16 July 2007

Atomic Theory? Close Enough

I'm doing some work with Unit 7, a forward-thinking relationship marketing company based in New York. Unit 7's president and CEO, Loreen Babcock has recently done an interview with Next Generation Pharmaceutical magazine, in which she uses the ideas of Valence Theory in a relationship marketing context (which is some of the subject matter of our current collaboration):
The best results for relationship marketing will rest on an insight that embraces the reality of UCaPP: the real power of RM today is our ability and willingness to connect consumers to each other and to embed this as a primary success metric for relationship marketing. When we facilitate these connections, we enable brands to connect, unite, react and interact with consumers, like atoms linking to form molecules. Connected consumers are actively revealing what is relevant and meaningful to them in exchange relationships. Whether praising or pounding a brand, they are freely handing marketers powerful insights into their motivation and behavior that point the way to mutual and binding relationships.
Nicely said, Loreen!
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is nothing but useless management talk. As someone who's worked for Loreen Babcock, I can tell you that it's all just flutt talk. Unit 7 is a paper tiger. All consumers want is a good product/service at a fair price. Give them that and you'll have loyalty. All this is just abstract nonsense that just results in more trees being killed.

Mark Federman said...

I can understand your cynicism, Anonymous - after years of being marketed to in traditional ways, and especially after working in marketing factories for so many years, I can see how it is easy to draw the conclusion you do.

Actually, I do want more than just a good product or service at a fair price. I have expectations of companies with which I want to do business that go beyond simple instrumentality. I think that collectively, we in our society should demand more. One way that such expectations can manifest in corporate behaviours is through the types of ideas that I characterize as Valence Marketing, consistent with a new conception of organization.