Reaching the influencers of 'cool'
Can true 'cool' ever really be created? Short answer...no. The book Chasing Cool makes that pretty clear, and any 'cool kid' knows that they're a really tough target to reach. They look to their peers for definitions of cool, not to the media.
Which leads me to this golden piece of satire from America's Finest News Source
This works on so many levels for so many reasons...where to start :-)
First, there's the notion that uncool marketers can focus group their way to hipster-dom, and use integrated campaigns to facilitate their manufactured cool. It's especially fun to hear things like, "We gotta add viral to that campaign!"
Second, there *is* a segment of the population that takes popular culture a little too seriously. They *do* base their purchases and behaviors on what they see and hear in the media world, yet believe they're unique and standing out in some way.
Now I'm not saying I'm better than that...actually, I sort of am ;-)
But the point is, America is full of manufactured culture. 'Cool' can't be made; it's organic. It grows and develops if given the right environment. If you want to be a part of that as a consumer, just put yourself in the right environment. If you want to be part of that as a marketer, then you still have to put yourself in the right environment, while simultaneously finding a way to nurture and support the environment to allow 'cool' to grow around your brand.
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