The Death of marketing as we know it

<p>I am currently reading [l:http://www.sethgodin.com/purple/|Purple Cow from Seth Godin.] He makes the case that companies need to market to people like me (innovators, early adopters and sneezers) because only we can successfully market their product to mainstream consumers. If you market to the mainstream, no one wants it and there is too much competition. People are distracted and overwhelmed by commercials, and just don't really pay attention anymore.</p> <p>An interesting development that grows out of this problem is product placement and disguised advertising. Last week at [l:http://www.nten.org/conferences-sf|NTEN Regional SF], I had a conversation at lunch [l:http://www.nten.org/2005-sf-pull|some folks] about just this kind of thing. We all noted that companies like Coke and Pepsi seem to be advertising a bit less, but their products are showing up a bit more prominently in television programs, movies and [l:http://news.agendainc.com/mt-agenda/content/archives/2005/06/schwarzenegger.html|on Governor Schwartzenegger's desk.]</p> <p>I have a few examples just from tonight's consumption of mass media and the internet. I watch this alien abduction program on USA called [l:http://www.the4400.com|the 4400]. There are a few scenes where spotless, brand new cars (like the Ford Mustang and some Cadillac feature as prominently as the characters. </p> <p>During the program there was an ad for [lk:oddsagainst7even.com|oddsagainst7even.com]. It features catchy music from a hot band of the moment, I think Bloc Party. I thought this was a movie advertisement, and it has caught my attention before. This time I went to the website. It is an advertising vehicle for Target, particularly for their back to college type products. Currently there are 5 short films on the site, and they are pretty decent, i would say mildly amusing, good looking kids. You can browse their dorm rooms on another page and items have targets on them. Click on the target and you wind up on a target.com page where you can buy the item. It makes me shudder in disgust and shrug in admiration.</p> <p>I also heard on the news today that Court TV has installed a few hundred, or thousand advertisement decals on the sidewalks of NYC. Another effort to break through the clutter that will only result in more of it. Is no place sacred? Target has the right idea (unfortunately) and CourtTV? Ehh, i say theirs is the wrong idea.</p>