Fret not my fellow mankind, for there is hope yet! Thankfully, there are still people in this world who think outside the box. One in particular is a cowboy; on a steel horse he rides. Well, maybe not. But he is a brand expert extraordinaire.
Bruce Philp spoke at St. Lawrence College today about the New Consumer Republic. The title of his new book ought to give you an idea about what I learned today; Consumer Republic, Using Brands To Get What You Want, Make Corporations Behave and Maybe Even Change The World. Quite the title you got there, cowboy.
With a very insightful and humorous speech, Bruce described the past and present situations in the marketing world and explains how the exchange of power came to be. Essentially, consumers wear the pants. Brands are a language, and the literacy rate is off the charts. If consumers were even slightly aware of the power they possessed, the world would be a very different place.
Bruce finished off by addressing a controversial question; is marketing an honorable career? I'm glad he brought this up, because up until now I figured I was the devil's minion in training. He said that what we do IS important. "If practiced ethically and taking into consideration how important consumer value is, then it may very well be the most important job in capitalism". Eat THAT, law students.
This leaves me with one question; what does this mean for us future marketers? Is it easier to call the shots or follow the game play? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, be courteous the next time you shop during a blow out sale. I hear pepper spray hurts considerably.