Create Conversations
Posted by Steffen Stäuber
“Markets are conversations.” - is the first of a set of 95 theses from the “Cluetrain Manifesto” written in 1999 by Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weinberger. This manifest is a call to action, for all businesses to join this newly-connected marketplace and transform their mass communication into “human to human” conversations.
What does that mean for advertising. I don´t believe that agencies could manage these “human conversations” for their clients, but I think that it is possible to be part of them if we create something that is worth talking about.
Here is Marschall Ross definition of advertising:
„I define it as a conversation starter. Interruption doesn´t cut it anymore…you either get people talking…or nothing happens.“ Marschall Ross CCO Cramer-Krasselt
And here is what you could achieve if you get the people talking:
Mark Ecko & Barry Bonds home run record ball:
Marc Ecko was about to launch a new sportswear collection. Therefor he bought Barry Bonds‘ record-breaking 756th home run ball in the auction, paying $752,467 for it. To determine the fate of the ball, he started a website, www.vote756.com, and asked the American public to vote on what they think should happen to it. Visitors’ choices were giving the ball to the Hall of Fame, branding the ball with an asterisk before giving it to the Hall of Fame, and putting the ball on a rocket to be launched into space.
Mark announced the results live on TV:
With over 10,000,000 votes, 180.000.000 blog mentions and a lot of media coverage Ecko managed to be at the center of the greatest sports debate of all time. He gained so much public attention that he got over $80.000.000 of free media space. Not a bad ROI for spending originally $752,467.
Instead of wasting the money on a TV branding campaign, he created a national conversation among sports fans and honored his audience with giving them a voice in the debate.
A great strategy and it shows how powerful it is to create conversations instead of ads.
Tags: Barry Bonds, barry bonds home run record, Christopher Locke, cluetrain manifesto, conversation starter, conversational marketing, conversations, create conversations, David Weinberger, doc searls, Mark Ecko, national conversation, Rick Levine