet from TikTok to Instagram to Facebook posts...watching much and absorbing little…simply because they have the technology. Smart phones at the ready, people of all ages text millions of messages regarding dinner plans and relationship advice (Hopefully, swerving to miss the car in front of them.)
Because we can, we do. We have been empowered by the technology afforded us, and dammit, we’re going to use it. (Whether we need to or not.)
Of course, the appetite for new technology will only increase. But while the explosion of communication mediums has certainly democratized control of ‘the message’ (more people have the ability to say more things to more people than ever before), it’s had a severely negative impact on the quality of the message itself.
Unfortunately, many marketers have also fallen into this trap, now believing that getting something said loudly and humorously -- in more places and more often -- is the only road to success. With the point and quality of the message itself being a very secondary concern.
Here’s the point: The biggest, real opportunity for marketers today is not about embracing the next technology, but about better using the ones we have. And to do this properly, we have to look beyond the medium, and look to the intrinsic power of the message. The age-old, technology-agnostic craft of saying something worth saying. Something of value. Something of true meaning and relevance.
God knows, you'll stand out.
It's been said that ‘80% of success is just showing up.’ From a communications standpoint, we’ve certainly embraced this, haven’t we? We’re connected. We’ve got gadgets and toys that would frighten Alexander Graham Bell and Mr. Watson. In the time it took to read this post, you’ve already received 10 emails, three texts and 17 Tweets.
Problem is, how many of them are really worth reading? For the astute marketer, the answer is clear: Find something really worth saying. Then craft that message succinctly and creatively. Relevance, my fellow marketer, will get you everywhere.
Perhaps you could use a bit of assistance building and delivering the right message? If so, we should talk.
To learn more about how Cohesion, can assist with your efforts , email Brian Creath, president, at bcreath@cohesioncompany.com, or schedule a 15-minute call with him, here.